Visa for Afghanistan from Bulgaria: price, documents and processing time 2026

Yes, a visa is required. It is issued by an Afghan embassy or consulate before departure, after examination of a file submitted to that mission. The conditions of the stay, including its length, are those written on the visa obtained: read them as soon as it is issued and respect them during the trip.

The published fee is the government charge alone. Two or three other lines are added before the visa is in the passport, and they are what makes the final bill.

• Government feeNot published in a source we can verify

  Paid to the state, non-refundable if the visa is refused.

• Application centre feeVariable, set by the operator

  Only when the post uses an external centre. The amount is set locally and we do not publish a figure we cannot verify.

• Agency or online serviceOptional, added on top

  Never compulsory. An intermediary fills the form for you, it does not change the decision or the processing time.

• ExtrasVariable

  Courier return, SMS tracking, compliant photo, insurance, sworn translation or legalisation, depending on what the post requires.

We only display amounts published by an official source. Confirm the total before paying anything.

The file generally includes the form, recent compliant photos, a valid passport and supporting documents for the trip: accommodation, means of support, insurance. Additional documents may be required depending on the applicant's profile or the purpose of the stay. Consular fees are not quoted here because no amount has been verified: the embassy or consulate provides them.

The process starts by contacting the Afghan mission (embassy or consulate) that covers your place of residence: it is the one that sets out the current procedure. You then need an appointment if the mission uses them, a completed application form and the file handed in with your passport. The visa is collected according to the arrangements announced by the mission.

Then the application goes to the post accredited for Bulgaria, often in a neighbouring capital, or to a state acting on its behalf. Confirm which post is competent with the official source before travelling to a third country to apply, a rejected file at the wrong counter costs the trip and the fee.

The regime follows your nationality, not where you live. If you reside in Bulgaria but travel on another country's passport, the rule on this page is not yours. Filing usually still happens from your country of residence, at the post competent for it, but the requirement itself comes from your passport.

No standard processing time can be guaranteed: it varies from one mission to another and with the workload. Apply well in advance and do not commit to final plane tickets or non-refundable bookings before the visa is issued. Also remember to check the travel advice of the Bulgarian authorities before setting your dates.

Mistakes to avoid include submitting an incomplete file in the hope of completing it later, enclosing old or wrongly formatted photos, or filling in the form with a spelling of your name that differs from the passport. Buying a non-changeable ticket before you have the visa is another risk, as the response time is not guaranteed.