Parliament has adopted at first reading amendments to the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act

The conditions that foreigners will have to meet, the required documents and the changes in the procedure for obtaining a Blue Card are specified.

To make things easier for employers, it is planned that proof of address will be presented by the foreigner after entering the territory of Bulgaria.

The amendments in the bill “On amendments to the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act also concern the Health Insurance Act, under the amendments to which foreigners granted the right to reside and work on the grounds of a Blue Card will be compulsorily insured with the National Health Insurance Fund.

It is planned to broaden the scope of the Foreigners Act by setting out the procedure for granting foreign “specialists” the right to reside in our country.

It is envisaged that the stay of third-country nationals on the territory of Bulgaria will begin to be treated as a stay on the territory of the Schengen area and, in this connection, the bill provides for a general rule of stay in accordance with the Schengen Borders Code. The conditions of entry and of visa issuance are being aligned with the rules on the stay of third-country nationals in the Schengen area on the basis of a visa, a uniform short-stay visa or under a visa-free short-stay regime for a period of no more than 90 days within the last 180 days on the territory of other member states.

Rules are being drawn up for extending the period of validity and/or the period of stay of issued Schengen visas in the event of force majeure or on humanitarian grounds preventing the foreigner from leaving the territory of a member state before the expiry of the period of validity or the period of stay authorised by the visa.

The following amendments to the requirements have been agreed at first reading that representative offices of foreign companies must meet: submission of documents on an annual turnover of no less than BGN 500,000 or its equivalent in foreign currency for the 2 years preceding the registration of the commercial representative office of the foreign company in Bulgaria. It is also envisaged that a long-term residence permit on this ground may be obtained by no more than two representatives of the foreign company.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the amendments to the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act approved at first reading are aimed at adapting national legislation to European norms and to the needs of the domestic labour market. In particular, the bill clarifies the conditions for obtaining a Blue Card, simplifies procedures for employers, and introduces compulsory health insurance for foreign specialists. In addition, the range of persons entitled to reside is being expanded, and rules are being introduced that align the stay of foreign nationals with the rules of the Schengen area. The bill also tightens the requirements for representative offices of foreign companies. Overall, the amendments contribute to more effective management of migration processes and to Bulgaria’s integration into the pan-European legal area.