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Embassy of Ireland, Bulgaria

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Please be advised that the Embassy of Ireland, Bulgaria website has moved and this page is no longer being updated. The Embassy website is now available at Ireland.ie/sofia.

Embassy of Ireland, Bulgaria

Visa Information

The Department of Justice has announced that all remaining COVID-19 restrictions on entry visa and preclearance processing, which were introduced as a necessary interim measure to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, have now been lifted. As of 13 September, all short stay and long stay visa applications are now being accepted. Please visit the relevant section of the News and Updates page of the Irish Immigration Services Delivery website for further information and updates.

While colleagues are working as quickly as they can, we would draw your attention to the fact that COVID-19 restrictions are severely affecting visa processing times and it may take additional time to process visa requests. Once a decision has been made on your application, you will be contacted directly. In order to ensure that resources can be used to best effect, we ask that you do not contact the Embassy to seek updates on your application.

Certain more complex applications may take longer to process. Please note that we can only process complete applications. The onus is on the applicant to ensure their application is complete, with all required supporting documents as listed under the relevant visa category on the website of Immigration Service Delivery. Any missing documentation may result in longer processing times and/or refusal of the application.

We would like to remind applicants that all travellers arriving into Ireland must continue to comply fully with the current entry measures required by law, including producing proof of vaccination, proof of recovery from COVID-19, and/ or a negative PCR test. Information on Ireland's requirements can be found here.

For information on how to pay the visa fee please see under 'Payment Details' below.

Who needs a Visa Show the panel body Hide the panel body

Whether you need a visa to travel to Ireland depends on what country you're from. Visit the Irish Immigration Service Travel Path for more information regarding your personal requirements for travelling to Ireland.

Information on visa requirements for transiting through Ireland is available here

Please note that Ireland is not party to the Schengen Agreement, and a Schengen visa or residence permit does not entitle you to travel to Ireland without a visa.

Unless you qualify for the Short Stay Visa Waiver Programme or the British Irish Visa Scheme a valid UK visa does not entitle you to travel to Ireland without a visa. Further information on these schemes is available on the website of the Irish Immigration Service.

Note: A visa allows you to travel to Ireland only. It does not give you permission to enter the country or to stay here. An immigration officer at border control can refuse entry even if you have a visa.

 

Remember…

If you're a citizen of a non-EEA country, whether you need a visa or not, you will be subject to immigration control when you enter Ireland.

Types of Visa and Documentation Show the panel body Hide the panel body

Full information on the different types of visas, required documentation, and how to apply can be found on the website of the Irish Immigration Service. 

Information on applying for a short-stay (less than 90 days) tourist visa is available here.

Information on coming to work in Ireland is available here.

Information on coming to study in Ireland is available here.

Information on coming to join family in Ireland is available here.

Visa Appeals Show the panel body Hide the panel body

If your visa application is refused, you will receive a letter from the visa office telling you why it has been refused and if you can appeal the decision.

Further information on appealing visa decisions is available on the website of the Irish Immigration Service

All appeals are handled directly by the Irish Immigration Service

How to Apply Show the panel body Hide the panel body

You need to:

  1. Complete the online application form 

This will generate an application summary form and declaration at the end, which you must print, sign and date.

  1. Gather your supporting documentation, passport photograph and fee.
  2. Submit your application

To complete the process, you must submit your passport and supporting documents for processing. Where you submit your application depends on where you are living. The summary application form will direct you to the relevant Embassy, Consulate or Visa Application Centre.

Check the website of the relevant Embassy or Consulate for further information on how to submit your application for processing

If you applied at an Embassy or Consulate, they will contact you once a decision on the visa application has been made.

If you applied directly to an Irish Immigration Service Visa Office or if your application was referred to the Irish Immigration Service for a decision, you can check the Irish Immigration Service Visa Decision Weekly Listing using your reference number.

On Arrival in Ireland Show the panel body Hide the panel body

Further information on what to expect on arrival in Ireland can be found on the website of the Irish Immigration Service.

Information on entry for EU/EEA and Swiss nationals is available here. 

Information on entry for non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals is available here.

Information on travelling with children is available here.

Information on transiting through Ireland is available here.

Fees Show the panel body Hide the panel body

Check the website of the Irish Immigration Servicefor information on preclearance and entry visa fees, including information on visa fee exemptions.

You can also contact your local Embassy or Consulate for more details on fees and payment methods

Payment Details

We accept the following forms of payment:

Visa fee

For details of visa fees and exemptions from the visa fee, please see here.

How to pay the visa fee

The Embassy accepts visa fee payments made in cash or by bank transfer. Payment by cheque, bank draft or credit card is not accepted. 

If arranging a bank transfer, please ensure that the visa application number and the applicant's name are included in the transaction details. Please note that the applicant must cover any associated bank charges. Here are our account details:

Bank Account Name: Department of Foreign Affairs

Bank Address: Bulgarian American Credit Bank, 2 Slavyanska St, Sofia

EURO Bank Account Number: BG48BGUS91601400836301
BGN account number: BG66BGUS91601000836301

SWIFT/ BIC: BGUSBGSF

Other charges and costs

The applicant is liable for any costs incurred in sending documents to the Embassy by post or courier and/or having documents returned by the same means. The applicant is also liable for any bank charges incurred if paying the visa processing fee by bank transfer.

Information Note

An information note has been prepared to assist applicants completing the online application form. This is available in:

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