Long-term residence permit in Bulgaria for correspondents of foreign media

Foreign journalists and correspondents of foreign mass media have the legal right to obtain a long-term residence permit in Bulgaria for a period of up to 1 year, with the possibility of subsequent renewal. The main condition for obtaining the status is completing official accreditation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria.

Accreditation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria (confirmation of the ground)

To confirm the migration ground, every employee of a foreign media outlet must obtain an official accreditation document issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria. The documents are issued individually for each employee.

There are two types of accreditation:

Permanent accreditation: Issued for 1 year to foreign journalists who plan to reside and work permanently on the territory of Bulgaria. It is precisely this accreditation that serves as the ground for a long-term residence permit.

Temporary accreditation: Valid for 3 months (in exceptional cases — up to 6 months). It is intended for short-term visits by foreign journalist groups and is not suitable for a one-year long-term residence permit.

Important: The standard time for reviewing documents and completing the accreditation procedure at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria is 1 month.

Financial requirements and fees in euro (€)

With Bulgaria's transition to the euro (€), all state charges, fees and bank balance requirements are calculated exclusively in the single European currency. The financial threshold is tied to the minimum wage, which from 1 January 2026 is €620.

Account with a Bulgarian bank: The applicant must provide a statement confirming an open personal account and the funds in it:

For the type D visa (for 6 months): no less than 6 minimum wages — €3,720.

For the long-term residence permit (for 1 year): no less than 12 minimum wages — €7,440.

Note: If it is impossible to open an account with a Bulgarian bank remotely, it is advisable to check in advance with the Bulgarian consulate which foreign bank's statement they will be able to accept at the visa application stage.

Consular fee (type D visa): €100.

Fee for reviewing the documents for the long-term residence permit: €5.11.

Annual state fee for the long-term residence permit (after approval): €255.65.

Production of the personal card: The plastic resident card is paid for separately, depending on the chosen processing speed for the document.

List of required documents

For obtaining the long-term type D visa and the subsequent long-term residence permit, the migration authorities require the same package of documents. All foreign certificates must bear an apostille/legalisation and have an official translation into Bulgarian.

Accreditation document: The official certificate issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria.

International passport: It must be valid for at least 18 months (1.5 years) from the date of submission of the documents. The passport must have been issued no more than 10 years ago and contain at least 2 blank pages. A copy of the first page is also provided.

Application: A legibly completed and personally signed visa application form (for the visa) or an application of the established form (for the long-term residence permit).

Current colour photograph: 1 pc., format 3.5x4.5 cm on a light background (taken no more than 6 months ago).

Proof of housing in Bulgaria:

For owners: A copy of the notarial deed for the property.

For tenants: A notarised copy of the residential lease agreement together with a mandatory notarised address declaration from the owner of the apartment.

Bank statement: A certificate confirming the funds in the account (€3,720 for the visa or €7,440 for the long-term residence permit).

Medical insurance: A specialised policy for foreigners with coverage of no less than €30,000. For the type D visa the policy is taken out for a minimum of 6 months, for the long-term residence permit — strictly for 12 months.

Certificate of no criminal record: Required for all persons over 18 years of age (except stateless persons). The original is provided with a legalised translation. At the time of the visa application, the certificate must still be valid for at least 1 month (the overall validity period of the document is 6 months).

Step-by-step procedure and timelines

Stage 1: Obtaining the type D visa (in the home country)

After completing accreditation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the journalist applies in person to the Bulgarian consulate in the country of their lawful residence.

Cost of the visa: €100.

Result: A type D visa valid for 180 days is affixed in the passport.

Stage 2: Obtaining the long-term residence permit (in Bulgaria)

After entering Bulgaria on the type D visa, you must apply to the regional Migration Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior at your place of residence (in the regional city). The documents must be submitted no later than two weeks (14 days) before the visa expires.

Result: A one-year residence permit is issued, after which the applicant orders the plastic personal card.

Annual renewal

To renew the long-term residence permit status for the following year, the correspondent must again submit the same package of documents to the migration service (including the renewed accreditation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a fresh statement from the Bulgarian bank for 12 minimum wages, updated insurance and the lease agreement).

You must also apply to the Migration Directorate at least two weeks (a maximum of 10 working days) before the expiry of the current long-term residence permit.

An important advantage: When renewing annually within Bulgaria, there is no need to provide the certificate of no criminal record from the country of origin again (except in cases where it is requested under special instructions). A copy of the valid personal residence card is simply attached to the package of documents.