China → Bulgaria
A PRC ordinary passport alone requires a visa for short tourist/business travel to Bulgaria; any permitted stay depends on the visa and the Schengen 90/180-day rule.
Bulgaria issues uniform Schengen visas from 2024-03-31; China is listed in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806. Entry also requires a valid travel document and, where required, a valid visa.
Based on passport-specific data. · as of 2026-06-18
Official source ↗Documents that change the outcome
- Visa-free· schengen_visa · 90 days
For Annex I nationals who would otherwise need a visa: a valid uniform Schengen visa may be used to enter Bulgaria; time in Bulgaria counts toward the Schengen 90 days in any 180-day period. The visa must be valid for the intended dates, entries, and territorial scope.
source ↗
Documents & how to apply
- Visa application form — Must be completed and signed by the applicant; names should match the passport in Latin letters, and other information should be in English or Bulgarian.
- Valid travel document/passport — Must be valid at least 3 months after intended departure from Bulgaria, contain at least 2 blank visa pages, and have been issued within the last 10 years.
- Copy of passport personal-data page and previous visas/residence permits — The official checklist requires a copy of the personal-data page; if applicable, copies of visas affixed and/or residence permits held are also required.
- Recent color passport-size photograph — 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm, light background, full-face photo, face covering 70-80% of the photo.
- Documents substantiating the purpose of travel — Tourism: reservation from a Bulgarian tourist accommodation facility/hotel; organized tourism may use a tourist voucher and group list. Business: invitation-declaration for a business visit by a Bulgarian natural or legal person.
- Proof of financial means for subsistence — Minimum EUR 50 per day of requested stay, but at least EUR 500 total, or a document of prepaid tourist services.
- Proof of accommodation funds or prepaid accommodation — Accommodation funds of at least EUR 50 per day, or prepaid accommodation in a tourist accommodation facility, or an invitation-declaration by a Bulgarian natural/legal person undertaking to cover costs.
- Proof of means to leave Bulgaria or ticket — Provide proof of financial means to leave the country or a ticket; if entering by self-driven vehicle, at least EUR 100 or equivalent is required.
- Travel medical insurance — Issued by an insurance company licensed to operate in the EU, minimum coverage EUR 30,000, covering repatriation, emergency medical aid and hospital treatment; for multiple short-stay visas, only the first intended visit must be covered.
- Copy of the vehicle technical passport · optional — Applies only when travelling by vehicle/self-driving.
- Additional documents for minors · optional — For minors travelling without parents/guardians: copy of birth certificate and original plus copy of notarized power of attorney from the parents/guardians consenting to the travel.
💳 90 EUR (government fee) 📍 Apply through Bulgarian diplomatic/consular representations; the Bulgarian MFA also lists Visa Application Centers in China where applications may be submitted.
Visa application forms may not be submitted earlier than 3 months before the intended travel date; applicants in China may submit through Bulgaria Visa Application Centers listed by the Bulgarian MFA, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen and other cities.
Requirements vary by consulate — verify with the official source. official ↗
Regional stay rules
Short stays are generally limited to up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across the Schengen Area as a shared area.
Common questions
No. China is in EU Annex I, so a short-stay visa is required; Bulgaria’s official page confirms use of a valid uniform Schengen visa for entry and Schengen 90/180-day counting, but does not list a U.S. visa as a visa-waiver substitute.
Yes, if the visa is a valid uniform Schengen visa and its entries, validity dates, and territorial scope cover the trip; time in Bulgaria counts toward the Schengen 90/180-day limit.
Short tourist/business travel is visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area. As of 2026-06-18, ETIAS is not yet an operative pre-travel authorization requirement, so this table records auth=none.
Yes, but EU rules limit the exemption to Taiwan passports that include an identity card number; the stay limit is 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area.
Verify with official sources
Visa policy changes without notice and this page is reference information that may contain errors. Before travel, verify via the official sources below or contact the destination country's embassy / consulate / immigration authority directly; final admission is at the destination government's discretion.