Long-term and permanent residence of foreign citizens in the Republic of Bulgaria

As we have already explained in the first part of our material, the types of residence of foreigners within the borders of the Republic of Bulgaria are four: short-term residence, extended residence, long-term residence, and permanent residence.

 As an active participant in the construction, rental, and sale of real estate in Bulgaria, we at Atlantis Estates are receptive to current topics and issues of concern to our clients. Administrative regulations concerning the rules of access to the country are of particular importance for foreign citizens who wish to purchase or have already purchased a home in Bulgaria.

 Therefore, after explaining the main information concerning short-term and long-term residence in the country, today we have to pay more attention to the other two types of residence in Bulgaria - long-term and permanent.

Long-term residence of foreign citizens in Bulgaria

The permitted initial period of long-term residence is five years with the possibility of renewal upon a filled application. In this line of thought, the status of a long-term resident is suitable for foreign citizens who for some reason plan to spend the next few years in Bulgaria.

The conditions for obtaining the status of long-term resident in Bulgaria have some differences when it comes to the procedure for citizens of countries inside and outside the European Union. According to these differences, we can summarize the conditions and the process into two parts:

• Long-term residence for European Union citizens

EU citizens can get the right to live in the country for a period of five years after being issued a Long-Term Residence Decision / Certificate of Residence. For that purpose, they must meet one or more of the following conditions:

• The European citizen is employed or self-employed in the Republic of Bulgaria, in accordance with the local legislative specifics;
• The European citizen has valid health insurance and has the financial means to cover his or her stay and that of his or her family, without the need for support from the local social security system;
• The European citizen is enrolled in a school, college or university in Bulgaria and continues to meet the above-mentioned requirements for health and financial insurance.

 Every EU citizen has the right to apply for a long-term residence permit within three months after their initial entry into the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria. For this purpose, he must submit an application to the “Migration” Directorate at the Ministry of Interior, and his Certificate will be issued on the same day.

• Long-term residence for citizens outside the European Union

 Citizens of non-EU countries can obtain the status of long-term residents only if they have resided legally and without interruption in the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria within 5 years before submitting the application. The 5-year period is valid only if the period of absence from Bulgaria has been less than 6 consecutive months and less than 10 months in total.

 In order to obtain the status of a long-term resident, the citizen must personally submit an application form to the “Migration” Directorate, at least two months before the expiration of his last authorized period of residence. Some of the required accompanying documents include evidence of available financial means to cover his/her stay in the country, a tenancy agreement or purchase of housing contract, valid medical insurance, payment of a one-time fee, etc.

 The good news is that despite the relatively complicated procedure, the long-term resident status is acquired permanently. This means that after its expiration, you will not apply again, but you can simply renew your status by submitting an application.

Permanent residence of foreign citizens in Bulgaria

The status of permanent resident gives the right to the citizens to stay on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria for an indefinite period of time, in which to live and work in the country completely legally. Permanent residents enjoy the same legal status as the Bulgarian citizens, and the conditions for its acquisition can be distinguished as follows:

• Permanent residence for EU citizens 

A permanent residence certificate is issued to European citizens who have resided in the Republic of Bulgaria for a period of at least five years or have retired in the country if they have previously lived in it for a period of at least three years.

 The right of permanent residence is also guaranteed to the family members of every European citizen who has been granted permanent resident status.

 The European citizens may also be granted the right of permanent residence in response to other special conditions described in the law. Some of them are related to the permanently reduced workability and the reasons for its occurrence. If your case is similar, it is advisable to consult a lawyer to guide you through the procedure.

• Permanent residence for citizens outside the EU

Citizens of non-EU countries can receive permanent resident status if they meet one or more of the following conditions, described in detail in the Law on Foreigners in Bulgaria:

• • They are of Bulgarian origin, i.e. at least one of their biological parents is Bulgarian;
  • They are parents of a Bulgarian citizen who have resided legally and continuously for a period of three years on the territory of the country;
  • They have resided legally and without interruption on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria within the last 5 years before the application and for this period they have been absent for no more than a total of 30 months;
  • They have been married for at least 5 years to a foreigner who has the status of a permanent resident, and they themselves have legally resided in Bulgaria continuously for five years;
  • They have invested over BGN 1,000,000 in shares, bonds, intellectual property, licensed credit institution, or rights under concession agreements in Bulgaria;
  • They have invested an amount of not less than BGN 6,000,000 in the capital of a Bulgarian trade company, whose shares are not traded on a regulated market;
  • They have contributed at least BGN 500,000 to the capital of a Bulgarian company, as a result of which they have created at least 10 jobs.
  • Perform activities and are certified under the Investment Promotion Act;
  • Have merits to the Republic of Bulgaria in the social and economic sphere, in the field of science, technology, national security, culture or sports;
  • And others.

The team of specialists of Atlantis Estates offers a full consultation and professional legal assistance to its foreign clients who strive to ensure obtaining the appropriate residence status in order to easily access a purchased or rented home in Bulgaria.

 Our jurist - lawyer Sofia Radoslavova-Marinova - is at your disposal to professionally discuss all issues, hesitations, and uncertainties that could arise in the process of obtaining all types of residence in the Republic of Bulgaria: short-term, extended, long-term, or permanent.

We stay available for your questions! Write to us by e-mail: office@atlantisestates.bg or call us at +359 888 24 81 81