Bulgarian residence permit for students, sales representatives and real estate investors

Hospitable Bulgaria has long been attractive to foreigners. The British, Germans, Americans, and Israelis discovered this country after it joined the European Union in 2007. They appreciated the beauty of the landscapes, the richness of the heritage (Plovdiv, for example, is among the ten oldest cities in the world), the friendly atmosphere, and accessibility.

Russians, Ukrainians, and people from the former USSR have historically been particularly attracted to Bulgaria. Some people remember Slonchev Bryag and Zlatni Pyasi from Soviet times, and many fell in love with Bulgarian resorts later - in the nineties, noughties, tenths.

You can also move to Bulgaria with a student visa, a digital nomad visa, by obtaining a residence permit from a sales representative, a real estate investor, or a financially independent person. Let's take a closer look at some of these programs with an expert on real estate and immigration in Bulgaria, director of the agency «Альтернатива imoti ltd, member of the Bar Association in Israel, Bulgaria and Russia By Sergey Basin. The agency's team has helped hundreds of foreigners to buy an apartment, rent a house, legalize, and open an account.

What does Bulgaria's residence permit provide?

A Bulgarian residence permit on any of the grounds entitles:

• Legally reside in the country.
• Travel freely in the Schengen area, staying in other countries for up to 90 days during any 180-day period.
• Have access to public health care provided you receive regular payments from your employer;

In fact, you can't do without a VMI policy, because when you extend your residence permit, you need to show that you have insurance every year. The policy costs about 100 euros per year. 90% of foreigners have policies from UNIQA.

• Have access to school and university education for children.

The right to employment depends on the type of residence permit. For example, a residence permit for financially independent and digital nomads does not allow work in Bulgaria. Employment under a contract is also not allowed for sales representatives, but no one forbids opening your own company on these grounds and working for yourself.

In order not to lose the status of a residence permit, it is necessary to stay in the country at least one day a year. In practice, you won't have time to extend your status for the next year in one day. The extension procedure usually takes from 2.5 weeks to a month.

Obtain a permanent residence permit (permanent residence) it is possible after 5 years of legal residence.

To apply for permanent residence, you must reside in Bulgaria for at least 183 days a year and for at least two and a half years over a five-year period.

Note that in Bulgaria there are 2 types of permanent residence, which can be applied for after 5 years of residence permit:

1. Long-term stay in the EU (DVJ)

This is the EU long-term resident status (equivalent to "permanent resident of the EU"). This type of permanent residence makes it easy to obtain permanent residence in another EU country and employment in the EU. The requirements for applicants are stricter: they are allowed to be absent for a maximum of 10 months for 5 years.

2. National Permanent Residence of Bulgaria (permanent residence)

It is valid only in Bulgaria and does not automatically grant the right to live or work in other EU countries. It is not recognized as an EU resident. When moving to other EU countries, you need to get a new residence permit. The requirements for applicants are milder: you can be absent for no more than 2.5 years out of 5 years with a residence permit status.

After another 5 years after obtaining permanent residence (that is, after a total of 10 years of residence in Bulgaria), it is allowed to apply for citizenship. There is also an accelerated path to a passport: through investments or through a simplified procedure for business immigrants who have created jobs.

Residence permit for students in Bulgaria

The basis for obtaining a student residence permit is considered to be enrollment in an accredited educational institution in Bulgaria. It can be:

• Public or private university
• College
• Vocational School
• Language courses (subject to heavy workload)

It is important to receive an official confirmation of enrollment from the educational institution.

The process consists of two key steps.

Stage 1. Obtaining a national visa of the "D" type

Before applying for a residence permit, you must obtain a long-term visa of category "D". To do this, you need to contact the Bulgarian consulate or Embassy in your country.

Basic documents for a visa "D":

• Completed visa application form.
A foreign passport (valid for at least another 1.5 years from the date of submission).
• An official invitation or a certificate of enrollment from a Bulgarian educational institution.
• Documents confirming financial security (bank statement, sponsorship letter, etc.). The minimum amount is usually equivalent to 12 minimum salaries in Bulgaria (for 2025, the minimum wage is BGN 1077, or 551 euros).
• A document confirming tuition fees for at least the first semester/year.
• Medical insurance with coverage throughout Bulgaria.
• Certificate of absence of criminal record from the country of your citizenship and the countries where you have lived for more than 6 months in recent years.
• Color photos.

The visa review process may take from 30 to 60 days.

Stage 2: Obtaining a residence permit in Bulgaria

After entering Bulgaria with a national visa, you must apply for a residence permit within 14 days.

Where to contact:Migration Directorate(Migration Directorate) at your place of residence in Bulgaria.

Basic documents for a residence permit (submitted already in Bulgaria):

• Application for a residence permit.
• A valid national visa "D".
• A foreign passport.
• The contract of study and the certificate from the educational institution on the status of the student.
• Documents confirming the availability of housing in Bulgaria (lease agreement, confirmation from the hostel, etc.).
• Proof of financial security (similar to visa requirements).
• Medical insurance.
• Receipt of payment of the state fee.

Features and important nuances

1. A student residence permit is issued hfor a period of up to 1 year with the possibility of extension. To extend it, you must provide a certificate from the university about the successful completion of the session and the continuation of your studies.

2. Students with a residence permit have the right to work up to 20 hours a week during the academic process and full-time during the holidays. To do this, you must obtain a work permit from an Employment Agency.

3. As a rule, a student's residence permit does not grant the right to family reunification (for spouses and children). This is only possible for doctoral students (postgraduates).

4. Residence on a student visa is included in the length of service for permanent residence is only half. That is, five years of study at the university is not enough to apply for permanent residence - only 2.5 years will be counted.

Extension and change of status

If you continue your studies, you will extend your residence permit under the same conditions. After graduation, you have the opportunity to change your status, for example, to obtain a residence permit for a highly qualified specialist or to find a job (if the conditions are met).

At the university, students must study the Bulgarian language and subsequently, after receiving their diploma, they can conclude an employment contract with a Bulgarian employer.

Residence permit for sales representatives in Bulgaria

In the context of Bulgarian migration lawtlegal representative This is an individual who acts in Bulgaria on behalf of and in the interests of a foreign company, without creating a separate legal entity (subsidiary).

This option is perfectfor:

• Employees of the head office in a foreign country sent to Bulgaria for business development.
• Founders of a foreign company who are personally engaged in business promotion in the EU.
• Independent agents working under an exclusive contract with a foreign supplier.

This type of residence permit is very popular, although registration implies many nuances, and this path cannot be called easy. It should be borne in mind that since July 1, 2025, after the adoption of amendments to the Law on Foreigners, the requirements for this long-term stay program have become stricter. What are the key changes?

• Now only 2 sales representatives can be registered from one company (previously there were 3).
• The minimum annual turnover of the parent company should be at least BGN 100,000 (EUR 50,000) over the past two years. An official certificate from the bank is required that the company's turnover has not fallen below 50,000 euros in the last two years prior to the application.
• An official certificate is now required, based on the company's financial statements for the previous two years, stating that the company has no debts to the tax authorities of the country of origin.

An important point: if something has changed in the company's registration data, it is necessary to notify the BCCI (Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) within 30 days, otherwise the representative office may be cancelled.

The procedure, as for other types of residence permits, consists of two stages: obtaining a national D visa and then obtaining a residence permit directly in Bulgaria.

Stage 1. Applying for a D visa at the Bulgarian Consulate

At this stage, you need to provide convincing evidence of your status and intentions.

The main package of documents for the visa:

• An official decision on the appointment of a representative office. A document from a foreign company that clearly states that you are appointed as its sales representative in Bulgaria. It should specify your authority, goals, and terms of operation.
• An extract from the Commercial Register of the company's country of origin, confirming its legal status and types of activities, issued no earlier than 6 months before the filing date.
• Documents confirming the financial stability of the company (for example, annual reports, balance sheet, and a mandatory certificate of absence of tax arrears for the previous 2 calendar years).
• Documents confirming your financial security.You must prove that you have sufficient funds to live in Bulgaria. As a rule, a bank statement is required ( from a Bulgarian bank, that is, you need to open an account in advance!), showing the amount equivalent to at least 6 minimum salaries in Bulgaria (for 2025, the minimum wage is 1077 leva, or 551 euros). The approximate amount that should be: 6462 leva.
• Lease agreement, notarized, or a copy of the notarial deed on the ownership of housing in Bulgaria.
• Medical insurance for at least 6 months with coverage of at least 30,000 euros.
• Certificate of absence of criminal record
• Passport valid for at least 18 months, application form, photo 3.5 x 4.5 cm
• A notarized copy of the registration of a commercial representative office at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and BULSTAT
• A valid certificate issued by the BCCI no later than one month before its
• 100 euros for a visa «D»