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Visa guide

Flight reservation for your Bulgaria application

Planning a trip to Bulgaria? Here is what official sources say about flight reservations and return or onward tickets, and how to get a reservation without buying a full ticket.

Short answer. The Bulgarian foreign ministry's type C visa guidance says that for unorganised tourism you may show a hotel reservation plus a reservation or return air ticket (a reservation at application and the ticket at issuance), or proof of resources for departure. Requirements vary and no visa is guaranteed.

What official sources say

The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs short-stay (type C) visa document says that for unorganised tourism applicants may show a reservation or a return airplane ticket, with a reservation accepted on submission and the ticket itself on issuing the visa, or proof of resources for departure.

A page for Bulgaria's London consulate (ownership not independently verified) advises that filing a complete application does not guarantee a visa and that a refundable ticket may be advisable.

Good to know for Bulgaria

Per the ministry document, the ticket itself is expected at visa issuance if only a reservation was shown at application. The PDF is undated, so confirm with the mission where you apply.

Step by step: using a flight reservation

  1. Check the official checklist for your application and ask your application centre what they accept.
  2. Search flights on Visa Flight Pass with your real route and dates.
  3. Choose a flight and click Book for Visa proof. Only flights the airline lets us hold are offered.
  4. Enter each traveller exactly as in the passport.
  5. Pay the service fee and receive the reservation PDF by email.
  6. Attach the PDF unaltered to your application.

Timing

Airline holds are short, typically from about a day to a few days. Apply while the reservation is still valid, or ask your application centre whether it must be active on your appointment date.

Limits and honesty

A reservation is not a ticket: you cannot fly on it. Use real names and never edit the PDF. Requirements differ between embassies, consulates and application centres, and some ask for a paid ticket. No document guarantees a visa or entry. Always confirm against the checklist for your own application.

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Find a flight to Bulgaria that can be held, and get your reservation by email.

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Sources

Last checked: 6 October 2026. Requirements change and differ between consulates. Always confirm with the official checklist for your own application.