From 2021: Bulgarian Passports Will Be Valid for 10 Years

The passports of the Bulgarian citizens will be issued with a term of validity of 5 or 10 years according to the requested deadline. This was decided by the Parliament with the adoption of the second reading of amendments to the Law for the Bulgarian personal documents. Children under the age of 18 will be issued passports with a validity period of 5 years.

The Ministry of Interior should establish the organizational arrangements and provide the necessary technical and programmatic means for the issuance of passports with a validity period of 10 years not later than 1 January 2021.

For ordinary service, ID cards and passports will be issued for up to 30 days, for fast service - up to 3 business days and for express service - up to 8 working hours from receipt of the application.

A new procedure for filing applications for the replacement of Bulgarian personal documents is envisaged through the automated information system for electronic services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Along with the option of using a qualified electronic signature, the applicant will be able to submit an application in electronic format and without using such a signature, enclosing with the application a copy of a valid document that he / she wishes to replace.

The new option requires a period of technological preparation, so it is foreseen that these amendments will enter into force on 1 October 2020. When the application for the issue of a Bulgarian personal document is submitted electronically, the document will be received personally after the identification of the recipient return of the document whose replacement is requested.

The deadlines for the issuance of Bulgarian personal documents are decreased when a request is submitted to consular or diplomatic representations abroad. For 90 days - for an ordinary service, the period is already 45 days, and for fast service - 30 days. The amendments make it possible for a Bulgarian personal document to be received outside the country personally by using a licensed postal or courier service provider.

Deadlines for issuing an identity document to a foreigner who has been granted asylum, refugee status or humanitarian status are introduced: for ordinary service - up to 30 days, and for fast service - up to 10 working days.

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