To apply for a visa at this office you must legally reside in Bulgaria and hold a Bulgarian residence permit card, valid beyond the date of your intended departure from the Schengen area.
Check here if you need a visa to enter Italy and what documents you need to present in order to apply for a visa.
Visa forms could be filled online here or downloaded here
Visa applications are accepted only by prior appointment through the following link https://prenotami.esteri.it.
Please remember to book your appointment well in advance before your departure to Italy considering the gap time before an available date and that applications in most cases can be processed within two weeks of the date of the appointment.
The cost of the visa is variable and can be paid only in cash and only in lev. The administrative visa fee is not refundable, unless in cases of inadmissibility of the application or in case this visa office is not competent for processing the application.
Family members of a national of an EU country who hold a residence permit card issued by the Bulgarian authorities, travelling with/joining the EU family member in Italy can apply for a visa, where applicable, under EU Directive 2004/38/CE, as implemented by our legal system by D.Lgs. n. 30 of 6/02/2007. More specifically, if the Bulgarian Residence Card bear the following specific wording: FAMILY MEMBER UNDER DIRECTIVE 2004/38/EC – ЧЛЕН СЕМЕЙСТВО – ДИРЕКТИВА 2004/38/ЕО or RESIDENCE CARD OF A FAMILY MEMBER OF A UNION CITIZEN – КАРТА ЗА ПРЕБИВАВАНЕ НА ЧЛЕН НА СЕМЕЙСТВО НА ГРАЖДАНИН НА СЪЮЗА, you do not need a visa. You will need a visa if any other different wording from the above appears on your Bulgarian Residence Card. The holder of the Residence Card of a family member of EU national travelling alone and not going to join his/her family member in Italy must submit all the required documents as an ordinary applicant and will be subject to the appropriate visa fee. It should be noted that Border Police always have the right to request further documentation in support of your entry into the Schengen Area. Bringing a copy of marriage/birth certificate or proof of relationship is advisable.
You can contact the Visa Office by mail: visti.sofia@esteri.it
Warning: Any foreign documentation submitted as part of the visa application must be produced in original duly translated into Italian and legalized by the competent Italian Embassy or Consulate in the issuing country.