Tue, Feb 07 2012

Bulgaria liberalises visa system for Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro

Thu, Dec 17 2009 11:57 CET

byClive Leviev-Sawyer

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Bulgaria liberalises visa system for Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro

Photo: Julia Lazarova

Citizens of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro will be exempt from Bulgarian visa requirements from December 19 2009, the Foreign Ministry in Sofia said.
 
The exemption applies only to citizens of the three countries who have biometric passports. Those with old-style passports will have to apply for short-term visas under the old system.
 
The change to the system means that citizens of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro will have the right to stay in Bulgaria for up to 90 days within six months from the date of first entry.
 
Those wanting to stay longer will have to apply for long-term visas under the current system.
 
The date on which the system changes is the same as that on which citizens of the three countries will be eligible to enter the Schengen zone visa-free.
 
Before the official announcement by the Foreign Ministry on December 15, Bulgaria’s intention was telegraphed a day before, when President Georgi Purvanov’s media office announced that he would host his Macedonian counterpart Gjorge Ivanov at a celebration at the countries’ mutual border of the change to the visa system on December 19.
 
Bulgaria is not a member of the Schengen zone but allows people with Schengen visas to enter the country visa-free with the same deadlines and conditions applicable to their Schengen visas.

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