What should school students with a long-term residence permit based on family reunification do after turning 18?

If the parents hold a Bulgarian long-term residence permit, the child will easily obtain a residence permit on the basis of “family member of a foreigner lawfully residing in the country”. The main difficulty is that children are considered family members entitled to claim a long-term residence permit on this basis only if they have not yet reached the age of majority and have not married. Accordingly, when a child turns 18, they cease to be a family member and no longer have the right to extend the long-term residence permit.

So what can be done?

Bulgarian law does not provide a clear answer to this question. In some regions, by way of exception, the long-term residence permit is extended (usually at most until the end of the school year) for school students who have come of age, provided they submit a certificate from their educational institution. However, one cannot count on being able to extend the long-term residence permit this way for several years in a row.

Most migration service offices, however, take a stricter line and insist on changing the grounds. For example, as the migration service of the Burgas region replied, in such a situation the grounds must be changed from “family member of a foreigner lawfully residing in Bulgaria” to “student”. Accordingly, a new package of documents must be collected. It includes:

• Application form;
• A valid international passport (a copy of the page with personal data is required);
• Medical insurance;
• Proof of housing in Bulgaria and of funds in a bank account;
• Receipt of payment of the fee for reviewing the application;
• A certificate from the educational institution where the student is enrolled.

Important: bear in mind that when residing in Bulgaria on the basis of Art. 24в of the ЗЧРБ (which concerns students), only half of the time spent in the country counts towards the five years required for a permanent residence permit or EU long-term resident status. Obtaining permanent status will therefore have to be postponed. For example, if a school student has lived in Bulgaria for 4 years on the basis of “family member”, they will need to extend the long-term residence permit as a student for another two years in order to be eligible for permanent status.

To change the grounds, it is not necessary to leave Bulgaria and obtain a new type D visa. Nevertheless, such a step involves additional costs. The cost of the long-term residence permit for a year increases and is no longer 150 leva, as for family members, but 500, as for students.

Immediately after finishing school, the former school student can enrol at a university and continue extending the long-term residence permit as a university student.

In any case, there is a way out, and after turning 18 the child does not necessarily have to leave Bulgaria. It is advisable to check in advance with the migration office at the place of residence which documents will be required to change the grounds. It is best to submit the application for extending the long-term residence permit well in advance rather than at the last moment, so that there is time to obtain the necessary certificates.

What to consider in advance

It is advisable to plan the timing of the move to Bulgaria so that the child manages to obtain a permanent residence permit before coming of age. In this case they can also apply for citizenship by naturalisation after three years of holding a permanent residence permit, rather than five, as other foreigners must.

Residence permit in Bulgaria (long-term residence permit)

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Permanent residence permit in Bulgaria