Bulgaria to open consulate general in Barcelona
09 May 2019 NewsThe Council of Ministers has adopted a decision to open a consulate of the Republic of Bulgaria in the Kingdom of Spain, which is to be headed by a staff consular officer and based in the City of Barcelona with a consular jurisdiction over the autonomous communities of Catalonia and Aragon.
According to the National Statistical Institute of the Kingdom of Spain, towards 2018 the number of Bulgarian nationals registered as permanent residents of the country stood at 125,244. Of those 11,239, or 9% of the Bulgarian expat community, reside in Catalonia. This makes Catalonia the third largest host region for Bulgarians in the Kingdom, after Madrid and the autonomous community of Valencia.
The opening of a consulate of the Republic of Bulgaria in Barcelona is the result of an internal needs analysis conducted by MFA and of the Government’s efforts to improve the service provided to Bulgarian citizens beyond the country’s borders. The consulate will provide quick and easy access to consular services such as processing of applications for issuance of Bulgarian identity papers, notarization of powers of attorney and declarations, as well as certificates of marital status.
To cover the financial aspects of the opening of the consulate, the Council of Ministers has approved additional allocations from the 2019 MFA budget of up to BGN 486,211, of which BGN 16,994 will be earmarked for personnel costs.
At present, Bulgarian nationals residing in Catalonia and Aragon have to travel to Valencia or Madrid for consular services.