site.btaBulgaria Issues Only Short-Term Schengen Visas, Has No Connectivity Issues with Schengen Visa System

Bulgaria issues only Schengen visas for short stays, and by the end of July their number totaled over 35,000, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday. Its statement comes in response to media reports on the Schengen visas issued by Bulgaria to foreign citizens and possible difficulties or refusals of such visa holders to be admitted to Europe. Bulgaria has no problem with its connectivity to the Schengen visa system, the Ministry said.

The Ministry explained, "In accordance with Art. 28 of Regulation (EC) No 767/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of July 9, 2008 concerning the Visa Information System (VIS) and the exchange of data between Member States on short-stay visas (VIS Regulation), and pursuant to Council Decision (EU) 2017/1908 of October 12, 2017 implementing certain provisions of the Schengen acquis, relating to VIS in Bulgaria and Romania, and Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/995 of June 18, 2021 fixing the date from which Decision (EU) 2017/1908 is to apply, the linking of the Bulgarian National Visa System to the Schengen Visa System has been effected via the so-called 'passive access'. About 15 tests have been successfully carried out for the linkup.  By virtue of Council Decision (EU) 2024/210 of December 30, 2023, as of March 31, 2024 Bulgaria issues only Schengen visas for short stays and by the end of July this year the number of issued visas exceeded 35 thousand. Since the same date, Bulgaria has been granted active access to the EU Central Visa Information System (CVIS) and information from Bulgaria's national visa system on all visa applications and decisions is recorded in CVIS. Bulgaria has no problems with its connectivity to the Schengen visa system."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs draws attention to the fact that, according to European legislation, the possession of a visa is not the only ground for a third-country national to be admitted to the Schengen area and any member state may deny entry if a third-country national is found to be failing to meet the entry conditions as per Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament and of the Council of March 9, 2016.