How to Get a Residence Permit in Bulgaria?

Bulgarian residence permit is obtained to study in Bulgaria, start a business, work, reunite with your family, make an investment and immigrate to Bulgaria.

To obtain a residence permit in Bulgaria, it is necessary to establish a company that will employ 10 Bulgarian citizens for at least 6 months, to work in a company in Bulgaria under an employment contract with permission from the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, to retire from Turkey and settle in Bulgaria, to live in Bulgaria by providing family reunification, to invest a minimum amount in Bulgaria or to study in Bulgaria.

Persons who have resided in Bulgaria with a temporary residence permit for 5 years under a work permit or visa have the right to apply for a permanent residence permit.

To obtain a Bulgarian residence permit, you must enter Bulgaria with a long-term D type visa.

What is Lichna Karta?

The Lichna Card is a national identity card used in Bulgaria. The Lichna Card is issued as a residence card to citizens who have a residence permit in Bulgaria and the Lichna Card issued to individuals for the first time is issued for a period of 1 year. Individuals must apply for an extension of their Lichna Card at least 30 days before its expiration.

What are the processes required to obtain a residence permit in Bulgaria?

The processes required to obtain a residence permit in Bulgaria are listed below:

  • Residence permit for undergraduate education
  • Residence permit for postgraduate studies in Bulgaria
  • Residence permit for language school in Bulgaria
  • Residence permit to start a business in Bulgaria
  • Residence permit by marrying a Bulgarian citizen
  • Residence permit by buying a house in Bulgaria
  • Residence permit for retirees
  • Residence permit within the scope of family reunification

How to Get a Residence Permit to Study in Bulgaria?

Residence permits for studying in Bulgaria are granted to students who will attend education in Bulgaria for a period longer than 90 days. Students who will receive a residence permit for studying in Bulgaria must attend undergraduate, graduate or language education for a period longer than 90 days.

The types of residence permits to study in Bulgaria are listed below.

  • Residence Permit for Undergraduate Education in Bulgaria
  • Residence Permit for Postgraduate Education in Bulgaria
  • Residence Permit for Language Education in Bulgaria
  • Residence Permit for Internship Training in Bulgaria

How to Get a Residence Permit for Undergraduate Education in Bulgaria?

Residence permits for undergraduate studies in Bulgaria are granted to students who have been accepted to a bachelor’s degree program by a higher education institution in Bulgaria. In order to obtain a residence permit for undergraduate studies in Bulgaria, students must first have an acceptance letter written by a Bulgarian university.

Those who will go to Bulgaria for undergraduate education must apply for a Bulgarian type D visa. The D visa application must be made with the necessary Bulgarian student visa documents such as a university acceptance letter, receipt showing that the tuition fees were paid, visa application fee receipt, and bank account statements.

Students who enter Bulgaria legally under a Type D visa must apply for a Bulgarian residence permit at the nearest Immigration office within 90 days of their entry date.

To apply for a Bulgarian residence permit, students must go to the nearest Police Department Immigration Department Branch affiliated to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and apply for a Bulgarian residence permit with the following documents:

  • University acceptance letter : Must be received from the university in Bulgaria.
  • Semester student certificate : Must be obtained from the university in Bulgaria.
  • Dormitory document or house rental agreement : Must include accommodation details.
  • Bank guarantee receipt for at least 150 Euros
  • Bulgaria residence permit application form
  • Passport : A passport valid for at least 1 year from the date of residence permit application.

Bulgarian residence permits for students are initially granted for 6 months. Students can apply for a Bulgarian residence permit renewal no later than 30 days before their Bulgarian residence permit expires.

How to Get a Residence Permit for Postgraduate Education in Bulgaria?

Residence permits for postgraduate studies in Bulgaria are granted to students who have been accepted to a postgraduate program by a university in Bulgaria. Students who will apply for postgraduate programs in Bulgaria must send their university diplomas and language exam documents such as IELTS/TOEFL to the university in Bulgaria.

Students who have received an acceptance letter from a university in Bulgaria in line with their master’s degree applications must apply for a type D Bulgarian student visa.

Students who enter Bulgaria legally under a Type D visa must apply for a residence permit within 90 days.

Students who will study for a master’s degree must apply for a residence permit by going to the Immigration Department of the Police Department, which is affiliated with the Bulgarian Ministry of Internal Affairs, within the first 90 days of their entry into the country.

Residence permits for postgraduate studies in Bulgaria are initially issued for a period of 6 months or 1 year. Students who wish to extend their residence permits must apply for an extension within 30 days before the expiration date.

How to Get a Residence Permit for a Language School in Bulgaria?

Students who will receive a residence permit for a Bulgarian language school within the scope of a language education in Bulgaria must have been accepted to language education programs longer than 90 days. Bulgarian residence permits are not granted for language school education shorter than 90 days. In education shorter than 90 days, students have the right to reside in Bulgaria within the scope of their Bulgarian C type visa.

Bulgarian language schools and prices, which are more affordable for students compared to many European countries, are one of the reasons why people prefer to receive language education in Bulgaria.

For language school education that will last longer than 90 days, students must apply for a Bulgarian residence permit by going to the nearest Immigration Office within the first 3 months of entering Bulgaria. Students can apply for a Bulgarian residence permit with their tuition fee payment receipt, dormitory/rental contracts, school acceptance letters and Bulgarian visa documents.

How to Get a Residence Permit to Find a Job in Bulgaria?

It is possible to get a residence permit by finding a job in Bulgaria. There are 2 types of work permits in Bulgaria: temporary work permit and long-term work permit. Temporary work permits in Bulgaria are issued within the scope of C type short-term visas. Bulgarian residence permits are not issued to temporary work permit holders.

Long-term work permit holders in Bulgaria must enter the country under a D-type visa. Bulgarian residence permits are issued to long-term work permit and visa holders.

For a Bulgarian work and residence permit, individuals must have an agreement with a Bulgarian employer. There is no requirement for a person to be a Bulgarian citizen to work in the job they are applying for. The number of foreign workers working in the institution in Bulgaria where the job application is made should not exceed 10% of the total number of workers.

Applicants who meet the required criteria and are approved by a Bulgarian employer within the scope of Bulgarian job opportunities must apply for a Bulgarian type D work visa. In order to apply for a Bulgarian work permit, the Bulgarian employer must apply to the Bulgarian Ministry of Labor and Social Services on behalf of the employee he invited.

The processing time for a Bulgarian work permit is approximately 45 working days. People who have obtained a Bulgarian work permit can enter the country by applying for a Bulgarian D type visa.

Persons entering Bulgaria to work under a Bulgarian D type long-term visa must apply for a residence permit within 90 days. During the Bulgarian residence permit application, requested documents such as employment contract, Bulgarian work permit documents, visa documents must be declared.

How to Get a Residence Permit for an Internship in Bulgaria?

Residence permits for internships in Bulgaria are granted to individuals who will do an internship in Bulgaria for a period longer than 90 days. Residence permits are not granted for internships shorter than 3 months in Bulgaria.

People who enter Bulgaria for the purpose of doing an internship under a D type visa must apply for a residence permit within 90 days depending on the duration of their internship. People are granted a Bulgarian residence permit for the duration of their internship. Turkish citizens who complete their internship in Bulgaria must return to Turkey.

How to Get a Residence Permit to Start a Business in Bulgaria?

People who will obtain a residence permit to start a business in Bulgaria must meet the following conditions.

  • To provide employment for at least 10 people during the period of residence in Bulgaria
  • Registering as a Turkish company representative in the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
  • Investing at least 600,000 leva (307,000 euros) in Bulgaria
  • To have invested at least BGN 600,000 in the capital of a Bulgarian company and to have at least 50% of the company’s shares.
  • A Bulgarian company must invest at least 250,000 leva (128,000 euros) in capital and invest the same amount in underdeveloped regions of Bulgaria, creating employment for at least 5 people.

Persons who will obtain a residence permit to establish a business in Bulgaria must make business investments in accordance with the policies determined by the Bulgarian Government. Persons must first apply for a type D investor visa with the necessary investment documents and business contracts.

People who will apply for a Bulgarian residence permit to start a business must go to the Foreigners Branch within 90 days of entering the country and submit the necessary documents.

How to Get a Residence Permit by Buying a House in Bulgaria?

The Republic of Bulgaria offers the opportunity to live in Bulgaria within the scope of the program it has organized for retirees. Retirees who buy a house in Bulgaria are given a residence permit in Bulgaria. People who have the right to retire in Turkey can have a residence permit on condition that they buy a house in Bulgaria.

Retirees who want to buy a house in Bulgaria and obtain a residence permit must prove their retirement with documents obtained from the Social Security Institution of the Republic of Turkey.

There is no minimum amount for real estate that retirees can buy in Bulgaria. Individuals can obtain a Bulgarian residence permit with any real estate investment. In order for retirees to obtain a residence permit after investing in Bulgaria, they must prove that they can cover their living expenses during their stay in Bulgaria.

Pensioners are entitled to apply for Bulgarian citizenship after residing in Bulgaria with a residence permit for 5 years. Living conditions for pensioners in Bulgaria are cheaper compared to other European Union countries.

How to Get a Residence Permit by Getting Married in Bulgaria?

It is possible to get a residence permit by getting married in Bulgaria. Turkish citizens who are married to a Bulgarian citizen or a person with a Bulgarian residence permit have the right to apply for a Bulgarian residence permit.

The spouse residing in Turkey must apply for a spouse visa under the type D visa. The Bulgaria spouse visa and marriage visa is actually a Bulgaria family reunification visa.

Individuals must apply for a spouse visa with the required documents such as marriage certificate, residence information, birth certificates if there are children.

A person entering Bulgaria under a type D spouse visa must apply for a Bulgarian residence permit at the nearest Police Department Immigration Office within 90 days. In order to obtain a residence permit in Bulgaria under the scope of marriage, the partners must live in the same house.

In Bulgarian residence permit applications made within the scope of marriage, the applicant and his/her partner residing in Bulgaria are invited to an interview by the immigration office. If the interview is successful, the Bulgarian residence permit application is approved and the applicant is given a 1-year residence permit card.

Persons wishing to extend their Bulgarian residence permit must apply for an extension at least 30 days before the expiry date.

What are the conditions for applying for a long-term residence permit in Bulgaria?

The requirements for applying for a long-term residence permit in Bulgaria are listed below:

  • Foreign citizens must have resided in Bulgaria under a visa and temporary residence permit for at least 5 years.
  • The applicant must not have resided outside Bulgaria for at least 6 months without interruption and 10 months in total during the 5-year period of residence.
  • Students and interns are required to complete a 5-year residence period after their education period. (For those who enter Bulgaria as students or interns, half of their stay in the country is considered as compulsory residence period)
  • Benefiting from international protection rights (applicable to persons applying for Asylum in Bulgaria)
  • The person must not have participated in any criminal act in Bulgaria during the 5-year period of compulsory residence.
  • The person must have resided in the country with his/her own sources of income, without recourse to Bulgarian state funds, during the 5-year residence period.

What are the documents required to obtain a long-term residence permit in Bulgaria?

Bulgaria residence permit application documents vary depending on the situation of the person applying for the residence permit.

For a long-term residence permit in Bulgaria, individuals must have completed a 5-year compulsory residence period in Bulgaria under a long-term visa. Individuals who have completed their compulsory residence period have the right to apply for a long-term residence permit.

To apply for a long-term residence permit, individuals must apply to the immigration office with documents showing that they have completed their 5-year compulsory residence period.

The documents required for the Bulgarian residence permit application are listed below:

  • Passport : Must be a passport valid for at least 2 years.
  • 2 biometric photos
  • Criminal record : Must be translated into Bulgarian and notarized.
  • Mandatory Bulgarian travel health insurance : Insurance valid in Bulgaria with a coverage of at least 30,000 Euros covering the duration of the trip must be presented.
  • Full-fledged population record copy : The population record copy showing all family information must be translated and apostilled.
  • A photocopy of the Bulgarian residence card : For spouse/family reunification residence permits, a photocopy of the residence card of the Bulgarian citizen is required.
  • Bulgarian birth certificate : Required to apply for residence through a Bulgarian citizen child.
  • Undertakings : Undertakings that the family members will live together, that the marriage is not a sham, and that all maintenance and expenses are covered must be included in the application file.
    • Acceptance document of those who will apply for a residence permit for education purposes, letters received from the institution, documents showing that they have completed their education and completed their residence period.
    • Documents proving retirement for retirees
  • Treatment documents from the relevant health institution for those who will travel for long-term treatment.
  • Representative document : In order for applicants who have a commercial representative office in Bulgaria to obtain a residence permit through this representative office, they must obtain a Certificate of Attestation from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
  • Invitation letter : Invitation letter sent by first degree relatives residing in Bulgaria
  • Contract/lease for a house in Bulgaria
  • Company documents for residence permits issued through the company

Can I Go to the UK Without a Visa by Getting a Residence Permit in Bulgaria?

People who have a permanent residence permit in Bulgaria have the right to travel to the UK without a visa for up to 90 days.

With the United Kingdom (European Union) leaving the EU and entering the Brexit process, the movement rights of European countries in the UK have been restricted after January 1, 2021, but entry to the UK is possible for a maximum of 90 days within 180 days.

With Brexit, the UK has restricted the unrestricted movement of EU member states in the UK. Citizens of EU countries who will reside in the UK for more than 90 days within a 180-day period must apply for a visa.

Which Countries Can I Visit Visa-Free with a Residence Permit in Bulgaria?

People who have a residence permit in Bulgaria can enter the Schengen area member countries with a Lichna card.

With a long-term D type Bulgaria visa, people have the right to travel to Romania, Croatia and Northern Cyprus without a visa for a maximum of 90 days within 180 days.

How to Apply for a Re-Entry Visa After Receiving a Bulgarian Residence Permit?

If you exit the country after obtaining a Bulgarian residence permit, there is no need to apply for a Re-Entry visa. The Bulgarian residence card replaces the visas of individuals for new entries into the country.

What are the Bulgarian Immigration Application Requirements?

Bulgaria immigration application requirements are as follows.

  • For students:
    • Having received a letter of acceptance from an educational institution in Bulgaria
  • For employees:
    • Be accepted for employment by an employer in Bulgaria
  • For investors:
    • Having made investments in amounts determined by the Republic of Bulgaria
  • For retirees:
    • Having retired from the Republic of Turkey
  • Having sought refuge/humanitarian protection in Bulgaria
  • Being married to a Bulgarian citizen
  • Being a parent of a Bulgarian citizen
  • Willing to receive long-term medical treatment in Bulgaria
  • Starting a business in Bulgaria