"Hello! We want to move to Bulgaria as a whole family: parents (we are both 40), 3 preschool-age children and a grandmother who is a pensioner. What is the best way to organise the move? Ideally, we would like at least one of the spouses and the grandmother to be able to work in Bulgaria." We answer a letter we received.
Few people move to Bulgaria alone – more often people plan the move as a whole family: parents, children, and sometimes grandparents too. Let us look at how best to organise the move.
Gone are the days when you could travel from Bulgaria back home at any moment to visit your loved ones. Nowadays travel between countries has become a difficult and rather expensive undertaking. It is precisely for this reason that foreign nationals prefer to change their place of residence as a whole family, so as not to be separated.
Another advantage of moving as a whole family is the chance to save on housing rent and (in a number of cases) on fees at the migration service.
The third advantage is how simple it is to obtain a visa and a residence permit for those coming to Bulgaria on the grounds of family reunification.
Finally, having close people nearby is a constant source of support in the difficult life of an immigrant. It is more pleasant to learn the language together and easier to adapt to a new life.
Bulgarian legislation provides for the possibility of moving on the grounds of family reunification with a foreigner who has obtained a long-term residence permit, a permanent residence permit, a “blue card” (work and residence permit) or citizenship. These grounds have their advantages and disadvantages.
Is there an alternative? Yes, husband and wife can obtain visas separately and move at the same time. In this case minor children can move together with them, without waiting for the parents to obtain a long-term residence permit. This option saves time, but overall it costs more, since both spouses must pay a fee of 500 leva each.
Bulgarian law allows you to bring to Bulgaria not only minor children and lawful spouses. The law also provides for those in need of guardianship and “members of the household or domestic helpers”.
Adults of any age who are unable to look after themselves may be in need of guardianship. An important point: a person in need of guardianship cannot bring their guardians with them. However, if a person who has wards has lawfully moved to Bulgaria, they may bring the family members under their guardianship with them.
As for other members of the household and private domestic helpers, these grounds are also not universal. They apply to the household members and domestic helpers of those who have obtained a long-term residence permit under Art. 23a, item 3 of the Law on Foreigners, which concerns the staff of diplomatic and consular missions or of missions of international organisations accredited in Bulgaria, as well as their family members. None of this applies to those who have obtained a long-term residence permit on other grounds.
Parents, even elderly ones, are not considered family members. If you hold Bulgarian citizenship or a permanent residence permit, you can bring your parents over under Art. 24, para. 1, item 7 (“financially secure parents”), but holders of a long-term residence permit have no such option. What remains? Find separate grounds for the representative of the older generation. For example, it is quite simple for pensioners from other countries to obtain a Bulgarian residence permit. All that is needed is to receive a pension, and not necessarily an employment-based one (an old-age pension or a disability pension will do).
If a young family is moving and the grandmother is not yet retired, some other grounds have to be found. Incidentally, if one of the spouses has already retired and the other has not, such a couple can move as a pensioner and a member of their family (through reunification).
Not all grounds for obtaining a long-term residence permit in Bulgaria allow you to work as an employee. While “blue card” holders not only may but must work, employment is not available to trade representatives and pensioners until they obtain a permanent residence permit or EU long-term resident status. There is a way out, however – you can set up your own company and work for yourself. This option is available to representatives, pensioners and all other residence permit holders.
There are no universal grounds for moving that suit every family; in each specific case various nuances must be taken into account when choosing the best option. The staff of Bulgarian Expert will help you choose the grounds and prepare the documents for moving to Bulgaria, including for the whole family at once.
Residence permit in Bulgaria (long-term residence permit)
Residence permit for pensioners in Bulgaria (long-term residence permit)
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