Bulgaria long-stay (Type D) visa
Required documents, fees and processing time for a Bulgaria long-stay (Type D) Schengen visa when you apply from United Kingdom.
SCHENGEN · VISA C✈ DOCUMENTS
🇧🇬 Bulgaria·····✈·····🇬🇧 from United Kingdom
To
Bulgaria
Type
D · LONG STAY
Apply at
UK
Centre
VAC
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Action neededLong stay — national (Type D) · applying from United Kingdom.
Documents ready00 / 12
Competent authority
Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in London - long-stay D visas are handled directly by the embassy (outside the VFS short-stay scope)
Application centre
none for D visas / applies directly at the embassy; mandatory personal interview
Recommended — commonly expected even when not on the official list
Cover letterA letter of introduction stating who you are and why you are travelling.
Travel itineraryA day-by-day plan of your trip to attach to the application.
Fees
Consular (Type C)
€90
Service fee
£29.7
Est. total (adult)
£110.7
Long stay (Type D)
—
The short-stay (Type C) consular fee is harmonised at €90 for adults across all Schengen states; collected in GBP · centre: VFS Global.
Fee notes
VFS Global. Bulgaria full Schengen member (land borders Jan 2025).
Timeline
medium confidenceProcessing
15–45 days
End-to-end
4–10 weeks
Centre
VAC
Appointment wait
Approximately 2-4 weeks across UK centres; slots can be scarce, worse in summer.
Application centre
VFS Global (Bulgaria now full Schengen member; short-stay handled via VFS Global UK). London, Manchester, Edinburgh.
Timeline notes
Bulgaria joined Schengen fully in 2024-2025, so the standard 15/45 baseline applies. Wait time from secondary sources.
Funds to show
high confidenceThe figures below are the short-stay (Type C) means of subsistence. A long-stay (Type D) visa sets its funds requirement nationally by purpose (study, work, family reunification, income) — check the consulate for the amount that applies to your case.
Per day
€50
Minimum
€500
In EUR ≈
as shown
Floor
subsistence funds must be at least EUR 50/day but not less than EUR 500 total (floor), or proof of prepaid tourist services
Notes
Figures are officially denominated in EUR (Art. 17 of the Visa Ordinance, Decree 198/2011, last amended 13.05.2022). National currency was the lev (BGN, fixed peg 1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN); Bulgaria adopted the euro on 01/01/2026. Extra: EUR 100 required if entering by self-driven vehicle; transit visa needs >= EUR 50/transit (+ EUR 200 for self-driven land transit).
Consulates apply discretion and may expect a buffer above this figure — treat it as a floor, not a guarantee.
Funds source ↗⚠ Special cases & caveats
- All Type D applicantsD visas are lodged directly at the Embassy in London, not through VFS; issued only against a prior Bulgarian long-stay permit/approval; personal interview obligatory; purpose-specific documents vary (work/study/family reunification).
- Non-British residents of the UKUK immigration status must be valid beyond the application period.