Bulgaria to resume 10-year passport issuance in October 2026

The issuance of Bulgarian passports with 10-year validity is expected to resume in October 2026, according to Deputy Minister of Interior Kaloyan Kaloyanov. The Ministry of Interior suspended applications for these 48-page passports on August 27 due to delays in book supplies from the contractor and citizen demand exceeding initial forecasts by four times.

All applications submitted via fast or express services have been fulfilled, including those for Bulgarian citizens living abroad. For those who applied for 10-year passports using standard services, the Ministry is offering two options: accepting a passport with 5-year validity or withdrawing the application and receiving a full refund of the state fee.

The Ministry has established a system to inform applicants via email or telephone. For those without contact details, police officers will visit to provide notification. Applicants receiving a 5-year passport will be refunded the 2 euro difference between the two service types, while those opting out entirely will receive a full refund of the 29 euro fee.