Bulgarian Permanent Residence Permit

Who is Eligible to Apply for the Permanent Bulgarian Residence Permit?

Both EU and non-EU may be eligible to apply.

Is the Permanent Residence Permit for Bulgaria Right for Me?

The following foreign applicants are eligible for a permanent residence permit under Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act (FRBA) and the Rules on Application of Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act (RAFRBA):

1. A foreign citizen of Bulgarian origin
2. An applicant who has been married for more than 5 years to a foreign citizen and has resided in Bulgaria without interruption for the last 5 years
3. Minor child applicant who is unmarried and dependent on a foreign citizen who permanently resides in the country
4. Parents of a dependent Bulgarian citizen (e.g. child under 18 years old) who have legally resided in Bulgaria without interruption for the last 3 years
5. Applicants who have remained in Bulgaria for a period of at least 5 years on the basis of either long-term EU residence permit or extended residence permit before submitting the permanent residence application (one of the most common requirement). During that period, they should not have spent more than 30 months outside the country
6. Applicants who have invested over BGN 1,000,000 (one million Bulgarian Leva) within the country – or have increased their investment with the same amount – through an acquisition of:
   • shares in Bulgarian companies listed on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange
   • bonds and treasury bills, as well as derivative instruments issued by Bulgarian financial institutions (with a maturity period of no fewer than 6 months)
   • rights of ownership of assets in Bulgarian company with more than 50% government share (under the Privatization and Post-Privatization Control Act)
   • government shares in Bulgarian companies
   • Bulgarian intellectual property (e.g. copyrightable works, ideas, discoveries, inventions)
   • rights on concession contracts between a company and the Bulgarian government that gives the right to operate a specific business under the government's jurisdiction.
7. Applicants who have made an investment of a minimum of BGN 1,000,000 at a licensed credit institution in Bulgaria for a period of at least 5 years. This cannot be used as collateral for loans financed by other Bulgarian credit institutions.
8. Applicants who have made a capital investment of at least BGN 6,000,000 in a Bulgarian company which is not traded on a regulated stock exchange
9. Applicants who are not of Bulgarian origin but were born in Bulgaria, have lost Bulgarian citizenship due to deportation (or voluntarily), and intend to remain in the country long-term
10. Applicants who immigrated to – or were born in – Bulgaria before December 27, 1998, or have a parent married to a Bulgarian citizen
11. Family members of a Bulgarian citizen who have remained in Bulgaria without interruption for a period of at last 5 years
12. Applicants who immigrated to – or were born in – Bulgaria before December 27, 1998, and are not recognized as citizens of the Former Soviet Republics
13. A foreign citizen who has undertaken economic activity and has been certified for this by the Ministry of Economy
14. A child who was born and abandoned by a foreign parent in Bulgaria and placed in a child care institution/provided with foster care services that respond to the assessed needs (as a measure of protection)
15. A foreign citizen who has made an investment in the country by deploying more than BGN 500,000 venture capital in a Bulgarian company. The applicant must be a partner or a shareholder who holds a majority of the company’s stock and has achieved the following as a result of the investment:
    • acquisition of fixed assets for the amount of BGN 500,000
    • creation of at least 10 jobs for Bulgarian citizens
    • sustainability of investment over the period of residence

Permanent Residence Permit Documents I Must Provide

There are some documents that your local Migration office requires from every applicant no matter what the grounds for the permanent residence permit application are. Make sure you have all these documents available when submitting your application. The standard documents are as follows:

1. A filled out permanent residence application form (residence permit applications form are available at your local Migration office)
2. A current valid passport.
3. a valid ID document or a passport
4. valid long-term EU residence permit or extended residence permit or previous permanent permit if any (only required on renewal)
5. Paid application fee

You’ll also need to provide a certified translation of any documents that are not in Bulgarian. Note that this list is not all-inclusive, and only contains some of the documents required.

Permanent Residence Permit Submission Deadline

Documents for the application should be submitted no later than 2 months before the expiration date of the existing permit.

How Long Does The Permanent Residence Permit last?

The extended residence permit is issued for a period of up to five (5) years (depending on the expiry dates of the submitted documents) and can be renewed indefinite number of times.

What Are Permanent Residence Permit Holders Entitled?

Holders of a permanent residence permit are entitled the same rights and obligations that come with Bulgarian citizenship except those which are explicitly forbidden (e.g. participating in the political process by registering and voting, joining the police force or military). The permanent residence permit is one of the key requirements for obtaining Bulgarian citizenship.

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