37% of the 3,435 Schengen applications made to Bulgaria from India in 2025 were refused — very high by Schengen standards.
Bulgaria is where Orthodox Europe meets the Balkans and the Black Sea — frescoed monasteries hidden in the mountains, Roman ruins under modern cities, and a coastline that stays refreshingly uncrowded. One of the continent's great value secrets.
Applying from India · the real numbers
Very high- 3,435
- Applications
- 60.6%
- Approved
- 37%
- Refused
Handled by VFS Global. Consulates in New Delhi.
2025 figures · European Commission DG HOME (applications made in India). Across all applicants — not a forecast for your file.
Don't-miss places
- Rila MonasteryRila Mountains
- Alexander Nevsky CathedralSofia
- Old TownPlovdiv
- Sunny Beach & NessebarBlack Sea Coast
- Veliko Tarnovo fortressVeliko Tarnovo
- Valley of the RosesKazanlak
Things to do
- Visit the frescoed Rila Monastery
- Relax on the Black Sea beaches at Nessebar
- Explore Plovdiv's Roman theatre
- Catch the June rose harvest in Kazanlak
What to eat
- Banitsa
- Shopska salad
- Kavarma
- Tarator (cold yogurt soup)
- Lyutenitsa
The culture
Hearty food like banitsa pastry, shopska salad, and yogurt (Bulgaria's gift to the world). Note the famous quirk: a head nod means no and a shake means yes. People are down-to-earth and hospitable.
When to go
May–Sep for the coast and mountains; late May–June for the rose-harvest festivals in the Valley of the Roses.
Good to know
- Capital
- Sofia
- Language
- Bulgarian
- Currency
- Bulgarian lev (BGN); euro adoption planned
- Flight from India
- ~8-10 hrs (1 stop typical)
- Ideal trip length
- 4-6 days
Did you know? The Cyrillic alphabet was developed in the First Bulgarian Empire and spread from here across the Slavic world.
Bulgaria joined full Schengen in 2025, so the visa route is newer. Start your check early to prepare with confidence.
Photo: Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia (by Pudelek) · Pudelek (Marcin Szala) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons