The Ministry of Interior is suggesting a revision and addition to the rules governing the issuance of Bulgarian personal documents, which entails a rise in the fee for obtaining an identity card - shifting from the existing 18 BGN to 30 BGN.
According to a report from Minister of the Interior, Kalin Stoyanov, presented to the Council of Ministers, one of the key changes includes introducing the option of issuing identity cards with a validity period of 30 years to individuals who have reached the age of 70. This change aims to ensure the quality of the documents' technical characteristics while considering the age factor. Additionally, the possibility of issuing permanent identity cards is set to be revoked.
Another significant change proposed is in the express service for issuing identity cards, with a provision for receiving the finished document within 8 working hours, specifically in designated Ministry of Interior structures within Sofia. This adjustment aligns with the launch of centralized personalization for this category of Bulgarian personal documents.
Minors are also set to see an increase in fees, with the proposed amendment raising the cost from the current 13 BGN to 21 BGN. Furthermore, "Dnevnik" reports that fees for express orders will be subject to doubling or tripling.
Moreover, the proposal includes the temporary passport for final departure from Bulgaria among the documents issued to foreigners residing there.
In another alteration, applicants for issuing and replacing a driver's license will now have the option to present a previously issued driver's license, in addition to the standard identification documents like an identity card, temporary identity card, or passport. This change acknowledges the driver's license as a personal document certifying the legal capacity to operate vehicles and, for Bulgarian citizens, confirming their territorial identity within Bulgaria.