Bulgaria tightens entry rules for Russians

Visas are issued single entry – for three months

Bulgaria slams its doors on the Russians. Before the summer season, tourists faced visa problems. Property owners complain that they receive single-entry tourist visas for only three months.

In the chats of property owners in Bulgaria, people are perplexed: “We just received information from the tour operator that the Bulgarian consulate from April 13 will not accept documents for an urgent visa, and tourist visas are issued only for single entry and for three months. The reason is not indicated. They promise that this is a temporary measure.

We contacted the representative of the travel agency, which is engaged in the registration of Bulgarian visas.

– Indeed, now Bulgaria issues single-entry tourist visas. That is, going on an excursion to neighboring Romania or going to Turkey, and then returning back to Bulgaria will not work.

Most likely, such measures were taken to restrict tourists from Russia from traveling to other European countries, where entry is open on the Bulgarian multivisa. In addition to Romania, with a national Bulgarian visa, you can visit Croatia and Cyprus, – said the employee of the company. – Previously, the owners of Bulgarian real estate issued annual tourist visas, because it was easier and cheaper. To obtain a three-year real estate visa, you need to collect a whole package of documents – you must be the owner of the apartment, you need to provide checks for paying taxes, receipts for paying utility bills. Not everyone was ready to bother with it.

Some property owners from the Russian Federation admitted that they would not be able to fly to Bulgaria this year, not only because of visa problems, but also because of the high prices for air travel. You have to fly through Istanbul. Then about 8 hours to get by bus to Bulgaria. The prices for the most budget air travel by Russian airlines from Moscow to Istanbul and back in the summer are about 60-70 thousand rubles. Moreover, some planes fly with refueling in Sochi. A two-way flight by Turkish Airlines will cost about 100 thousand rubles.

The cost of a visa has also increased. Getting a tourist visa through a travel agency costs around 9 thousand rubles, for a three-year real estate visa you will have to pay about 15 thousand.