The Council of Ministers Thursday approved a new Ordinance Establishing Terms and a Procedure for the Issuing of Visas and Determining Visa Requirements, BTA reported.

This had to be done because of the adoption of a new Aliens in Bulgaria Act and the Act on Entry into, Residence in and Exit from Bulgaria of Union Citizens and Family Members Thereof, the Government Information Service said.

The Ordinance makes provisions which simplify the issuing of visas to aliens who are family members of Union citiznes. They will be required to present only proof of their family links or of their belonging to the households of such citizens. The possibility to require the payment of security deposits upon the issuing of visas, which is provided by the effective ordinance, is scrapped because it is unprecedented in European practice.

Aliens engaged in scientific research will be issued long-stay visas valid for one year under a relaxed procedure. Such visas will also be available to specialization trainees and interns, students enrolled in study programmes for a period of up to one year, and persons posted by a non-resident employer to fulfil specific tasks in connection with the control and coordination of the performance of a tourist services contract.

Third country nationals posted by a non-resident employer, who carries on business as an investor within the meaning given by the Investment Promotion Act, for the exercise of control over the implementation of an investment project, will also be eligible for the issuing of such visas.

The decision-making procedure on the issuing of visas under the new Ordinance conforms to the Common Consular Instructions and the practice established in the EU Member States. Unlike before, the consular official has a discretion to make a determination on the issuing of a short-stay visa on the basis of the documents presented by the visa applicant and a personal interview conducted with the applicant. By way of exception, should any additional information be needed, the consular official makes an enquiry at the Visa Centre of the Consular Relations Directorate.

New additional conditions are introduced upon acceptance of visa applications, such as a mandatory stamping of the visa applicant's passport and an increase of the minimum cover of the insurance policy covering the costs that may arise in the event of medical repatriation, urgent medical care and hospital
treatment.

The annexes to the Ordinance are brought into conformity with Council Regulation (EC) No 539/2001 of 15 March 2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement.