Bulgaria : Visa and immigration

Do I need a visa and/or work permit?

EU nationals do not need a visa or work permit for Bulgaria but citizens of non-EU countries may be required to have these documents and should check with their embassy.

EU citizens may enter Bulgaria on a passport and stay for up to three months without having to carry out any formal procedures. After this period they must register with the police.  

How do I apply for a visa and/or work permit?

If you are a UK national or hold another EU passport you do not need a visa for Bulgaria.

If you plan to stay in the country for more than three months you will need to register with the police. To do this you will have to show that you are either employed, enrolled as a student, or have sufficient funds to support yourself without being a burden on the social security of Bulgaria. You will need to provide evidence of this as well as your passport and will then submit a stamp duty receipt in order to be provided with a temporary residence permit, which will be valid for up to five years.

If you are not a UK national, contact the Bulgarian embassy in the country where you are currently residing about how to obtain visas and work permits. If you are living in the UK, go to the Bulgarian Embassy in London .

You might also find it helpful to contact your ministry of foreign affairs (or your own embassy if you are not living in your home country) to ask whether there are any issues to be taken into account when considering working in Bulgaria.

The National Employment Agency  administers the work permits for foreign citizens.

How do I apply for permanent residency?

EU nationals who live in Bulgaria continuously for five years are then issued with a permanent residence permit.

Nationals from non-EU countries should contact the embassy in their home country for further information on how they can obtain a permanent residency permit for Bulgaria.