Bulgarian passport
| Bulgarian passport | |
|---|---|
 The front cover of a contemporary Bulgarian biometric passport | |
 The data page of a contemporary Bulgarian biometric passport | |
| Date first issued | March 29, 2010 (current biometric version) |
| Issued by |
 Bulgaria |
| Type of document | Passport |
| Purpose | Identification |
| Eligibility requirements | Bulgarian citizenship |
| Expiration | 5 years after acquisition for adult, 5 years for children |
The Bulgarian passport is an international travel document issued to nationals of Bulgaria, and may also serve as proof of Bulgarian citizenship. Every Bulgarian citizen is also a citizen of the European Union.
Application
The Ministry of Interior Affairs is responsible for the issuing and renewing of Bulgarian passports.
Use
For travel inside the European Union, (Schengen Area and Common Travel Area countries), as well as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Republic of Macedonia and Serbia, Bulgarian citizens are not required to carry a passport and only need their national identity cards.
The Bulgarian passport gives its bearer the right to assistance and protection by Bulgarian diplomatic missions and consular offices abroad (or to those of other EU member states where a Bulgarian one does not exist).
The passport remains the property of the Republic of Bulgaria.
Categories
- Regular – available to all Bulgarian citizens and valid for five years.
- Service – issued to their staff on request by the respective government agency or directorate.
- Diplomatic – issued to diplomats, high-ranking state officials and their immediate families.
Physical appearance
Bulgarian passports are of the common EU design, being burgundy in colour, with the Bulgarian Coat of arms emblazoned in the centre of the front cover. The text "Европейски съюз" (Bulgarian) / "European Union" (English), the country's official long name "Република България" (Bulgarian) and the English form "Republic of Bulgaria" are inscribed in capital letters above the coat of arms, with the word "паспорт" (Bulgarian) / "passport" (English) below. It is issued for a period of five years, and contains 32 or 48 pages.
Security features include holographic images, micro printing, UV-visible features, watermarks, etc. In addition, the passport holder's photograph is digitally printed directly onto the paper, in standard ink as well as a holographic image. All passports are machine-readable.
Biometric passports
Since 29 March 2010,[1] all newly issued Bulgarian passports contain a chip with biometric data, and also feature the text "Европейски съюз" (Bulgarian) / "European Union" (English) above the country's official name, thus reflecting Bulgaria's EU membership. Additional design changes include the placement of pictures of famous Bulgarian landmarks and monuments on the inside pages of the passports. The new passport fees are 20 € (40 BGN) and with the same validity (5 years).
Passport note
The passports contain a note from the issuing state that is addressed to the authorities of all other states, identifying the bearer as a citizen of that state and requesting that he or she be allowed to pass and be treated according to international norms. The note inside Bulgarian passports states:
The Government of the Republic of Bulgaria requests all Civil and Military Authorities to let through the holder of this passport without hindrance and, in case of need, to render him/her the necessary aid and assistance in accordance with the international law.
This passport is valid for all countries.
Languages
The data page/information page is printed in Bulgarian and English.
Gallery of historic images
-
Kingdom of Bulgaria passport circa 1944 -
Pre-EU
Bulgarian non-biometric passport (1999–2009)
Fees
Fees for a passport (32 pages) in 2012 are:
| Time for issue | 30 days | 3 days | 8 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Children (1st passport, under 14) | 10 BGN | 20 BGN | 50 BGN |
| Children (under 14) | 20 BGN | 40 BGN | 100 BGN |
| Adult (between 14 and 58) | 40 BGN | 80 BGN | 200 BGN |
| Adult (between 58 and 70) | 20 BGN | 40 BGN | 100 BGN |
| Adult (over 70) | 10 BGN | 20 BGN | 50 BGN |
| Disabled | 3 BGN | 6 BGN | 15 BGN |
See also
- Citizenship of the European Union
- Bulgarian nationality law
- Bulgarian identity card
- Uniform civil number
- Driving licence in Bulgaria
- Bulgarian diplomatic missions
- List of passports
- Foreign relations of Bulgaria
- Visa requirements for Bulgarian citizens
- Visa policy of Bulgaria
- Passports of the European Union
