Residence permit in Bulgaria is the first stage of legalization in this southern country, giving the right to a long stay. A residence permit is issued for a short period, therefore it is necessary to preserve the grounds for obtaining it and regularly renew the status. Despite this, the residence permit remains a good tool for European integration, permanent residence in one of the EU countries and, in the long term, obtaining European citizenship.
What gives a Bulgarian residence permit
Since 2007, when Bulgaria became a member of the EU, the question of what gives a residence permit in Bulgaria has acquired particular relevance. The main thing that a Bulgarian residence permit gives (a permit for a long-term stay) is a long-term residence permit, the duration of which, according to Art. 23 of the Law “On Foreigners in Bulgaria” (Law for foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria) will not exceed 12 months. That is, a residence permit allows you to stay in the country for up to 1 year.
According to the Constitution of Bulgaria, all foreigners living in the republic have the same rights as citizens, with the exception of the rights arising from Bulgarian citizenship.
A residence permit in Bulgaria for Russians gives them the right to:
- unlimited number of entries / exits from the country without a visa;
- employment without additional permission;
- getting an education;
- doing business;
- registration of medical insurance;
- forming a pension, receiving social assistance, and so on.
We draw the attention of readers that the Bulgarian residence permit does not give the right to visa-free entry to the EU countries (except for Croatia, Cyprus and Romania), since Bulgaria has not yet become a full member of the Schengen Agreement.
Grounds for obtaining a Bulgarian residence permit
Obtaining a long-term residence permit is always conditioned by specific reasons for staying in the Bulgarian territory. An exhaustive list of grounds on which it is permissible to obtain a residence permit in Bulgaria is determined by Art. 24 of the Law "On Foreigners", including:
- marriage and family reunification;
- employment;
- carrying out commercial activities or opening a representative office of a foreign company;
- long-term treatment in Bulgarian hospitals;
- carrying out journalistic activities for the benefit of foreign media;
- carrying out approved non-commercial activities;
- making investments;
- volunteering;
- getting an education and so on.
Let's consider the most common grounds provided for by the Law of Bulgaria “On Foreigners” in more detail.
Marriage with a citizen of the Republic of Bulgaria (RB)
The conclusion of a marriage with a citizen of the Republic of Belarus is not defined by law as a direct basis for obtaining a residence permit. Nevertheless, Clause 18, Part 1 of Art. 24 of the law gives the right to a residence permit to everyone who is a member of the family of a Bulgarian citizen. In accordance with Art. 2 of the law, the spouses of citizens of the Republic of Belarus are also recognized as members of their family, and therefore marriage with a citizen of Bulgaria gives the right to obtain a permit for a long stay.
Moreover, marital relations with Bulgarians give the right to a simplified procedure for obtaining citizenship - the period of compulsory residence in the country will be reduced by 2 years.
Family reunification in Belarus
In addition to the spouses, other family members also have the right to reunite with the family, for example, parents in need of care and single children of Bulgarian citizens under the age of 21 or disabled children. Moreover, according to clause 13, part 24 of the law, family members of foreigners who have received permission for permanent or long-term residence in Bulgaria (permanent residence and permanent residence, respectively) are also entitled to family reunification in Bulgaria.
The basis for family reunification is documents confirming the existence of family relations, recognized in accordance with Bulgarian law.
It is important to take into account that the inviting party, as a condition for obtaining a residence permit in Bulgaria for family members, must provide evidence of the ability to provide them with financial security, calculated from the minimum wage effective at the time of submission of documents (the minimum wage is 510 levs), as well as housing appropriate size.
The documents, as a rule, are drawn up by the “titular” himself (the inviting party) at the local office of the Directorate of Migration (Migration Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus).
Getting asylum
Bulgaria is a party to the UN Convention on the Status of Refugees, therefore the republic is obliged to provide asylum to all refugees who meet the established conditions. The status of a refugee in Bulgaria, in accordance with the Law on Asylum and Refugees (Law for Asylum and Refugees), can be obtained by any foreigner due to justified persecution on racial, religious, ethnic, political, social, linguistic and other grounds.
The status is granted on condition that the applicant has applied for asylum from the territory of Bulgaria, and at the same time he is unable to obtain protection from his home country. In addition to protection, within the period of validity of the status, the granted asylum also gives the foreigner the right to permanent residence in Bulgaria.
Moreover, in accordance with Art. 25b of the Law "On Foreigners", the right to obtain a residence permit in Bulgaria is also granted to family members of a recipient of refugee status, a person who has been granted asylum or other humanitarian status.
Employment in Bulgaria
Another basis for a long-term residence permit is employment with a Bulgarian employer. For this, based on the requirements of the Law “On Labor Migration and Mobility” (the Law for Labor Migration and Labor Mobility), a foreigner must obtain a permit from the Employment Agency (Zaetostta Agency).
Work in Bulgaria for foreigners is possible only if there are no qualified local citizens for the relevant position. A prospective employer must independently apply for a permit, provided that:
- he carried out a corresponding study of the labor market;
- the number of foreign workforce at the enterprise for the last calendar year did not exceed 20% of the total number of employees;
- foreign workers will work in equal conditions with Bulgarians;
- the foreigner demonstrates sufficient qualifications and professional knowledge.
On the basis of the permit, the employee draws up a national visa to enter Bulgaria, after which he can issue a residence permit.
Entrepreneurial activity
Business in Bulgaria is also the basis for obtaining a residence permit. There are two types of business activities that give the right to long-term residence.
Firstly, this is the opening of an enterprise, which will create at least 10 jobs for local citizens, provided that all these jobs will remain during the period of validity of the residence permit. The reduction of staff serves as the basis for the loss of a residence permit in Bulgaria.
If the company is founded by several foreigners, the requirement to create at least 10 jobs will be imposed on each of them. That is, when 10 jobs are created, only one partner has the right to a residence permit. Registration procedures take 3-10 days, the minimum authorized capital is from 2 leva (1 euro). All a foreigner needs to register is a foreign passport.
It is important to understand that the established company will be required to perform results of activities and pay the corresponding taxes; registering a company solely to obtain a residence permit can be too expensive a step.
Secondly, this is the opening of a Bulgarian representative office of a foreign company (for example, a Russian one), which must be approved by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Acquisition of housing
In general cases, a residence permit in Bulgaria for homeowners is not provided. On the basis of the purchase of an apartment or house, Bulgarian legislation only allows you to obtain a short-term visa of category C for a short-term stay in the 90/180 mode.
At the same time, large investments in Bulgarian real estate are encouraged by the state, therefore, in accordance with clause 19, part 24 of the Law "On Foreigners", there are still two options for obtaining a residence permit in Bulgaria when buying real estate:
- purchase of real estate in the amount of at least 600 thousand leva (about 300 thousand euros) under the Golden Visa program;
- owning more than 50% of the shares of a Bulgarian company that has acquired immovable property in the amount of at least 600 thousand leva.
It is important that at the time of filing the application, a prerequisite is the payment of the full amount for the concluded transaction. At the same time, you can get a residence permit in Bulgaria when buying real estate in 2021 at the expense of borrowed funds received from a Bulgarian credit institution. But at the time of applying for a residence permit, the loan balance should not exceed 25% of the total amount.
Getting an education
In accordance with Art. 24c of the Law “On Foreigners”, the right to a residence permit also arises for full-time students, interns and students on exchange programs. The most popular reason is getting an education at a university.
Study in Bulgaria for foreigners, as well as for local, is carried out on a paid basis. Therefore, before applying for a residence permit, a future student must not only pass the entrance exams, but also confirm the full payment for the course, as well as prove the availability of funds for their own content. As in other cases, the maximum period of validity of a student residence permit is 1 year.
Note that the cost of studying at a Bulgarian university is relatively high and can reach 5 thousand euros per year and even higher for prestigious specialties (medicine, IT, economics and law).
Residence permit for independent pensioners
A residence permit in Bulgaria for pensioners is granted under special conditions. Bulgarian legislation allows the granting of a long-term residence permit to pensioners who are entitled to receive a Bulgarian or foreign pension. The main condition is the availability of a sufficient amount of money and social security, no economic or kinship tie or approval from government agencies is provided.
To obtain a residence permit, it is usually sufficient to prove that the amount of pension for the last 3 months was 400-500 euros / month.
In addition, the pensioner needs a bank statement confirming the presence of 1-1.5 thousand euros on the account of each applicant, and the availability of his own or rented place to live.
Long-term treatment in Bulgaria
Treatment in Bulgaria, in accordance with clause 8 h. 24 of the Law "On Foreigners", is also the basis for obtaining a residence permit. At the same time, the law imposes a number of mandatory conditions on the patient:
- treatment should be long-term and carried out directly in a medical institution in Bulgaria;
- the patient must have sufficient funds to support himself and pay for treatment so that he does not become a burden on the social security system;
- the patient's health condition should require constant care by qualified medical personnel.
To obtain a residence permit in Bulgaria for Belarusians, Russians, Ukrainians and other foreigners on the basis of long-term treatment, you must first submit all health certificates and agree on a treatment plan with Bulgarian doctors.
The procedure for obtaining a residence permit
The procedure for obtaining a residence permit usually does not differ depending on the grounds on which it is issued. In general, in order to obtain a residence permit in Bulgaria, a Russian citizen must adhere to the following procedure:
- Choose a basis for obtaining a residence permit, make sure it is legal and sufficient.
- Prepare a package of necessary documents, legalize them and translate them into Bulgarian.
- Submit documents for a category D national visa to the Bulgarian diplomatic mission.
- Enter Bulgaria and apply for a residence permit. The only place where to apply for a residence permit is the Directorate of Migration.
- Obtaining a residence permit in accordance with the previously agreed basis.
The whole procedure from the moment the grounds arise until the receipt of a residence permit can take several months. The term for consideration of the application directly at the migration office is up to 14 days.
In addition to other fees, in order to obtain a residence permit in Bulgaria, you must pay a state fee in the amount of 10 levs of the fee and the fee itself: in the amount of 200 levs for a residence permit up to 6 months and 500 levs - for a residence permit up to a year.
A package of documents for obtaining a residence permit
For each reason for obtaining a residence permit, a special package of documents is provided. In any case, in order to obtain a residence permit in Bulgaria, a foreigner must necessarily provide:
- an application of the established form, completed in Bulgarian;
- certified copies of passport pages with personal information and entry visa stamp;
- a payment document confirming the payment of the state duty;
- documents confirming the availability of suitable housing;
- police clearance certificate from the country of permanent residence;
- medical insurance in Bulgaria for a residence permit, valid on the territory of the republic;
- proof of financial stability and the availability of sufficient funds for independence from the social security system at the rate of at least 1 minimum wage per month;
- documents confirming the basis for obtaining a residence permit, including a work permit, documents on the employment of 10 Bulgarian workers, documents on large investments, a marriage certificate with a citizen of Bulgaria, and so on.
Extension of the residence permit
As already mentioned, the validity period of a long-term residence permit cannot exceed 12 months. If the grounds on which it was received are preserved, the extension of the residence permit in Bulgaria is carried out.
The procedure for the annual renewal is identical to the procedure for obtaining a residence permit for the first time: an applicant interested in renewal collects documents, pays a state fee and submits documents along with an application to the Directorate of Migration at the place of residence.
Having lived with a Bulgarian residence permit for at least 5 years, a foreigner has the right to apply for a residence permit or permanent residence.
A residence permit is a long-term residence permit issued for 5 years with the right to renew. Until it is received, the total period of absence from the Bulgarian territory while living under a residence permit cannot exceed 10 months. The cost of the state fee for its issuance is 110 levs.
Permanent residence is a permanent residence permit, issued indefinitely and does not need to be extended. To obtain it, the period of absence from Bulgaria while living under a primary residence permit must not exceed 30 months in total. The amount of the state fee is 1 thousand leva. Thus, the difference between these statuses is only in the period of stay abroad before their receipt, the need to extend the residence permit and the amount of state duty.
RB citizenship
Having lived with a residence permit / permanent residence in Bulgaria for at least 5 years, a foreigner, in accordance with the Law “On Citizenship” (the Law for Bulgarian Citizenship), has the right to issue a Bulgarian passport. Taking into account the period of compulsory residence for a residence permit, before obtaining citizenship in general cases, a foreigner will have to collectively live in Bulgaria for at least 10 years.In addition to this condition, a potential citizen is obliged to prove that he has legal income, place of residence, knowledge of the language, and renounce his existing citizenship.
In some cases, this procedure can be simplified. For example, citizenship in Bulgaria for spouses of Bulgarian citizens is granted in a simplified manner after 3 years of residence with permanent residence / permanent residence.
An even more simplified procedure is provided for ethnic Bulgarians by origin. According to Art. 15 of the Law "On Citizenship", not only the condition of compulsory residence, but also the conditions for knowing the language, having a source of income and refusing to have a passport does not apply to them. The main condition is the submission to the Agency for the Affairs of Bulgarians Abroad of evidence of their Bulgarian origin.
Where is the best place to live for Russians in Bulgaria?
Life in Bulgaria takes place mainly in large seaside towns and the capital. Prices for household services, food and real estate will pleasantly surprise domestic immigrants.
In coastal cities, you can easily buy a one-room studio apartment for 20-25 thousand euros and even cheaper. For 50 thousand euros, you can buy quite decent housing in the center of any of the cities.
There is a small Russian diaspora in the country. Russians in Bulgaria choose mainly large and seaside tourist cities. Among the priority places of settlement are Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas and Ruse.
Accommodation seems to be very comfortable. Due to the common culture, history and traditions, the local population is friendly towards Russian-speaking migrants. There are several Russian organizations operating in the country, for example, the Balkan Organization of Russian Compatriots, the Coordinating Council of Organizations of Russian Citizens in Bulgaria and some others. The embassy also has a Russian-language school.
Conclusion
A Bulgarian residence permit is a long-term residence permit in the country, valid for 12 months. This is the first document on legalization, which gives the right to residence, employment, social assistance, education and all other rights, except for those arising from the citizenship of the Republic of Belarus.
To obtain a residence permit, a foreigner must have a basis for long-term residence in the Republic of Belarus - employment, education, family, medical treatment, business. A residence permit is issued only on the territory of Bulgaria in the local migration authorities. After 5 years of residence with a residence permit, a foreigner can apply for a residence permit / permanent residence.
