A Checklist for Bulgaria Student Visa Requirements

Are you applying for a Bulgaria student visa? Then, you must know about the Bulgaria student visa requirements. That is the eligibility criteria, the documentation, and financial requirements. By keeping this checklist in mind, you can ensure you qualify for a student visa. This will also increase your chances of getting a visa. Keep reading to learn about the Bulgarian student visa requirements.

Decide Which Student Visa You are Going to Apply for 

The Bulgaria student visa is of two types: Type C and D visa. 

• Type C visa/Unifrom Schenegen Visa- This visa is given for short educational programs in Bulgaria. The duration of stay for a C visa is 90 days within 180 day period
• Type D visa/ Long Stay Visa- As the name suggests, the visa is given for long-term studies. You can get this visa if you want to stay in Bulgaria for more than 90 days. For example, if you are enrolling in a Bachelor’s or Master’s course.

Ensure that You are Eligible for the Bulgarian Student Visa

You can apply for a visa only if you are eligible for it. The basic eligibility criteria for the visa are as follows. These are important Bulgaria student visa requirements

• You must be enrolled in a full-time course in a higher educational institution in Bulgaria 
• Otherwise, you must be an exchange student in an upper-secondary education school
• You must get a visa (type D for long-term stays) and a residence permit for long-term studies.

Gather the Documents Required for the Bulgaria Student Visa 

To process your visa application you must meet the Bulgaria student visa requirements. One of the main visa requirements is to submit the necessary documents. Therefore, we have provided the student visa requirements below:

Visa Application form 

• Fully completed and signed application form in Bulgarian or English

Passport 

• The passport must be valid for 3 months beyond the duration of your stay
• Has at least 2 empty pages 
• Must be issued within the last 10 years

Photograph 

• The photo size must be 3.5 x 4.5 cm 
• The face must be fully visible 
• No hats or glasses are allowed except in religious cases

Proof of Medical Insurance 

• Medical insurance that is valid in all the Schengen states
• Must be of at least EUR 30,000

Accommodation Proof 

• This can be a hotel booking, lease agreement, or an invitation from an educational institution

Proof of Purpose 

• An invitation from an educational institution 
• For example, your offer letter from the university

Proof of Funds 

• You must have at least EUR 50 per day 
• In total, you must have EUR 500
• Provide 3 months’ bank statements and ITR returns

Passport Copies 

• The copies of your old passports
• Copy of your existing passport that includes all data 

Additional Documents 

• Any other additional document required for a C visa/or
• Any other additional document for a D visa
• Documents requested by the consular officer

Do you know if the Bulgarian C visa for studies, and the visit visa requirements are similar? Read this blog to know the Bulgarian visit visa requirements in detail

Check if You Meet the Financial Requirements for the Bulgarian Student Visa 

As per the Bulgaria student visa requirements, you must have finances. The minimum  bank balance requirements and other fiances needed of a Bulgarian student visa are provided below:

Requirements	Details	Description
Minimum amount you need per day	EUR 50 per day of stay.	The amount must be available for the duration of your visa
Minimum total amount needed	EUR 500 for the total stay	This is the least amount that is acceptable
Health insurance amount	EUR 30,000 minimum	This is to ensure that you can pay your medical  bills
Bank Statements	Provide the last 3 months’ bank statements	Make sure you avoid large, unexplained transactions
Sponsorship (if applicable)	A sponsorship letter	A sponsor can be parents, employers and even legal guardians
Proof of scholarship (if applicable)	Provide your scholarship letter of receiving the award	You need to provide this if your scholarship covers all or partial tuition fees
Income proof (if you are self-employed)	Last 3 months’ salary slips	Only if you are self-employed
Accommodation expenses	A letter from the university or host stating that your accommodation expenses are covered	It is reduced from the personal funds
Additional expenses	Poof of funds to cover tuition fees	Proof of payment confirmation
Visa fee receipt	EUR 100 (for D visa)	Fee payment receipt

You also need to consider the cost of living. Check out this blog to understand the cost of living in Bulgaria

Know that You Need to Apply for a Residence Permit 

Those who meet the Bulgaria student visa requirements can apply for the visa. However, they must know that after getting the visa, and travelling to Bulgaria a residence permit must be applied for. 

• You can get the residence permit from the Migration Directorate
• You must be enrolled in a full-time programme in Bulgaria
• Provide proof that you have cleared a linguistic exam

Tips for Preparing Documents for a Bulgarian D Visa 

We have provided some tips that will help you to prepare your documents for the visa application.

• Ensure that all documents have been translated into English or Bulgarian (if not already in these languages)
• Make sure that you apply for the visa within the visa application acceptance dates
• Only provide accurate information in your documents 
• Visit the official website (VFS Global/Bulgarian embassy or consulate in the home country) and view the document requirements. Ensure that you haven’t skipped any documents 
• Lastly, make sure you have funds or arranged funds (scholarships/sponsorships), before you apply for the visa
• You can only apply for the visa after you have received an admission letter from a University in  Bulgaria.

To understand the step-by-step Bulgarian student visa application process, watch this video:

What Happens if Financial Proof Falls Short?

If you do not have documents to prove the financial requirements The following things can happen:

• You may be asked to provide the necessary documentation
• Otherwise, your application will be rejected 
• However, you can apply again after you have gathered sufficient funds and relevant documents for the same. Ensure that you bulgaria student visa requirements before reapplying.

How Soon Should I Start Preparing My Visa Documents?

You need to prepare your documents beforehand. The acceptable dates are provided below:

Particulars	Period of Submission
Advance submission period	6 months
Late submission period	15 days

FAQs

We hope you now understand what are the Bulgaria student visa requirements. Want to apply for a Visa for your study abroad journey? Drop us a comment in the section below, or you can connect with a visa expert at Leverage Edu, and we will guide you on your dream journey!