KUWAIT CITY, March 25: The Ambassador of Bulgaria to Kuwait Dimitar Dimitrov announced that the embassy will start receiving Schengen visa applications from the end of this month at the Bulgarian embassy headquarters. In a speech he gave while receiving visitors at the office of the Bulgarian Embassy the day before yesterday evening regarding the visa procedures after Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen area, the ambassador explained that the decision will come into effect as of March 31, 2024. From this date, those applying for a short-term visa will be granted a Schengen visa and not the Bulgarian national visa that the embassy was granting until now, provided that they meet the required conditions. Short-term visas are those that allow their holder to stay for not more than 90 days during a six-month period.

The visa will allow its holder to go to other countries in the Schengen area after visiting Bulgaria as long as the visa is valid. As for Kuwaiti citizens, they will be granted a multipleentry Schengen visa extending for five years and allowing a stay of 90 days during every six-month period. The visa law does not allow the granting of a Schengen visa whose validity exceeds the validity period of the passport. Therefore, in order to receive a visa valid for five years, the validity of the passport must exceed five years.

The embassy will strictly adhere to the visa conditions and requirements, although they will not differ from the conditions and requirements applied by other countries affiliated with the Schengen area, such as documents and papers supporting the visa application. Regarding the period of its issuance, he revealed that it will be within a period of 15 days from the date of receipt of the application as determined by the visa law or what is known as the “Visa Code”, adding that a longer period may be required in some cases to make the necessary coordination with the rest of the Schengen countries. Ambassador Dimitrov called on those wishing to apply for a visa to submit their applications well before the date of travel, that is at least 15 days, indicating that the maximum period for submitting a visa application is six months. He stressed that the embassy does not currently use the services of any external office within the framework of visa granting procedures, adding that the applications from the visa applicants are received in the consular section of the embassy’s headquarters in Jabriya. The ambassador said, “This transformation places a great responsibility on us and on the shoulders of officials in the concerned authorities in our country.

The decision to grant a visa reflects the interests, security and safety of all countries affiliated with the Schengen area. We are aware of the extent of this responsibility, considering that Bulgaria represents an external border of the European Union.” He stressed the need to adhere to the advance appointment system, which allows for the correct and smooth organization of work, as appointments can be made either through the embassy’s email or by phone during official working hours. Ambassador Dimitrov stated that the summer tourism season in Bulgaria will begin in coordination with the local agent of Bulgarian Airlines by operating direct flights from Kuwait to the cities of Burgas and Varna on the shores of the Black Sea, with the local agent providing them with other tourism services such as accommodation in resorts preferred by tourists from Kuwait. He revealed that thousands of tourists visit Bulgaria annually, and there are many Kuwaitis who own real estate in Bulgaria.

Regarding the month of Ramadan, and the tradition of diwaniyas and receiving well-wishers, Ambassador Dimitrov explained that the idea of holding this modest diwaniya is an expression of admiration for the Kuwaitis’ preservation of their heritage and their respect for the customs of their fathers and their popular traditions. He said, “Diwaniya is a unique example of those traditions that represent social life in Kuwait. There is no doubt that it is a special place during the month of Ramadan in Kuwait.”
By Fares Al-Abdan
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff