A residence permit (issued by the Migration Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Bulgaria) is a necessary permit that allows foreign citizens to legally stay in Bulgaria for more than 3 months. 

Types of residence permits

There are two types of residence permits in Bulgaria:

• Extended residence permit
• Long-term residence permit
• Permanent residence permit.

Permit for the extended residence 

To apply for a permit for the extended residence, applicants must first obtain a long-term D visa. This type of permit (also known as a long-term residence permit or continuous residence permit) is valid for up to 1 year. An extended residence permit can be renewed annually, if there are grounds for granting it. 

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Who is eligible for an extended residence permit?

• Applicants eligible for employment
• Applicants residing in Bulgaria and considered highly qualified migrant workers/specialists
• Foreign citizens who have all the necessary grounds for permanent residence
• Representatives of the company intended to speak on its behalf and / or provide certain services and works
• Financially independent parents of a Bulgarian citizen or a foreigner with permanent residence in the country (documents confirming this connection are required)
• Patients who need medical therapy or treatment in a medical facility
• Accredited representatives of the news media (for example, foreign news correspondents, journalists) who are responsible for reporting news from the country
• Foreign citizens/pensioners who have sufficient funds to support themselves in Bulgaria
• Family members of a foreign citizen who has been granted a long-term or permanent residence permit (documents confirming this connection are required)
• Private household assistants or household members of a foreign citizen who has been granted a long-term or permanent residence permit on the basis of diplomatic or consular immunity
• Volunteers who have been offered unpaid work for a recognized religious/non-profit charity
• Foreign citizens who have invested in real estate more than 600,000 Bulgarian Lev.
• When a marriage is dissolved on the basis of death or divorce, foreign applicants may be granted a one-time extended residence permit (given that he/she has already received an extended or long-term residence permit)
• Students who have received a Bulgarian D visa or are accepted as students in another EU country
• EU blue card holder and family members.
• Family members of a foreign national who have been granted temporary protection or asylum, refugee or humanitarian status under the provisions of the asylum and Refugees Act.

What documents should I submit?

• Completed residence permits application form
• Valid passport - your passport must be valid for the entire duration of your stay in Bulgaria
• A bank statement or other proof that can serve as proof of sufficient personal savings to support yourself during your stay in Bulgaria
• Proof of housing-lease agreement
• Health insurance that covers all expenses for emergency medical care and emergency medical care for the period specified in the permit (at least 12 months)
• Criminal Background Check-details of any immigration, criminal, or civil offenses you may have committed
• Paid residence permit fee for processing documents through the Migration Service.

Long-term residence permit

If you are an EU citizen (or a non-EU citizen who is a family member of an EU citizen) and have a valid passport or identity card, you have the right to stay in Bulgaria continuously for up to three (3) months after entering the country. After that, you must apply for a long-term residence permit in the EU by submitting the documents to the Migration Department of the Ministry of the Interior.

What are the requirements for obtaining a long-term permit?

The basis for applying for long-term residence may be:

• Employment or self-employment
• Self-sufficiency
• Study in Bulgaria
• Family relations, both EU and non-EU, with an EU citizen. 

What documents are required?

• Completed long-term residence application form (the residence permit application form is available at your local migration office)
• A valid European identity document (official European identity card or passport)
• Pre-existing long-term residence permit, if any (required only for renewal)
• Proof of residence of a family member (required only when applying as a family member of an EU citizen)
• Proof of payment of the application.

What is the deadline for applying for a long-term residence permit?

Application documents must be submitted no later than three (3) months after entering the country. Applications are usually processed within a day.

What is the validity period of a long-term permit?

A long-term UE residence permit can be valid for up to five (5) years. However, the validity period of the residence card may vary depending on the validity period of the documents provided at the time of application. If the relevant requirements are met, it can be extended.

The permit of the permanent residence 

A permit of the permanent residence in Bulgaria is valid for up to five years and can be extended until the end of its validity period.

When is a permanent permit granted?

The permit is issued in one of the following cases:

If you have lived in Bulgaria with a permit of the permanent residence for at least 5 years

During this time, you should not leave Bulgaria for more than three months.

If you are married to a Bulgarian citizen

Non-EU applicants who are married to a Bulgarian National can obtain permanent residence three years after obtaining a long-term residence permit.

What are the advantages of obtaining permanent residence in Bulgaria?

• Owners of permanent residence in Bulgaria can work in Bulgaria without a work permit
• Non-EU citizens and their families (wife and minor children) can obtain permanent residence in Bulgaria. It should be noted that permanent residence gives the same rights as Bulgarian citizens, with the exception of voting
• Permanent residence in Bulgaria for five years entitles you to apply for Bulgarian citizenship
• Opportunity to become a resident of the European Union. Easy access to EU countries - without a visa
• Having a permanent place of residence, a foreigner has the right to enter and leave the country as many times as he wants without a visa
• Free education and medical system across the EU
• Tax residence in Bulgaria. By becoming a permanent resident, you can easily qualify as a tax resident of Bulgaria. 

What documents do you need to submit to obtain a permanent residence permit?

• Completed application form for permanent residence (the application form for a residence permit can be obtained from the local migration department)
• A valid passport
• A valid identity document or passport
• A valid EU long-term residence permit or extended residence permit or a previous permanent permit, if any (required only for renewal)
• Paid application form.

What is the deadline for applying for a permanent residence permit?

Documents for submitting an application must be submitted no later than 2 months before the expiration of the existing permit.

How long does the permit of the permanent residence continue?

An extended residence permit is issued for a period of up to five (5) years (depending on the validity period of the submitted documents) and can be extended indefinitely. 

What do holders of the permit of the permanent residence have the right to do?

Holders of a permanent residence permit have the same rights and obligations that are granted with Bulgarian citizenship, with the exception of those that are expressly prohibited (for example, participation in the political process by registration and voting, joining the police or the military). A permanent residence permit is one of the key requirements for obtaining Bulgarian citizenship. 

If you are applying for a permit of the permanent residence in Bulgaria, you must apply to the central office of the civil registration and migration department.