Bulgaria is updating its migration rules: what foreigners need to know

Reform of Bulgaria’s migration legislation

A detailed review of the changes to the Aliens Act and related instruments

Status of the bill: Approved by the Government (the Council of Ministers of Bulgaria) and submitted to the National Assembly for consideration. The document will enter into force only after it is adopted by parliament in two readings and officially published in the Държавен вестник.

Overview and objectives of the bill

The Council of Ministers of Bulgaria has approved a draft amendment to the Aliens Act in the Republic of Bulgaria (Закон за чужденците в Република България). The main aim of the reform is to align national legislation with the latest European Union standards:

• The updated EU Single Permit Directive: aimed at simplifying the procedures for obtaining the right to reside and work, and at protecting the rights of foreign workers.
• The EU Migration and Asylum Pact: introduces common European standards for security, screening and the management of migration flows.

Key changes for foreign nationals

• Protection in case of job loss: Foreigners holding a single residence and work permit (Single Permit) no longer automatically lose their long-term residence permit if they are dismissed. They are granted a statutory grace period to look for a new employer, provided they register officially with the Employment Agency.
• Initial documents must be filed strictly from abroad: Applicants for a Single Permit who, at the time of filing, have no other lawful ground for staying in Bulgaria must submit their application and documents while outside the country (through consular offices).
• Mandatory notification of the Migration Directorate: A strict procedural requirement is being introduced: a foreign national who has temporarily lost their job must notify the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior within a clearly defined deadline. Missing this deadline is a direct ground for revoking the residence permit.
• Recalculation of administrative fines in euro: In view of Bulgaria’s accession to the eurozone, all amounts of monetary fines and sanctions set out in the Aliens Act and the Labour Migration Act have been converted from leva into euro.
• Tighter controls over the permanent residence permit / EU long-term resident status: A stricter procedure is being established for vetting persons applying for permanent or long-term residence status, as well as those who already hold it, in order to prevent abuse.

Introduction of the screening procedure

The bill empowers the bodies of the Bulgarian Ministry of the Interior to carry out a comprehensive screening procedure for migrants at the external borders and within the country.

Digitalisation of administrative services

The amendments also affect the Labour Migration Act and the Bulgarian Identity Documents Act. The main thrust of the changes is to move services into electronic form on the principle of “life situations” (епизод от живота):

• Automatic interdepartmental exchange: state bodies (the National Revenue Agency (NAP), the Employment Agency, the Ministry of the Interior) will exchange data on contracts, income and the status of a foreigner among themselves, without the need to collect paper certificates in person.
• Integration with the EU Digital Identity Wallet: preparation for the introduction of electronic identity documents and digital driving licences accessible from a smartphone.