- What is Bulgaria good for?
- General provisions for all types of residence permit in Bulgaria
- Residence permit for wealthy pensioners
- Residence permit for representatives of foreign commercial organizations
- European Union Blue Card in Bulgaria
- Startup visa
- Freelancer's residence permit
- Permanent residence of the investor
What is Bulgaria good for?
If we rank the advantages of Bulgaria, why foreigners tend to come here, then the sea and climate will obviously be in the first places. Although, I must say that many choose small towns and villages at the foot of the mountains in the interior of the country or the business centers of the state - Sofia and Plovdiv.
It is also important that there are inexpensive products, things, services. According to the study, Bulgaria is the second in Europe in terms of the cost of living ($506 per person per month excluding rent). Only Romania is more accessible.
Real estate prices are also not as high as in many other parts of Europe, although they have risen significantly over the past few years. According to realtors, in Burgas, Varna, as well as Sofia and Plovdiv, the cost of housing has increased by 20-30% compared to 2019, and in some locations up to 45%. However, the market is heterogeneous, and you can find an appropriate offer for almost any budget.It should be noted that the presence of real estate in Bulgaria is not a basis for obtaining a residence permit, but it significantly simplifies all the checks that a candidate for resident status may face.
It is noteworthy that, having some types of residence permit, it is not necessary to live in Bulgaria. But, being a resident, you can come at any time for any period without thinking about a visa. And not only to Bulgaria, but also to Romania, Cyprus. This is especially true for property owners.
General provisions for all types of residence permit in Bulgaria
- A mandatory step for obtaining a residence permit of any type for non-EU citizens is obtaining a national D visa (for 180 days with the right of multiple entry) at the consulate of their country. Of course, at this stage, the applicant must already decide on what basis he has for a residence permit. Some programs, for example, for startups or sales representatives, imply a preliminary stage of actions and approvals before applying for a D visa, but you do not need to fly to Bulgaria for this.
- Arriving in Bulgaria on a D visa, a foreigner applies to the Migration Department at the local Ministry of Internal Affairs and applies for a residence permit.
- All types of legalization provide an opportunity to obtain a residence permit for the main applicant and his/her family members, spouse and children under 18 years of age.
- 5 years after obtaining a residence permit, an immigrant has the right to permanent residence or DVJ (an analogue of permanent residence, which is suitable for those who plan to move to another EU country in the future). However, there is a condition – during this time, it is allowed to stay outside Bulgaria for a total of no more than 30 months. (The exception is the investment program, under which permanent residence is provided immediately). After another 5 years after the registration of permanent residence, you can apply for citizenship.We emphasize that if you do not plan to get permanent residence, and you are satisfied with the annual extension of the residence permit, it is not necessary to save 30 months in 5 years.
- To obtain a residence permit, you will need an account in a Bulgarian bank. Many Bulgarian credit institutions are often wary of opening accounts even for pensioners from Russia and Belarus. However, if your income is legal and you are not on the sanctions lists, it is realistic to do so. We recommend contacting real estate and immigration specialists.
There are several ways to become a holder of a residence permit card in Bulgaria. Consider the most popular and effective.
Residence permit for wealthy pensioners
The program for pensioners is a time-tested hit of Bulgaria. It is still relevant and in demand among immigrants from different countries: Germany and other EU states, Great Britain, Israel, Russia. According to experts, this is the easiest, low-cost and practically trouble-free option for obtaining a residence permit for Russians today.
In order to count on the status of a resident of Bulgaria under this program, a foreigner must confirm that there is an amount equal to 12 minimum Bulgarian pensions on his account in a Bulgarian bank (as of April 2023 it is 5604 Bulgarian levs or 2865 euros).
Based on the practice of lawyers, the pension amount, if we are talking about a Russian citizen, should be at least 12,000 rubles per month.
The next thing to take care of is housing. To apply, you will need a notarized certificate certifying that you are the owner of real estate in Bulgaria, or a notarized apartment rental agreement for at least six months.
The package of necessary documents also includes: a passport plus 2 photocopies, a completed questionnaire (the form can be downloaded on the consulate's website), a certificate from the pension fund translated into Bulgarian from an accredited translator for the last 3 months, a certificate of non-conviction, medical insurance for a year with coverage from 30,000 euros, 2 photos for a visa (3.5 by 4.5 cm).
All documents are provided at the stage of applying for a D visa at the consulate in your country, and then in Bulgaria at the Migration Department at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. You should contact this state institution no later than 2 weeks before the expiration of the D visa.
Together with the main applicant, a residence permit can be obtained by his spouse and children under the age of 18 on the basis of family reunification.
There are no restrictions on the time of stay in Bulgaria on this visa.
The whole procedure, from the initial step to obtaining a card, takes, according to immigration specialists, at least 2.5-4 months. The additional costs incurred by the applicant, not counting the cost of flights and rental housing, do not exceed 1000 euros.
Residence permit for representatives of foreign commercial organizations
It is also called a residence permit for sales representatives. This legalization scheme is also incredibly popular, although there are much more subtleties in its design and reasons for refusals, too.
This format implies that a foreigner opens a trade representative office of the company, registering it in the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the state register Bulstat. By the time the representative office is organized, the company must have been working in its country for at least 2 years. When submitting an application, you need to justify why your business needed a branch in Bulgaria. By law, it has no right to conduct business by itself, but only "helps" the parent company "advertises its goods or services, looking for customers.
You can get a residence permit either by opening a new representative office or by joining an existing one, but no more than three people can be legalized from one TP.
In addition to the main applicant, the resident's card is also received by his family members (spouse, children under 18), requesting a residence permit on the basis of family reunification. At the same time, the wife / husband of the sales representative can issue a work permit according to a simplified procedure.
The application for the opening of a trade representative office, together with the declaration and other documents, is submitted to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Bulgaria. It issues a certificate on the opening of a representative office and a decision on the registration of certain persons there as sales representatives. This preliminary stage can be completed remotely by issuing a power of attorney, for example, to an employee of the immigration agency.
Registration of a TP in the BCCI at the standard rate takes 1 week. The registration fee is 210 euros. Usually a turnkey service from immigration agencies costs from 1000 to 1500 euros, including the fee itself and other expenses
Next comes the stage at which the applicant applies for a D visa. In addition to the standard package of documents, the Bulgarian Consulate must be provided with a certificate of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a Bulstat certificate, documents on the parent company and trade representation, a notarized lease agreement for an office or apartment in which there are conditions for work, or a notarized certificate of ownership of real estate. In addition, the consular officer may request additional documents before the interview.
The second stage takes 45 days (the period of consideration of the application at the consulate). The costs include a consular fee of 100 euros.
Next, the lucky holder of the D visa arrives in Bulgaria to complete the procedure. It is necessary to arrive at least four and a half months before the expiration of the visa in order to have time to get a residence permit card during this time. The package of documents is the same as when applying for a D visa, but you need to re-order a certificate from the BCCI, extend the medical insurance policy, and also order a certificate from a Bulgarian bank stating that your account has an amount equal to 12 minimum Bulgarian salaries (as of April 2023 BGN 9360 or EUR 4786).
It should be noted that the probability of getting a refusal when applying for a D visa on this basis is high, especially when joining an existing trade representative office. We recommend contacting immigration specialists who will help you passthis way and get approval.
European Union Blue Card in Bulgaria
Blue Card or Blue Card is a work permit in an EU country.
The first steps to obtain this type of residence permit for your future employee are taken by an employer - a national or foreign company doing business in Bulgaria. The organization must obtain permission from the Directorate of Migration to hire a specialist, after which the applicant for the Blue Card is given 20 days to apply for a D visa at the Bulgarian consulate in his country. Consideration of the application in this case is much faster than for other types of residence permit (20 days, but in practice less). Upon arrival, a foreigner must contact the local office of the Migration Department within 7 days and first obtain a residence permit (after 3 days), and then a personal card (it takes up to 30 days to produce it).
The blue card has some privileges over other types of residence permits. First of all, it is provided to both the main applicant and his family members immediately for a period of 2 to 5 years (a regular residence permit is given for 1 year with the right to extend). According to the Blue card, of course, you can work – it is designed for this. Moreover, labor activity can be both office and remote; it is allowed to travel on business trips for up to 90 days in a half-year. The Blue Card allows you to use insurance medicine on an equal basis with Bulgarian citizens, and also gives you the right to receive a European insurance card that provides emergency care in the EU. Another plus is that after a year of work under this program in Bulgaria, you can get a Blue Card from another EU country under a simplified procedure.
Recently, the requirements for applicants for the Blue Card of Bulgaria have been relaxed. You can confirm your qualifications by presenting a diploma of higher education (or a certificate of study at a university for at least 3 years). But other grounds are also accepted - work experience for 5 years or the availability of certificates, certificates of professional training in specialties approved by the Ministry of Labor. At the same time, the candidate's estimated salary should be one and a half times higher than the national average.
Startup visa
A foreigner can open a company in Bulgaria that produces a high-tech or innovative product, which will give him and his family a basis for obtaining a residence permit for one year with the right to extend.
First of all, an entrepreneur must submit an online application in which it is necessary to tell in detail about his business idea, target markets, potential or existing investors, patents. This can be done on behalf of an individual. The opening of a legal entity will be required already in Bulgaria.
The deadline for consideration of the application is 30 days. If the expert council, which includes representatives of the state, as well as the scientific and business community, approved it, the applicant for a startup visa receives a certificate from the Ministry of Innovation and Development for the implementation of the project on the territory of Bulgaria.
Next, you should contact the consulate for a D visa. Having entered Bulgaria using it, you go to the local Migration Department to complete the procedure and obtain a resident card. This should be done no later than 2 weeks before the expiration of the visa, which, we recall, is issued for 180 days.
Note that the certificate for the implementation of a high-tech or innovative project is valid for a year. Then it will need to be updated (twice in 5 years).
Freelancer's residence permit
Bulgaria has long had a program that allows people to obtain a residence permit for a year with the right to extend their activities without registering a business - free practice. These can be psychologists, web designers, bloggers, tutors, programmers. Representatives of some professions, for example, doctors and pharmacists, will need proof of qualification - a rather long (up to 2 years) and complex procedure involving passing exams.
The minimum monthly income that an applicant must have is 365 euros before taxes.
The special requirements for this type of residence permit include the need to obtain a certificate of proficiency in the Bulgarian language at the B1 level, as well as to confirm that you have signed at least 2 contracts per year with individuals or legal entities from Bulgaria.
You can get or extend a freelancer's residence permit not only through the Migration Department, but also through the employment agency under the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy of Bulgaria.
Permanent residence of the investor
The legalization through investment program is also provided in Bulgaria, but it is not very popular. The minimum amount of investments in the capital of a Bulgarian company (subject to ownership of at least 50% of its shares) is BGN 500,000 or EUR 255,700, in real estate is BGN 600,000 or EUR 306,780.
Permanent residence under this scheme is provided to the investor and his family members for a period of 5 years (subject to the preservation of the deposit) with the possibility of obtaining citizenship of the country after another 5 years. With even larger investments, a passport can be obtained by an accelerated procedure in 2 years.
The applicant for investor permanent residence is first checked by the Bulgarian investment Authority for the fact that the capital was obtained legally.
Thank you for your help in preparing the article by our experts in Bulgaria:
Daria Borzova, managing director of the agency Oazis Real Estate
Irina Mikhailova, Client Relations Manager of the agency «Alternative to imoti ood»
Sources:
Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in the Russian Federation
