Foreign Citizens
Terms and conditions under which foreigners can enter, stay and leave the Republic of Bulgaria are regulated by the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act and its Implementing Rules.
Upon entry into the Republic of Bulgaria foreign citizens must possess a valid document for travelling abroad or other substituting document and a visa, if it is required.
Visa is not required when it is provided for in Regulation (EC) No. 539/2001 of the Council, other binding EU acts, an international treaty to which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party or an act of the Council of Ministers. No visa is required also if the foreign citizen has a valid permit for a continuous, long-term or permanent residence in the Republic of Bulgaria.
Foreign citizens can stay in the Republic of Bulgaria:
- on a short-term basis – up to 3 months from the date of entry into the country;
- continuously – with a permit for up to 1 year;
- on a long-term basis – with permitted initial term of 5 years that is renewable upon application;
- permanently – with permitted unlimited term.
These terms do not apply to foreign citizens who have been granted protection under the Asylum and Refugees Act.
To obtain a continous residence permit, foreigners must submit an application to the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior. The foreign citizen must have secured accommodation, obligatory health insurance, social insurance and sufficient funds to maintainance without recourse to the social assistance system, in an amount not less than the minimal month salary or the minimum pension under the legislation of the Republic of Bulgaria for the period of residence.
The procedure for the issuance of a permit is determined by the Rules for Implementation of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act.
More information and application form for residence permit of foreign citizens of third countries can be found HERE (in Bulgarian language only).
Contact:
Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Bulgaria
Migration Directorate
Address: 1202 Sofia, 48 Knyaginya Maria Luiza Blvd.
Phone: +359 2 9825707;
Fax: +359 2 9823775
e-mail: migration@mvr.bg
Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act
Implementing Rules of the Law on Foreign Citizens in the Republic of Bulgaria
Ordinance on the Conditions and Procedures for Issuing Visas and Identification of the Visa Regime
Tariff No. 4 for the fees collected by the Ministry of Interior under the Law on State Fees