Turkey stops Bulgarians with permanent ID cards at the border – who is affected and how to avoid problems

Turkey effectively does not recognize Bulgarian permanent ID cards issued more than 10 years ago, and this creates serious difficulties for Bulgarian citizens traveling to our southern neighbor – whether for a tourist trip, shopping, or visiting relatives. Complaints from affected individuals show that people with formally valid permanent cards are being stopped at the border and turned back if the document is older than ten years.

Even more concerning is that no one explicitly warns Bulgarian citizens about this restriction. In principle, traveling to Turkey with an ID card is permissible, but only if the document – including a permanent one – was issued less than 10 years ago as of the date of entry. If the card is older, Turkish border authorities refuse to recognize it and mandatorily require a valid international passport.

There is no clear warning for citizens

The condition of a maximum of 10 years from the issuance of the ID card is not easily found even in official sources. According to travelers, such a requirement is not clearly described on the website of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including in the "Traveling to ... Turkey" section. As a result, many learn about the restrictions literally at the border, after they have already paid for the trip.

To avoid unpleasant surprises and being turned back from the border checkpoint, tour operators and travel agencies recommend using a valid international passport, especially if the ID card is a permanent one of the old format or is about to expire soon. For many people, this information reaches them too late – in the last days before departure or during the inspection at the border itself.

Who has permanent ID cards and who is most affected

For years, permanent ID cards were issued to all Bulgarian citizens over 58 years of age. This means that the people most strongly affected by the Turkish rules are those over 68 – those whose permanent document was issued more than a decade ago.

According to data from the NSI, there are nearly 2 million Bulgarians over 58 years old. Many of them rely precisely on these old permanent cards and often do not suspect that abroad they may turn out to be unrecognized, even though they are formally still valid in our country.

Permanent cards now have an end date – 2031

Due to changes in the law and European regulations, Bulgaria no longer issues new permanent ID cards. This is clearly visible in the Tariff for identity document fees – the option for a permanent document has effectively been removed. The problem is that millions of citizens have already been issued permanent cards over the years, and many of them do not know that these documents have an expiration date.

According to the current rules, ID cards issued up to and including June 16, 2024, can be used until the expiration date indicated on them, but no later than August 2, 2031. From that date onwards, ID cards of the old format, including the permanent ones for persons over 58, will definitively cease to be valid.

The new rules for validity periods

In implementation of European requirements for more secure identity documents, only ID cards with a 10-year validity period are now issued to persons who have reached the age of 58. The Tariff for identity document fees provides for the possibility of an ID card with a 10-year validity for persons between 18 and 70 years old.

For people over 70 years of age, an exception is provided. They can choose to receive an ID card with a validity of 10 years or a long-term document with a validity of 30 years. For persons over 70, the preference for free issuance of an ID card is also preserved – for ordinary, fast, and express services alike.

What citizens should do

In practice, this means that all holders of old permanent ID cards must be especially careful when traveling abroad and especially to Turkey. If the card was issued more than 10 years ago, it is mandatory to use a valid passport so as not to be denied entry.

Separately from this, all permanent cards will have to be replaced with new documents within the introduced timeframe before August 2, 2031. The sooner citizens inform themselves and undertake the replacement, the lower the risk of unpleasant surprises – both at the border and in daily administrative services that require a valid identity document.