site.btaBulgaria Relaxes Rules for Issuing Tourist Visas for Turkish Citizens

Bulgaria is relaxing the rules for issuing tourist visas for Turkish citizens. "As of July 15, Bulgaria is implementing a new procedure for issuing tourist visas to Turkish citizens," Tourism Minister Miroslav Borshosh said during a news briefing at the Council of Ministers Wednesday.

In addition to three-month and six-month visas, Bulgaria will now offer one-year, three-year, and five-year visas for individuals who have had no violations during the validity of a previous visa.

"This is a development that will significantly ease the visa regime with Turkiye, which is very- especially in tourism," said Borshosh.

He further explained that the easing of the visa regime and the introduction of this cascading model will allow for faster visa issuance, longer visa durations, and extended stays, all of which will help improve bilateral relations, particularly in tourism.

Minister Borshosh also reported a 60%-plus increase in Turkish tourists in January-May this year compared to the same period in 2024.

"This is an impressive growth. It means our relationship with the Turkish market - one of the key markets for our tourism - is developing at a significant pace. I hope this trend continues. In a few weeks, we’ll be able to share initial data from the start of the summer season, where the numbers also look very promising," Borshosh added.