Bulgarian Visa information guide

If you decide to travel to Bulgaria, kindly read our guide in order to acquire general information what is required.

At first, check whether a visa is required for your country.

Visa Regime for foreigners with ordinary passports for a short stay (until 90 days) – check the list.

Visa Regime for foreigners with diplomatic and service passports – check the list.

Visa types:

Visa A (for airport transit) – The airport transit visa entitles the foreigner to cross or to stay in the international transit zone of the airport in the case of a transit landing or of changing flights for the purpose of continuing travel to another state. Continue reading “Bulgarian Visa information guide”

Certifications and legalizations

If you plan to start a business in Bulgaria by a company registration or a commercial representation of your foreign business, it may be necessary to provide documents from abroad, subject to certification and legalization. This text will help you understand what is apostille, when and for which countries it is mandatory to be used and where it is issued.

For a document issued by a foreign state to be recognized by Bulgarian institutions, it shall be arranged in a way which depends on whether the respective state is a party to the Hague Convention, whether between the two states there is a Legal Aid Agreement that is still in force or whether this state does not fall in any of the first two groups.

Requirement for apostille Continue reading “Certifications and legalizations”

Acquiring BG citizenship of a foreigner

I. Under Art. 13 of Bulgarian Citizenship Act

The person who is not Bulgarian citizen:

  • Must be an adult;
  • Has not been convicted of a crime by Bulgarian court or is not prosecuted for such a crime, unless rehabilitated;
  • Has an income or occupation that enables him to live in Bulgaria;
  • Is skillful at Bulgarian language;
  • Is released from present citizenship or will be released from it at the moment of acquiring Bulgarian citizenship – exception for spouses of BG citizens, citizens of EU-countries, other countries with which Bulgaria has a contract;

And  before no less than 3 years of the date of filing of naturalization application has been given permanent residence permit. Continue reading “Acquiring BG citizenship of a foreigner”

Permanent residence in Bulgaria

Permission for a permanent residence may receive aliens:

– of Bulgarian descent;

– who have resided legally and continuously on the territory of the country for a period of five years, five years after contracting a marriage with a foreigner permanent resident in Bulgaria;

– minor or underage children of a foreigner permanent resident in Bulgaria, who have not married;

– parents of a Bulgarian citizen, where they provide the said citizen with the child support due under the law and resided legally and constantly for a period of 3 years in the territory of the state;

– who have resided legally and without interruption on the territory of the country for a period of 5 years and for this period they have not been absent for more than 30 months; Continue reading “Permanent residence in Bulgaria”

Extended residence in Bulgaria

An extended residence permit may be granted to foreigners who possess a visa D (information below) and:

– wish to work under a contract of employment after obtaining a permit from the authorities of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy;

– engage in commercial activities in Bulgaria according to the statutory procedure and at least ten jobs for Bulgarian citizens, maintained for the term of residence, have been created as a result of the said activities, unless otherwise agreed in an international treaty which has been ratified, promulgated and entered into force for the Republic of Bulgaria;

– are foreign specialists residing in Bulgaria by virtue of international treaties whereto the Republic of Bulgaria is a party;

– have grounds to be permitted permanent residence;

– are representatives of non-resident commercial corporations registered at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Continue reading “Extended residence in Bulgaria”