TL;DR
Bulgaria has been a full Schengen member since 1 January 2025, so from the UK you apply for a standard Schengen visa through VFS Global at visa.vfsglobal.com, at centres in London, Manchester or Edinburgh. Budget the 90 euro consulate fee (about 81 pounds) plus the VFS service fee of 29.70 pounds including VAT. Standard processing is 15 calendar days after biometrics, so book with room to spare.
How to get a slot
To book a Bulgaria Schengen visa appointment in the UK, create an account at visa.vfsglobal.com, select Bulgaria as the destination, choose London, Manchester or Edinburgh, and take an available slot from the live calendar. VFS Global handles Bulgaria's UK Schengen applications on behalf of the consulate. Since Bulgaria joined Schengen in full, the visa you are applying for is the ordinary Schengen visa, and the same rules on fees, insurance and processing apply as anywhere else in the area.
| Schengen short-stay visa (Type C) | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Visa fee (adult) | €90 |
| Visa fee (child 6 to 11) | €45 |
| Visa fee (child under 6) | Free |
| Maximum stay | 90 days in any rolling 180-day period |
| Standard processing | 15 calendar days (up to 45 in some cases) |
| Travel insurance, minimum cover | €30,000 |
| Passport | Issued within 10 years; valid 3+ months beyond your trip |
| Member states | 29 countries |
Step by step
- Register at visa.vfsglobal.com before you start hunting for dates.
- Select Bulgaria and pick your city: London, Manchester or Edinburgh.
- Choose a slot from the live calendar and complete the online application form.
- Pay the fees: the 90 euro consulate fee for an adult (about 81 pounds), plus the VFS service fee of 29.70 pounds including VAT.
- Attend in person to give biometrics and submit your documents. Standard processing is 15 calendar days after biometrics, and up to 45 in some cases.
VFS Bulgaria at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Operator | VFS Global |
| Booking site | visa.vfsglobal.com |
| UK centres | London, Manchester, Edinburgh |
| Centre service fee | 29.70 pounds including VAT |
| Consulate fee | 90 euros adult (about 81 pounds) |
| Standard processing | 15 calendar days after biometrics |
If there are no slots
Wait times for Bulgaria appointments are not published and not verifiable, so treat any quoted number of days or weeks with suspicion. The tactics that genuinely help:
- Revisit the live calendar at different times of day. Fresh batches and cancellations open dates without warning.
- Check all three cities. Edinburgh and Manchester calendars often look nothing like London's, and any centre can take your application.
- Book up to 6 months ahead of travel, which is the earliest the rules allow.
- Ignore slot-bot services. Consulates have voided appointments booked through bots, and a patient routine of manual checks costs you nothing.
Before your appointment
Bringing a complete file is what turns a hard-won slot into a decision rather than a wasted trip:
- Checklist generator: a tailored document list for a Bulgaria application
- Bundler and Compressor: assemble your file and size it for upload
- Travel insurance covering at least 30,000 euros of medical costs, valid across the Schengen area
- Accommodation proof and a flight itinerary that match your stated dates
- Bank statements covering the recent months
Planning Sofia and the Black Sea coast alongside other countries? Confirm Bulgaria is the right country to apply to before you book.
After the slot: the application
The slot is half the job; the file you carry into the centre decides the rest. Read the overview of getting a Schengen appointment in the UK and the full Bulgaria visa from the UK guide, along with current Bulgaria processing times. Total up what the application will really cost with the cost calculator. If you would rather not manage any of it, our done-for-you Schengen service prepares the application, builds the document file and books the appointment for a £99 service fee; you attend biometrics and pay the official fees yourself.
Sources
Common questions
- 01
How do I book a Bulgaria visa appointment with VFS in the UK?
Create an account at visa.vfsglobal.com, select Bulgaria as the destination country, choose London, Manchester or Edinburgh, and take a slot from the live calendar. You then attend that centre in person to give fingerprints and submit your documents, which VFS passes to the Bulgarian authorities for a decision.
- 02
Is a Schengen visa now enough for Bulgaria?
Yes. Bulgaria has been a full Schengen member since 1 January 2025, so you apply for a standard Schengen visa rather than a separate national one, and that visa covers the wider Schengen area too. Older guides written before 2025 still describe the old arrangement, so check the date on anything you read.
- 03
Which UK cities have VFS Bulgaria visa centres?
Bulgaria applications are accepted at VFS centres in London, Manchester and Edinburgh. Any of the three can take your file, so it is worth opening each city's calendar during booking rather than stopping at your nearest centre. Dates often appear in one city on a day when the others show nothing at all.
- 04
What fees apply to a Bulgaria Schengen appointment in the UK?
The consulate fee is 90 euros for an adult, roughly 81 pounds, with 45 euros for children aged 6 to 11 and nothing for under 6s. VFS Global adds a service fee of 29.70 pounds including VAT. You pay both yourself, at booking or at the centre on the day of your appointment.
- 05
Why does VFS show no Bulgaria appointment slots?
Slots are released in batches rather than steadily, and cancellations reopen dates at random, so an empty calendar today can show options tomorrow. Check at different times of day, compare London, Manchester and Edinburgh, and book as early as you can: applications are accepted up to six months before travel.
Free tools that pair with this guide