Bulgarian residence permit: what do you need to apply?
Bulgaria is one of the most attractive countries for both vacation and permanent residence. The mild climate, excellent business opportunity, good living conditions - all this draws expats from worldwide. This article will tell you how to obtain a Bulgarian residence permit and what documents to prepare.
![Bulgarian residence permit](/img/bulgarian-residence-permit.webp)
Table of contents
- Bulgarian residence permit requirements
- Bulgarian residence permit application process
- Documents required for Bulgarian D visa application
- Documents required for Bulgarian residence permit application
- Bulgarian residence permit photo requirements
- Get a Bulgarian residence permit photo online!
Bulgarian residence permit requirements
Thanks to the residence permit, a foreigner can stay in Bulgaria for a maximum of one year and enter without a visa. The residence permit gives the following advantages:
- To enter the territory of the state without a visa;
- To study in schools and institutions of higher education;
- To get a permanent residence permit after 5 years;
- To get Bulgarian citizenship in the future.
First of all, remember: To obtain a residence permit in Bulgaria, an applicant must have a reason. The basis for a residence permit can be one of the following:
- Having Bulgarian roots;
- Marriage to a citizen of Bulgaria;
- Employment by invitation in a Bulgarian company or a foreign company located in Bulgaria;
- Acquisition of real estate in Bulgaria worth at least 300 thousand euro;
- Business organization in Bulgaria or investment in the Bulgarian economy;
- Also, residence permits are issued to foreign pensioners.
Important: To apply for a residence permit in Bulgaria, a person must have a rented accommodation or his/her own local property. S/he must also confirm the financial solvency to live in the country. On the account should be at least 12 minimum Bulgarian wages (ie, 5040 Lev, which is equal to about $ 3000).
Bulgarian residence permit application process
To get a Bulgarian residence permit, first of all, you need to determine the basis for it and collect the relevant documents. Next, you need to:
- Open a Bulgarian D visa and use it to enter the country;
- Within 3 days after entry, go to the police station and check-in;
- Submit the application along with a package of documents to the Migration Service.
- Get permission from the Migration Service for a stay in Bulgaria for a period from 6 months to 1 year.
You can be refused a visa if you deliberately give false information, break the law on the territory of the European Union, and if you have an unfavorable credit history.
The applicant must have a document confirming the rental or ownership of real estate in Bulgaria.
Documents required for Bulgarian D visa application
- A filled in application form;
- A standard Bulgaria visa photo (2 pieces);
- A passport valid for at least 18 months;
- Proof of accommodation for the period of stay. It can be a rental agreement or notarial deed;
- Proof of Solvency: a Bulgarian bank extract with information about an account with the required amount on it;
- Medical insurance with a minimum coverage of 30 thousand Euros;
- Certificate of criminal record.
Depending on the reasons for obtaining a Bulgarian residence permit, you may be required to provide additional documents: proof of retirement benefits, the amount of pension payments over the past three months, proof of Bulgarian origin and others.
Documents required for Bulgarian residence permit application
After obtaining a visa at the Bulgarian embassy upon arrival in the country, you should submit the following documents to the Migration Service:
- Filled in application form;
- Original and photocopy of a passport;
- Passport-sized photo;
- Other documents, taking into account the basis for obtaining a residence permit.
Bulgarian residence permit photo requirements
In order to obtain a residence permit in Bulgaria, along with a set of documents you have to submit a photo that complies with Schengen standards. The residence permit picture specifications are as follows:
- The required Bulgaria residence permit photo size is 35 x 45 mm.
- It is necessary to submit a color photo.
- The photo must show the person without headgear. Exception - people who wear religious headdresses all the time.
- The face must take up 70 to 80% of the image.
- There should be no defects, pixels, glare or shadows.
- The background must be plain light, preferably the white one.
Here's an example of the photo:
![Photo for Bulgarian residence permit application](/img/docs/bg_id_card_35x45mm.jpg)
Get a Bulgarian residence permit photo online!
Visafoto software since 2013 edits photos for documents, including residence permits, passport photos, and visas.
- Simply upload your photo taken under sufficient light.
- Upload your photo to Visafoto.
- Download the resized image.
Source
![Source photo example that you need to take in order to make a passport or visa photo at visafoto.com](/img/source355x388.webp)
Result
![Result example: a correct visa or passport photo that you will receive](/img/docs/bg_id_card_35x45mm.jpg)
The program will crop the file to the desired size, adjust the white balance and perform the other required actions. Photos from Visafoto are accepted 99.7% of the time!
First, take an original photo like this:
![The original photo](/img/passport-photo-original.jpg)
Then resize it to get a photo for online submission and 4 photos suitable for printing:
![Example of a photo for Bulgarian residence permot](/img/35x45mm-passport-photo-example.webp)
![Picture for residence permit suitable for printing](/img/35x45mm-passport-photos-for-printing.webp)
We wish you good luck in getting a residence permit in Bulgaria!