At a glance
- Total time
- Up to 14 days at Migration
- Official fees
- BGN 10 + up to BGN 500 (≈ €5 + €256)
- Where
- Consulate, then Migration
- Bulgarian needed?
- No, but documents in Bulgarian
For non-EU citizens, living in Bulgaria long term happens in two stages. First you get a Type D visa at a Bulgarian consulate abroad. Then, once you are in Bulgaria, you apply to the Migration office for a long-term residence permit. This guide walks through both, from choosing your reason for moving to holding your residence card.
1. Choose your grounds for residence
Bulgaria grants residence for a specific reason, called your grounds. Your grounds decide which documents you need at every stage, so choose them first. The most common are:
- Work for a Bulgarian employer, with a work permit
- Freelancing, with a freelance permit from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
- Retirement, if you receive a pension
- Family: spouse or child of a Bulgarian citizen, or family of a foreigner who already has residence
- Business: running a Bulgarian company that employs at least 10 Bulgarian citizens
- Investment of at least BGN 600,000 (about €306,800) in Bulgarian property or a Bulgarian company
- Study at a Bulgarian university
- Digital nomad: you work remotely for employers or clients outside Bulgaria and earned at least 50 times the Bulgarian minimum monthly wage last year (about €31,000). See our digital nomad guide.
There are other grounds too, such as the EU Blue Card for highly qualified workers. If your situation is complicated, it is worth talking to an immigration lawyer before you start.
2. Get a Type D visa before you move
Apply at the Bulgarian embassy or consulate for the country where you live, no earlier than 3 months before you move. The visa costs €100 and usually lets you stay up to 180 days. You can’t usually switch from a tourist stay to residence while in Bulgaria. Our Type D visa guide has the full checklist.
3. Arrange housing, insurance and a bank account
- Housing: you need proof of an address, such as a rental contract or a property deed. If you rent, ask the owner early for a notarised declaration agreeing that you can register at the address. Many landlords are not used to this.
- Health insurance: a policy valid in Bulgaria, unless you are already insured in the Bulgarian public system.
- Bank account: pensioners need a letter from a Bulgarian bank confirming the account their pension is paid into. A local account also helps to show you can support yourself.
4. Apply at the Migration office
Apply in person at least 14 days before your visa’s permitted stay ends. 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).
For almost every ground you need:
- A copy of your passport: photo page, personal details, your Type D visa and the stamp of your last entry. Bring the original too.
- Proof that you paid the state fee.
- Proof of housing.
- Health insurance valid in Bulgaria, if you are not insured in the public system.
- Proof of regular income or savings of at least the Bulgarian minimum monthly wage (or minimum pension) for each month of your stay.
- A police clearance certificate from your home country or the country where you lived. This is only needed the first time you apply.
- Documents for your grounds, for example your work permit, freelance permit, pension certificate and Bulgarian bank letter, or marriage certificate.
The Migration office has up to 14 days to decide. In complicated cases, or if they ask for more documents, this can be extended by a month.
Fees
| Fee | Official amount | In euro (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Processing your application | BGN 10 | €5 |
| Permit for up to 6 months | BGN 200 | €102 |
| Permit for up to 1 year | BGN 500 | €256 |
| Spouse or child of a Bulgarian citizen (up to 1 year) | BGN 150, no processing fee | €77 |
5. Collect your residence card
Once your permit is approved, you give fingerprints and a photo and collect your residence card. It shows your personal number for foreigners (LNCH), which you will use for banks, contracts, utilities and taxes.
6. Renew on time
A long-term residence permit is usually granted for up to one year at a time. Put the expiry date in your calendar and apply to renew it at least 14 days before it ends, with most of the same documents. You don’t need a new police certificate for renewals. After 5 years of legal and uninterrupted residence, you can apply for long-term resident status.
Common mistakes
- Applying at Migration too late, after the 14-day deadline.
- A rental contract without the owner’s notarised consent to register you.
- Foreign documents without an apostille and a Bulgarian translation.
- Forgetting that savings must cover the whole stay, not just one month.
Sources
- Ministry of Interior: procedure 238, granting long-term residence to foreigners (in Bulgarian)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Visa D (long term) requirements
- Ministry of Interior: long-term resident status after 5 years
General information, not legal advice. Rules and fees change: always check with your Migration office or a lawyer before you apply.