EU registration certificate: living in Bulgaria as an EU citizen

At a glance

Total time: Usually within 24 hours
Official fees: Small state fee
Where: Your local Migration office
Bulgarian needed?: No, translations need not be notarised

If you are a citizen of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you don’t need a visa to live in Bulgaria. But if you stay longer than 3 months, you must register with the Migration office and get a long-term residence certificate. It is quick: the application is usually processed within a day.

When to register

You can live in Bulgaria for up to 3 months with just a valid ID card or passport. If you are staying longer, submit your documents within 3 months of arriving.

Where to apply

Go to your local Migration office. In Sofia, that is the Migration Directorate at 48 Knyaginya Maria Luiza Blvd. In other cities, it is the Migration section of the regional police directorate (ODMVR). The Migration Directorate’s helpline is +359 2 982 4808, and its email is migration@mvr.bg.

Choose your grounds

You register on one of these grounds. The documents depend on which one fits you:

Employed or self-employed in Bulgaria
Insured and self-funded: you have health insurance and enough money to live on. This includes pensioners. If you work remotely for an employer or clients abroad, ask your Migration office which ground fits you.
Studying in Bulgaria
Family member of an EU citizen who lives in Bulgaria

Documents if you work in Bulgaria

The completed application form, from the Migration office.
Your valid ID card or passport.
A copy of your employment contract, or proof that you are self-employed: for example, you own or manage a Bulgarian company, work on a civil contract, or are registered as self-employed.
A rental contract or other proof of address.
Your previous certificate, if you are reapplying.
The receipt for the fee.

Documents if you are insured and self-funded

The completed application form.
Your valid ID card or passport.
Proof of health insurance: your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or a private health insurance policy.
Proof that you have enough money: at least one Bulgarian minimum monthly wage per family member. A copy of a bank card, a bank statement or a pension statement can be used.
A rental contract or other proof of address.
Your previous certificate, if you are reapplying.
The receipt for the fee.

Good news on translations: documents not in Bulgarian must be translated, but the translation does not need to be notarised or legalised.

What you get

Your residence certificate. Applications are usually processed within 24 hours. You receive a paper certificate once approved.
A personal number (LNCH), if you ask for it. It is optional, but you will need it for banks, mobile contracts, utilities and government offices, so most people get one. You can get an A4 certificate with the number straight away, or a plastic card for an extra fee: within 3 working days with the express service, or 30 days with the standard one.

The certificate can be valid for up to 5 years. It may be shorter if a document you submitted, such as your passport or insurance, expires sooner.

After 5 years

After 5 years of legal residence on consecutive long-term certificates, you and your family members can apply for permanent residence.

Common mistakes

Waiting longer than 3 months to register.
Skipping the personal number, then being stuck at the bank or the mobile shop.
Bringing an ID card or insurance that expires soon, which shortens your certificate.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. The fee for the certificate and personal number is published by the Ministry of Interior in Bulgarian; check the current amount with your Migration office.