Regulations for the entry and stay of EU citizens in Bulgaria

The law on Residency for EU Citizens determines the conditions under which citizens of European Union (EU) countries, Switzerland and the European Economic Community (EEC) countries and their family member are allowed to enter and stay in Bulgaria. The law has in force since January 1 2007.

EU citizens need an ID card or international passport to enter and leave Bulgaria. They are allowed to stay in the country for up to three months without additional documents being issued.

If EU citizens decide to stay for a longer period, or want permanent residence in Bulgaria, a police certificate is needed.

Long-term residency conditions
A stay for up to five years is considered a long-term residency.

The police issues long-term residency permits for EU citizens who fulfill one or more of the following requirements:
- works or is self-employed in Bulgaria.
- has health insurance and sufficient financial means to make a living without relying on Bulgaria's social aid system. Bulgaria's Cabinet determines which amount is considered 'sufficient financial means.'
- is a student in Bulgaria and has sufficient financial means to make a living.

An EU citizen who is no longer working or self-employed in Bulgaria still has the right to stay in the country for up to six months:
- in case of temporary inability to work, resulting from illness or accident.
- if the citizen is registered with the Bureau of Labour Statistics after working for more than one year in Bulgaria.
- if the EU citizen had a labour contract for up to one year, but the contract has been suspended, or in case the citizen had a longer-term work contract but lost the job in the first 12 months of working and is registered with the Bureau of Labour Statistics.
- if the EU citizen started professional qualification training. In this case the EU citizen is allowed to stay in Bulgaria for the duration of the training.

An EU citizen has to present an application for a long-term residency permit to the Directorate Migration of Interior Ministry at 48 Maria Louisa Boulevard in Sofia. The application should be presented up to three months after the EU citizen's arrival in Bulgaria. Documents needed include:
- ID card or passport
- documents proving that the EU citizen is working, self-employed, has a health insurance and sufficient financial means to make a living or is a student in Bulgaria.
- receipt showing that state taxes have been paid

A long-term residency certificate is issued the same day of the application. If the application documents are not in order, the applicant will have seven days to present accurate documents.

Permanent stay conditions
EU citizens receive a permanent residency permit after living in Bulgaria for five years or:
- have lived continuously in Bulgaria for three years and are working or are self-employed in Bulgaria or another EU member state but return to Bulgaria every week.
- are workers or self-employed but suffer long-term incapability of working and have lived in Bulgaria for two years
- are workers or self-employed but suffer long-term incapability of working resulting from an labour incident or a professional disease
- no longer work because of labour contract suspension but had worked for an year before the suspension; are of age or have reasons to retire and have lived in Bulgaria for more than three years.

Absence for up to six months each year, longer absence to serve military service, one leaving for up to 12 consecutive months because of urgent reasons or a business trip are considered part of the EU citizen's stay in Bulgaria.

Bulgaria will cancel a permanent residency permit in case the owner is abroad for more than two years.

EU citizens have to carry their ID or passports and residency permit or card at all times.