OFFER AND SUGGESTIONS FOR RESIDENCE PERMIT IN BULGARIA
- Employment contract for highly qualified employee
This procedure applies to foreign nationals who have completed higher education and possess relevant professional experience. There are no statutory requirements regarding the ratio of Bulgarian to foreign employees at the employer’s company. Upon completion of the procedure, the foreign national is granted a residence permit for a period of up to five years.
1.1 Timeframe and stages:
(i) Review of documents and approval of access to the labour market – up to 2 months;
(ii) Issuance of a long-term residence visa (Visa “D”) – 20 days;
(iii) Finalization of the procedure and issuance of the residence permit in Bulgaria – 20 days.
1.2 Costs:
State fees and costs for translation and notarization of documents – approximately EUR 300;
Legal fees covering all stages of the procedure: EUR 1,500, including:
(i) review and preparation of documents, including required justifications, explanations and applications, as well as assistance with translations;
(ii) submission of documents to the Migration Directorate;
(iii) communication and assistance during the review by the Employment Agency;
(iv) assistance with the issuance of Visa “D”;
(v) assistance with three visits to the Migration Directorate after the foreign national’s arrival in Bulgaria
1.3 Documents required from the foreign national:
Official documents certifying completed higher education and official documents for professional experience,such as: Labour book/Electronic employment record, documents issued by the respective revenue authorities containing information about employer, term of employment and position, issued by the competent state authorities, not a private one.
2. Employment contract and issuance of a unified residence and work permit
This option is applicable if the foreign national does not have higher education but holds documents certifying professional experience and relevant secondary education. The employer is required to employ Bulgarian citizens, and the Employment Agency monitors that the total number of third-country nationals does not exceed 20% of the average number of employees under employment contracts (35% for small and medium-sized enterprises). Upon completion of the procedure, the foreign national is granted a residence permit for a period of up to three years.
2.1 Timeframe and stages:
(i) Labor market test (publication of job advertisements) – 30 days;
(ii) Review of documents and approval of access to the labour market – up to 2 months;
(iii) Issuance of a long-term residence visa (Visa “D”) – 20 days;
(iv) Finalization of the procedure and issuance of the residence permit in Bulgaria – 20 days.
2.2 Costs:
State fees of approximately EUR 300 and legal fees of EUR 2,000 covering all stages of the procedure, including:
(i) preparation and publication of a job advertisement;
(ii) review and preparation of documents, including required justifications, explanations, and applications, as well as assistance with translations;
(iii) submission of documents to the Migration Directorate;
(iv) communication and assistance during the review by the Employment Agency;
(v) assistance with the issuance of Visa “D”;
(vi) assistance with three visits to the Migration Directorate after the foreign national’s arrival in Bulgaria.
2.3 Documents required from the foreign national:
Official documents certifying completed education and official documents for professional experience.
3. Establishment of a trade representation office of a foreign company
This option may be used as the fastest alternative and is typically applied when the individual cannot be employed under options 1 or 2 above. A rep office of a foreign company is registered with the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, followed by mandatory registration with the BULSTAT Register. The final mandatory step (not related to immigration procedures), is the declaration of the ultimate beneficial owner. Upon completion of the procedure, the foreign national is granted a one-year residence permit, which must be renewed annually from within Bulgaria.
3.1 Timeframe and stages:
(i) Establishment of the trade representation office and collection of documents for the visa – up to 10 days;
(ii) Issuance of a long-term residence visa (Visa “D”) – up to 35 working days from submission of the application;
(iii) Finalization of the procedure and issuance of the residence permit in Bulgaria – up to 30 days.
3.2 Costs:
State fees of approximately EUR 600 and legal fees for all stages of the procedure of EUR 2,000, including:
– EUR 1,800 for: (i) establishment of the rep office; (ii) assistance with the issuance of Visa “D”; (iii) assistance with three visits to the Migration Directorate after the foreign national’s arrival in Bulgaria;
– EUR 200 for the (iv) declaration of the ultimate beneficial owner.
3.3 Documents required from the foreign national:
The applicant – up to two persons are representatives of a foreign commercial company that has submitted documents for: tax compliance, for an annual turnover of at least 51,130 Euro or their equivalent in foreign currency, calculated at the official exchange rate of the Bulgarian National Bank, valid on the day of acceptance of the regular documents for registration of the commercial representation at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, acquired for a period of each of two consecutive years prior to the registration of its commercial representation;
a certificate of current status of the foreign company, issued no earlier than 6 months and valid for 6 months from the date of its issuance by the relevant competent registration authority;
a residence permit on this basis may be obtained by up to two representatives of the foreign commercial company;
All legal fees and costs indicated above are net of VAT, which will be charged additionally.
Contact person: 0887 275 275, adv. Rositsa Geffen
Available for 20 minutes free of charge conversation