Filing a declaration of a Bulgarian long-term residence permit/citizenship with the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs

Russian citizens who have obtained a residence permit in Bulgaria are obliged to report this to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs within the time limits set by law. Violators face criminal liability.

The notification must be filed within two months (more precisely, 60 days) from the moment of obtaining a permanent residence permit in Bulgaria or Bulgarian citizenship (relevant for those who have entered into marriage with a Bulgarian citizen or obtained Bulgarian citizenship by origin without renouncing their Russian citizenship).

An important nuance that is often forgotten: this obligation arises only after arriving in Russia. Russians permanently living in Bulgaria (or any other country except the Russian Federation) do not have to file a notification. However, if they come to their homeland, they have 30 days to inform the authorities of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs about their second citizenship, long-term residence permit or permanent residence permit.

The declaration must be filed in person at the place of residence or sent to the territorial department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs by post. If you have no place of residence in Russia, the declaration may be filed at the place of stay.

Important: if you previously obtained a residence permit in another country and notified the authorities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs about it, then upon obtaining a Bulgarian residence permit you must file a new declaration.

What does the notification consist of?

The notification is filed on a special form, completed by hand or on a computer. In it you must state your personal data and information about the documents confirming another citizenship or a permit for long-term, permanent or EU long-term residence in Bulgaria.

The following documents are attached to the declaration:

• a copy of an identity document valid in the territory of the Russian Federation (for example, a passport);
• a copy of the personal card or permit card (as proof of citizenship or of a long-term residence permit, permanent residence permit or EU long-term resident status, respectively);
• if the notification is filed through a legal representative — a copy of his or her identity document.

After checking the documents, the officer of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the post office who accepts them will fill in the tear-off part of the notification and return it to you with their signature and the seal of the territorial body of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs or of Russian Post — depending on the chosen method of filing the notification.

Important: in the event of deprivation of Bulgarian citizenship or of a long-term residence permit/permanent residence permit/EU long-term resident status for any reason, a Russian citizen may submit a written notification of the change of circumstances to the authorities of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. In this case, copies of the documents proving the absence of Bulgarian citizenship or of the right to long-term or permanent residence in Bulgaria are attached to the notification.

What happens if you do not file the notification?

In such a situation criminal liability is provided for. In accordance with Art. 330.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the violator may be punished with a fine of up to 200 thousand rubles or in the amount of the salary/other income of the convicted person for a period of up to 12 months. An alternative option is up to 400 hours of compulsory labour.

What happens if you miss the deadlines set by law?

If the notification is filed later than the prescribed deadline, or if incomplete or knowingly false data are provided, you will have to pay an administrative fine of 500 to 1000 rubles.

Residence permit in Bulgaria (long-term residence permit)

Bulgarian citizenship by origin

Permanent residence permit in Bulgaria