Bulgaria abolished visas for the citizens of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro

Now it is easier to get for a holiday to Bulgaria for the residents of the three states of the former Yugoslavia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria reported about the abolition of the visa regime for the three Balkan countries: Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro. Since 19 December 2009, tourists from these countries will be able to travel to Bulgaria without visa.

Today Bulgaria is a member of the EU, but not among the signatories of the Schengen agreement, providing for visa-free travel through the countries that signed it. At the moment Bulgaria is a candidate for accession to the Schengen zone. One way or another, the decision to abolish visas with Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro was adopted at the level of all participating countries of the European Union, so that Bulgaria actually affirmed the unity of its visa policy with the European principles.

However, visa-free regime is not accessible to all categories of Balkan citizens, who will want to visit Bulgaria. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, the abolition of visas is applicable only to those citizens of Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia, who have biometric passports. The holders of ordinary passports will be required to draw up short-term visas in the old order.

Under the new rules of visa-free entry the citizens of three countries of the former Yugoslavia do not require a visa to a single stay of up to 90 days in the semi-annual period.

With regard to Russia and the CIS countries, then to travel for holidays to Bulgaria they still require a visa. At the same time in Bulgaria there are a number of agreements with the CIS countries on visa-free mode for diplomats and government officials-managers. So yesterday, on 4 December 2009 a similar agreement was signed between Bulgaria and Kazakhstan.