BulgariaResidence permit

Extended stay in Bulgaria

Extended stay is a permit for further residence in Bulgaria for foreign nationals who entered on a D visa and wish to remain in the country. The application is filed through the local directorate of the Ministry of the Interior and takes two weeks to process. The permit is valid for up to one year and may be renewed an unlimited number of times. After five years of continuous residence a foreign national may apply for long-term resident status.

Source: Ministry of the Interior, Migration Directorate — Разрешения за пребиваване

Who may apply

Extended stay is intended for foreign nationals who have entered Bulgaria on a D visa and are in the country on a recognised ground.

The main route

A foreign national who has entered Bulgaria on a D visa
Stay on the basis of a recognised category (work, pension, study)
An application to the territorial directorate of the Ministry of the Interior for the place where they are staying

For family members

The spouse of a foreign national with residence status in Bulgaria
The minor children of the foreign national
Parents covered by the right to accompany a family member

Special cases

A minor who has entered lawfully without a guardian
People transferred from another state
Foreign nationals in need of special protection

When the programme is not a fit

Entry without a D visa or another valid permit

A D visa has to be obtained at a consular mission before entry

You want to stay for less than two weeks

A short-stay permit (up to 90 days) or a tourist visa is enough

An EU citizen with no non-EU family members

Freedom of movement without a separate permit; registration with the social security authorities

What it costs

Administrative fee for the initial extended stay permit (for a term of up to one year)Provided all the required documents are in place and the decision is positive	150 BGN
Administrative fee for renewing the residence permitFor each subsequent renewal before the permit expires	7 BGN
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	157 BGN

Paid separately

Translation of documents — The applicant's responsibility; paid for separately
Criminal record certificate — May require legalisation in the applicant's country of origin

Documents to gather

Documents are submitted as originals or certified copies. Foreign documents issued by the competent authorities of another state have to be properly translated into Bulgarian and legalised (where the particular country of origin requires it).

An application on the Migration Directorate's standard form
A valid passport (the original and a copy of the main pages)
A document on the lawful ground of stay (an employment contract, a study certificate, a pension certificate and so on)
Documents on the accommodation (a notarised title deed or a tenancy agreement concluded for at least one year)
Proof of financial means of subsistence
A health insurance document covering treatment in Bulgaria, with cover of at least EUR 30,000
A criminal record certificate (on the initial application), issued in the country of origin or of permanent residence, valid for at least one month at the time of filing
A declaration stating the address of stay in Bulgaria
A document registering the address of residence

How the process runs

The renewal procedure involves several stages: preparing the documents, filing them within the set period and waiting for the decision.

1
Preparing the documents
up to 2 weeks
The foreign national collects all the required documents, including proof of accommodation, health insurance, a criminal record certificate (on the initial application) and documents on financial means. Foreign documents have to be translated into Bulgarian and, where necessary, legalised.
2
Filing the application
on the day of filing
The application is filed no later than 14 days before the current residence permit expires, at the territorial unit of the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior for the place where the applicant is staying. It is filed by the foreign national in person (representation through an authorised person is possible).
3
Registration in the information system
on the day of filing
The administration of the Ministry of the Interior registers the application in the state information system and issues a receipt stating the reference number and the time limits for the case.
4
Examination of the application
up to 14 days
An official of the Migration Directorate checks that the information provided is complete and accurate, requests further documents where necessary and carries out checks in accordance with the legislation in force.
5
Taking the decision
within 14 days
Once the checks are complete, a decision is taken to grant or refuse the renewal of the residence permit. A positive decision means a new residence vignette is placed in the applicant's passport, or a separate certificate is issued, valid for a set period (up to one year).

Who you can bring with you

Family members of a foreign national may obtain a residence permit in Bulgaria as dependants or on the basis of the right to accompany a foreign national with residence status. The procedure and requirements depend on the family ties and on the category of the main applicant.

Spouse of the foreign national

Has to be lawfully married to a foreign national holding a residence permit in Bulgaria. A joint application for a residence permit may be filed, or a separate application by the spouse if the main applicant already holds the status. Shared accommodation and evidence of living together are required.

Minor children of the foreign national (under 18)

Children of the foreign national who are dependent on them may be included in the application or receive a separate permit. Confirmation of the persons holding parental rights (custody, guardianship) is required. The children may be either biological or adopted.

Parents of the foreign national (in special cases)

The parents of the foreign national may be admitted under the special provision on the right to accompany or on dependency, if they are in their care or if the foreign national is a Bulgarian citizen or a family member of a Bulgarian citizen. Documentary proof of the relationship and of dependency is required.

Renewal and the grace period

The residence permit is renewed under the same procedure as the initial permit. The renewal application has to be filed no later than 14 days before the current permit expires. The administrative fee for renewal is BGN 7. The permit may be renewed an unlimited number of times for as long as the foreign national meets the requirements laid down by the Foreigners Act. After five years of continuous lawful residence in Bulgaria the foreign national may apply for long-term resident status.

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Five years of lawful continuous residence open the route to long-term resident status.

Frequently asked questions about Extended stay

What is a D visa and how is it connected with extended stay?

The D visa is a long-stay national visa for entering Bulgaria in order to obtain a residence permit. The D visa is valid for up to 180 days and allows the foreign national to enter Bulgaria and then apply for an extended stay permit (a residence permit). Without a D visa obtained at a consular mission before entry, the applicant cannot begin the extended stay procedure.

How long does health insurance have to be valid and what is the minimum cover?

Health insurance has to have cover of at least EUR 30,000 and be valid for the whole period of stay in Bulgaria. The policy has to cover the risks of sudden illness, hospital treatment, accidents, treatment of injuries, medical evacuation and repatriation. When the residence permit is renewed, a document has to be provided confirming that the insurance remains valid for the whole period of the new permit.

How many days before the current permit expires does the renewal application have to be filed?

The renewal application has to be filed no later than 14 days before the current permit expires. If the applicant misses this deadline, the renewal may be refused and they will be treated as being in the country unlawfully. It is therefore important to file the application in good time, allowing for the processing period.

How long does it take to examine a renewal application, and when will I receive the new permit?

The renewal application is examined within 14 days of being filed. If all the documents are in order and the ground of stay remains valid, the new permit (a vignette in the passport or a separate certificate) is issued on the day the positive decision is taken. In some cases, where further checks or additional documents are needed, the period may be extended, but by no more than 14 days.

What is the minimum validity of the criminal record certificate?

The criminal record certificate has to have been issued within the last six months. At the time the application is filed the certificate has to be valid for at least one more month. On the initial application the criminal record certificate is compulsory. When the permit is renewed, if less than three years have passed since the previous filing and the certificate is still valid, a new certificate may not be required (depending on the decision of the Ministry of the Interior authority).

How can a foreign national move from extended stay to long-term residence?

After five years of continuous lawful residence in Bulgaria a foreign national may apply for long-term resident status (a person with a long-term right of residence). Long-term residence gives more rights and greater stability, including the ability to move freely to other states of the European Economic Area without additional permits. The application is filed with the same directorate of the Ministry of the Interior for the place of stay.

What happens if I file the renewal application later than the 14-day deadline?

If the applicant files the renewal application later than 14 days before the current permit expires, the renewal may be refused. This is because the authorities of the Ministry of the Interior need enough time to process the documents and take a decision. If the permit has already expired, the foreign national will be treated as being in the country unlawfully and may be deported. The application therefore has to be filed in good time, allowing for the processing period.

Other ways to move to Bulgaria

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Bulgaria.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.