Digitalisation of migration services in Bulgaria

Key innovation: Foreign nationals will no longer have to collect paper certificates and extracts from various agencies. The Migration Directorate of the Bulgarian Ministry of the Interior will itself request and collect all the necessary state data electronically on the basis of the foreign national’s application.

The concept of “life situations” (Епизод от живота)

As part of the reform of the Foreigners Act, the Labour Migration Act and the Bulgarian Identity Documents Act, Bulgaria is moving to the European model of administrative service. Instead of filing numerous separate applications with disparate bodies, the process is organised around a single “life situation” (for example, “Obtaining a Single Permit”, “Extending a long-term residence permit” or “Changing employer”).

How automatic data collection by the Migration Directorate works

Once the foreign national has filed the initial electronic application, the Migration Directorate uses the internal state electronic exchange system (RegiX) and requests confirmations from the relevant authorities itself:

Advantages of the digital reform for applicants

• Shorter processing times: The weeks of delay spent on the physical exchange of paper requests between agencies are eliminated.
• Less bureaucracy and fewer errors: The applicant does not need to visit the tax office or the employment agency in person to obtain interim certificates.
• Transparent, traceable status: The entire history of the application’s progress is reflected in the foreign national’s single electronic account.
• No room for bureaucratic abuse: Direct data exchange eliminates the risk of forged or outdated paper documents being submitted.