The Republic of Bulgaria notifies for the countries, applying visa requirements for Bulgarian nationals
10 February 2014 News
The Republic of Bulgaria has sent a notification to the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission, which notifies that the United States of America, Canada and Australia have applied visa regime for Bulgarian citizens. This is a step in implementing the provisions of Regulation (EU ) № 1289/2013 of the European Parliament and the Council as of 11 December 2013 amending Council Regulation (EU) № 539/2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement.
Under the provisions of Regulation (EU) № 1289/2013 the notification includes a detailed explanation of the preliminary measures taken by Bulgaria with a view to ensuring visa-free travel with the third country in question and all relevant information.
If within 90 days of the date of the publication of the notification, the third country has not lifted the visa requirement, Bulgaria may request the Commission to suspend the exemption from the visa requirement for certain categories of nationals of that third country. The Commission takes into account the outcome of the measures as stated in the notification, as well as the consequences of the suspension of the exemption from the visa requirement for the relations of the EU with the third country in question.
The European Commission shall, at the latest six months of the date of the publication of the notification to adopt, at the request of the Member State concerned or on its own initiative, a temporary suspension of the exemption from the visa requirement for certain categories of nationals of the third country concerned for a period of up to six months. The Commission may extend the period of that suspension by further periods of up to six months and may modify the categories of nationals of the third country in question.
If within 24 months of the date of the publication of the notification the third country concerned has not lifted the visa requirement, the Commission shall temporarily suspend the visa-free regime for a period of 12 months. If within six months of the entry into force of the delegated act the visa requirement is not being lifted, the Commission may submit a legislative proposal for suspending the visa-free regime of the EU with the particular country.
Bulgaria will continue its bilateral cooperation with the U.S., Canada and Australia in order to remove the visa regime for Bulgarian citizens. Bulgaria is working with the U.S. on meeting the requirements of the Visa Waiver Program. For Bulgaria the visa waiver with the U.S. is a high priority and our efforts will be aimed at achieving the program's criteria.