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Bulgaria Halts Visa Issuance from August 9-18 for New System Implementation

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Bulgaria Halts Visa Issuance from August 9-18 for New System Implementation
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The Bulgarian consular authorities abroad will halt the issuance of visas from August 9 to August 18 due to the implementation of a new version of the National Visa Information System (NVIS). This upgrade is a significant project previously agreed upon between Bulgaria and the European Union institutions.

In a press release dated August 2, 2024, the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that during this period, consular offices will also stop accepting applications for Bulgarian passports and identity cards, and visas will not be issued at the borders. The temporary suspension is necessary to facilitate the technological upgrade of the current system. However, temporary passports will still be issued to individuals in extraordinary situations, such as force majeure events, natural disasters, or urgent travel related to the illness or death of a close family member. Applicants in other categories are advised to reschedule their appointments.

Bulgaria has had read-only access to the Visa Information System since July 21, 2021, along with Romania. After the NVIS implementation ends on August 18, Bulgarian authorities will gain full access, allowing them to use and import data from the system entered by other Schengen states. The unified European visa issuance system is currently non-functional and not connected to other EU countries' systems. There have been reports of individuals with Schengen visas issued by the Bulgarian government being removed from planes.

Regarding the removal of land borders between Bulgaria and the rest of the Schengen Area, the acting Prime Minister cited incoming elections as the reason for the lack of progress but assured MPs that the EU has promised the removal of land borders by the end of 2024. After joining the Schengen Area on March 31, 2024, Bulgaria began accepting Schengen visa applications on April 1. Schengen visas issued by Bulgaria after March 31, 2024, allow holders to travel throughout the Schengen area under the Schengen rules (no more than 90 days in any 180-day period), regardless of internal land border checks.

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