How to Obtain Prolonged and Permanent Residence in Bulgaria

A Bulgarian residence permit under the prolonged residence category is usually granted for up to one year. Under Bulgarian law, this status is officially referred to as prolonged residence. Foreign nationals most commonly obtain it through business activity, property purchase, investment, family reunification, study, employment, or retirement.

Prolonged residence allows a foreign national to live legally in Bulgaria and renew the status while the underlying ground remains valid. Permanent residence is a separate status that provides an indefinite right to reside in the country and, under the general route, may become available after 5 years of lawful residence subject to the applicable requirements. The standard immigration path usually begins with a type D visa and prolonged residence, followed, where the conditions are met, by permanent residence and potentially citizenship at a later stage.

Prolonged vs Permanent Residence in Bulgaria: Key Differences

Prolonged residence is intended for temporary residence in Bulgaria and is usually the first stage of immigration. Permanent residence provides a more stable, indefinite status. The main differences are shown in the table below.

For Turkish citizens, the choice between these statuses usually does not arise at the initial stage: applicants first obtain prolonged residence on an appropriate legal ground and may later qualify for permanent residence after the required period. Under the general rule, permanent residence requires 5 years of lawful and continuous stay in Bulgaria, with total absences during that period not exceeding 30 months.

Rights of Residents in Bulgaria

A holder of prolonged residence status in Bulgaria may:

• live in the country for more than 3 months;
• renew the residence status while the legal ground remains valid;
• apply for eligible family members to join them, subject to the applicable requirements;
• later apply for permanent residence or EU long-term resident status.

Permanent residence provides a more stable status. A permanent resident may:

• reside in Bulgaria indefinitely without having to reconfirm the original basis for residence each year;
• work as an employee without a separate labour-market access permit;
• carry out business activities under the generally applicable legal rules;
• exercise family reunification rights where the statutory conditions are met;
• participate in Bulgaria’s compulsory health insurance system and, where insurance rights have been acquired, use healthcare covered by the National Health Insurance Fund;
• later apply for Bulgarian citizenship if the naturalisation requirements are met.

Permanent residence itself is indefinite, although the physical residence card has a limited validity period and must be renewed periodically.

Permanent residence can be an important stage on the path to Bulgarian citizenship. Before committing to a lengthy residence route, applicants may wish to check whether they qualify for a simplified legalisation option with a shorter timeline. A lawyer can assess the available options during a free consultation.

Requirements for Prolonged Residence in Bulgaria

The key requirement for obtaining prolonged residence in Bulgaria is to have a specific lawful purpose for staying in the country that falls within the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act. Once the legal ground has been selected, the applicant must complete any relevant preparatory steps, such as securing employment, enrolling at a university, registering a company, or purchasing property.

Additional conditions generally include a clean criminal record, sufficient financial means, health insurance, and suitable accommodation in Bulgaria. Applicants should arrange accommodation in advance and prepare the relevant purchase or tenancy agreement and insurance policy.

The standard procedure generally involves the following steps:

1. Prepare the documents and obtain a visa. Collect the basic application file together with evidence of the purpose of relocation to Bulgaria. The application and supporting documents are then submitted to a Bulgarian diplomatic or consular mission. If the application is approved, a long-stay type D visa is issued. Depending on the category, the visa may be valid for up to 12 months, so applicants should plan their entry accordingly.
2. Enter Bulgaria. At border control, the applicant must state the purpose of entry and provide the required address information for the place of residence. If entry is permitted, the passport is stamped accordingly.
3. Apply for prolonged residence. Under the applicable rules, the application should be filed no later than 14 days before the authorised period of stay in Bulgaria expires. The applicant must appear in person at the relevant Migration Directorate office and submit the complete file, including documents proving the legal ground for residence. The competent authority provides written notice of its decision.
4. Obtain a residence card. Once prolonged residence has been granted, the applicant returns to the migration authority where the application was filed to obtain the residence card. A copy of the passport page containing the holder’s details and proof of payment of the applicable state fee must be provided.

Documents for Prolonged Residence

The standard application file for prolonged residence in Bulgaria includes:

• a completed application form;
• proof of payment of the applicable state fee;
• a copy of the passport pages containing the photograph and personal details, the long-stay visa, and the stamp showing the most recent entry into Bulgaria;
• evidence of accommodation;
• health insurance valid in Bulgaria;
• evidence of sufficient funds or income for the period of residence, generally at least the applicable monthly minimum wage, pension, or scholarship threshold;
• a criminal record certificate issued by the country of citizenship or permanent residence;
• documents proving the legal ground for prolonged residence.

The original passport must be presented when filing the application so that the authenticity of the copy can be verified.

Grounds for Prolonged Residence in Bulgaria

The most common grounds for prolonged residence in Bulgaria include business activity, family reunification, investment, property purchase, study, and employment. Residence is also available to financially self-sufficient pensioners.

An application for prolonged residence is usually processed within 14 days; where necessary, the period may be extended to one month. As a general rule, the status is granted for up to one year, although the exact validity period depends on the legal ground and statutory exceptions. If the ground for residence continues to exist, the status may be renewed by applying to the Migration Directorate no later than two weeks before the current authorisation expires.

Prolonged residence may be withdrawn if the legal ground for staying in Bulgaria ceases to exist. Indefinite residence requires permanent residence or citizenship.

Prolonged Residence Through Employment

Foreign nationals seeking residence in Bulgaria through employment generally obtain a Single Permit for Residence and Work. The permit is issued through the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior and incorporates the relevant labour-market assessment by the Employment Agency. Depending on the applicable rules, the employment-based authorisation may be granted for up to 3 years; where the employment contract is shorter, its validity is normally limited to the duration of the employment relationship.

If the prospective employee is outside Bulgaria, the employer files the application with the Migration Directorate. The submission must justify the need to hire a foreign specialist and address the employment requirements applicable under Bulgarian law.

In addition to the basic file, an application for a Single Permit for Residence and Work generally requires:

• evidence of education, professional qualifications, work experience, and other information showing that the applicant is qualified for the position under Bulgarian law;
• employer-signed declarations concerning foreign employees, including their personal details, citizenship, grounds and period of residence, as well as information on the average number of Bulgarian, EU, or Swiss nationals employed during the previous year;
• an employer declaration confirming that the applicant’s working conditions and remuneration will be equivalent to those applicable to Bulgarian nationals in comparable positions;
• a copy of the employment contract certified by the employer;
• other documents depending on the circumstances.

The overall processing time generally does not exceed 2 months.

Prolonged Residence Through Property Purchase

In Bulgaria, prolonged residence may be available where property is purchased for at least EUR 307,000. This route applies to two categories of foreign nationals:

• individuals who purchase the property directly using their own funds;
• persons who own at least half of the capital of a Bulgarian company, invest the stated amount in that company, and the company subsequently purchases property with a value of at least that amount.

By the time the prolonged residence application is filed, the applicant, or the company where the purchase is made through a legal entity, must have paid the full property value into an account with a Bulgarian bank. If the property is financed through a loan, at least 75% of the debt must be repaid.

In addition to the standard application file, the following documents are required:

• a document issued by a licensed Bulgarian bank confirming the transfer of funds for the property purchase or the contribution to the capital of a Bulgarian commercial company;
• where a loan is used, evidence that the outstanding amount does not exceed 25%;
• evidence of ownership of the property;
• if the property was purchased by a legal entity, an acquisition-cost report following the capital contribution, together with copies of the sale and purchase agreement, inventory records, or other documents confirming the value and type of property.

Prolonged Residence Through Business Activity

Prolonged residence may be granted to business owners who have created at least 10 full-time jobs for Bulgarian citizens. The applicant submits the standard file, while the Migration Directorate additionally obtains information from the relevant authorities, including an extract from the Commercial Register and data concerning the obligations of the company owner and managers.

At the type D visa stage, the Bulgarian embassy or consulate and the Consular Relations Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs prepare information confirming that the foreign entrepreneur employs at least 10 Bulgarian nationals. This information is also forwarded to the migration authority.

Prolonged Residence Through Investment

An investor may qualify for prolonged residence in Bulgaria where the following conditions are met:

• the funds are invested in a Bulgarian company located in an economically disadvantaged region;
• the investment amounts to at least EUR 128,000;
• the applicant becomes a partner in the company or acquires registered shares and holds at least 50% of its capital;
• the investment results in the creation of at least 5 jobs for Bulgarian nationals, certified by the Ministry of Innovation and Growth;
• the invested funds are used to acquire new long-term tangible or intangible assets.

The standard prolonged residence file is required together with a certificate from the Ministry of Innovation and Growth, which the Migration Directorate requests directly from the ministry. The applicant must subsequently notify the competent authority of any changes affecting these conditions.

Prolonged Residence Through Family Reunification

Prolonged residence in Bulgaria may be available to:

• financially self-sufficient parents of a Bulgarian citizen or a permanent resident of Bulgaria;
• other eligible family members of a Bulgarian citizen, including a spouse, relatives in the ascending line, unmarried children under 21 or children unable to care for themselves for objective reasons, and other dependants;
• eligible relatives and partners of holders of prolonged residence, permanent residence, or another lawful status in Bulgaria, including a spouse and biological or adopted children, including the spouse’s children, who are under 18 or dependent for health reasons.

If the sponsor holds prolonged residence in Bulgaria, the authorisation generally needs to be valid for at least one year before eligible family members can join them. In certain circumstances, residence may also be granted to other family members not listed above and to personal household assistants, where provided by law.

The application must include evidence of the family relationship, such as a birth or marriage certificate. The Migration Directorate may also require additional documents relating to the family circumstances, including evidence of the sponsor’s citizenship or residence status, medical information concerning a dependant, and proof of the sponsor’s income and financial support. Documents proving family relationships and entitlement to maintenance must be recognised and registered in accordance with Bulgarian law.

The family reunification application is filed by the sponsor with the Migration Directorate. If approved, the authority notifies the applicant and the Consular Relations Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which forwards the information to the Bulgarian embassy or consulate in the family member’s country of residence. The family member then obtains a long-stay visa, enters Bulgaria, and applies to the migration authority for prolonged residence within the applicable period.

Prolonged Residence for Study

Prolonged residence is available to foreign students admitted to full-time study at a Bulgarian higher-education institution. To prove the legal basis for residence, the student must provide the migration authority with:

• a certificate from the university confirming enrolment and study during the following academic year;
• evidence that the tuition fees have been paid.

The Migration Directorate additionally requests confirmation of the applicant’s admission from the Ministry of Education and Science.

Prolonged Residence for Pensioners

A foreign national who is entitled to a pension in their home country and has sufficient funds to live in Bulgaria may qualify for prolonged residence. The basic application file must be supplemented with proof of pensioner status issued by the competent authority in the applicant’s country and a certificate from a Bulgarian bank confirming an account into which the pension payments will be transferred.

How to Obtain Permanent Residence in Bulgaria

Under the general route, permanent residence in Bulgaria may be obtained after 5 years of lawful and continuous residence in the country. Total absences from Bulgaria during this period must not exceed 30 months. Where the applicant resided in Bulgaria for study, only half of that period is counted towards the qualifying residence requirement.

Permanent residence is not granted automatically after 5 years. A separate application must be filed and the applicant must demonstrate compliance with the applicable requirements.

Other permanent residence grounds are available to certain categories of applicants, including persons of Bulgarian origin, individuals with qualifying family ties to Bulgarian citizens or permanent residents, and applicants under certain investment routes. The conditions and required period of residence depend on the specific legal ground.

Documents and Processing Times for Permanent Residence

An application for permanent residence must be filed in person with the Migration Directorate or the relevant territorial migration unit no later than 2 months before the current residence authorisation expires.

The standard application file includes:

• a completed application form;
• a valid passport;
• proof of an address in Bulgaria;
• documents proving the legal ground for permanent residence;
• proof of payment of the applicable state fee;
• other documents depending on the applicant category.

The application is generally processed within up to 2 months. If additional checks or documents are required, the processing period may be extended by up to a further 2 months.

Cost of Prolonged and Permanent Residence in Bulgaria

The cost of residence in Bulgaria depends on the type of status, legal ground, validity period, and the processing speed for the residence card. Special rates apply to certain applicant categories, so the final amount may vary. The main fees are shown in the table below.

Path to Citizenship

Prolonged residence and permanent residence can be successive stages on the path to Bulgarian citizenship. Under standard naturalisation, eligibility for a passport depends on the length and basis of residence as well as compliance with the statutory requirements.

Bulgarian citizenship provides the right to live and work permanently in the country, carry out business activities, and exercise freedom of movement and residence in other EU member states. Separate legal grounds and simplified procedures may be available to certain applicants.