Work in Bulgaria for Non-EU Citizens

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Work in Bulgaria for Non-EU Citizens

Are you planning to work in Bulgaria? Are you a citizen of a certain country outside the European Union? There are various things to take note of before you can make it happen. Having a visa is not enough. Take note of the following information.

Residence permit

What is a residence permit? While a visa is required for a foreign person to enter the territory of Bulgaria, a residence permit must be obtained subsequent to the entry, in case this person is willing to stay in Bulgaria for more than 90 days.

There are various types of residence permits, depending on the purposes of stay and a differentiated regime applies to EU and non-EU citizens.

Address registration

In case you are not an EU or EEA member state national, upon arriving in Bulgaria you must fill in an address registration form and submit it to the local police office. In case you are staying at a hotel, you will be reported to the local police station by the hotel landlord.

When do you need a residence permit?

You must obtain a residence permit in case you are willing to stay in Bulgaria for more than 90 days. It grants you the right to stay in the territory of Bulgaria within the term its validity.

There are four types of residence permits, depending on the term of their validity:

  • Short-term residence permit – for up to 90 days on the grounds of a valid international passport and, in some cases, short-term visa;
  • Continuous residence permit – for up to one year;
  • Long-term residence permit – for up to five years, where this term may be extended in case the foreigner has resided for 5 years in Bulgaria without interruption;
  • Permanent residence permit – for an indefinite period of time;

Where to apply?

You shall submit your application to the “Migration” Directorate at the Ministry of Interior.

What are the required documents?

The set of documents that must be enclosed to your application varies depending on the grounds for your stay. You need someone who can assist you with the preparation of this document, as well as with the obtaining and preparation of other documents that need to be enclosed to your application. Be advised that in some cases a Visa D is also needed.

Term for issuing

The permit is issued within no less than 14 working days, depending on the complexity of the case.

How much will it cost?

The statutory fee for a long-term residence permit is 125 EUR for up to 6 months and 250 EUR for up to one year. The fee for a continuous and permanent residence permit is 500 EUR.

ID cards

Upon obtaining a continuous residence permit, you will receive a Personal Number of Foreigner (PNF). The PNF is required in many cases, including for taxation purposes.

The PNF also appears on the Bulgarian ID card, which is your identity document. It is issued within 3 to 30 days, depending on the statutory fee that you have paid (between EUR 23 and EUR 113).

Family reunification

Your family members (spouse and children under 18 years of age) may obtain a residence permits on the grounds of your residence permit via the Family reunification procedure. They shall first obtain Visa D, then file an application for a residence permit at Migration Directorate.

This type of residence permit does not entitle your relatives to work in Bulgaria. If they wish to do so, they must obtain a work permit.

EU Blue Card

An EU Blue card is a permit that grants highly qualified non-EU citizens the right to work and reside in the European Union.

This post was curated from Work In Bulgaria with some edits.

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