Long-term residence permit for religious ministers and non-commercial activity

Foreign nationals planning to carry out non-commercial (non-economic) activity on the territory of Bulgaria, including officially invited religious ministers, have the legal right to obtain a long-term residence permit for a period of up to 1 year, with the possibility of subsequent renewal.

Confirming the grounds for migration

Depending on the specific type of non-commercial activity, the key supporting document is:

For religious ministers: an official positive ruling from the Directorate of Religious Denominations at the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria. The document is issued on the basis of an official invitation from the central leadership of a religious community registered in the country.

For other types of non-commercial activity: an official permit to carry out non-economic activity, issued by the Ministry of Justice of Bulgaria.

Step-by-step application process

The procedure for obtaining the status is standard and takes place in several consecutive stages:

Stage 1: Preparing and approving the grounds

The minister receives an invitation from the registered religious authorities in Bulgaria, on the basis of which the Directorate of Religious Denominations issues a positive opinion (or the Ministry of Justice issues a permit for other non-profit organisations).

Stage 2: Obtaining a type D visa (in the home country)

The documents are submitted in person by the applicant at the Bulgarian consulate in the country of their lawful residence.

Consular fee: 100 €.

Processing time: from 30 working days.

Result: a long-term type D visa is issued for 180 days.

Stage 3: Obtaining the long-term residence permit (in Bulgaria)

After entering Bulgaria on a type D visa, you must apply in person to the Migration Directorate of the regional police department at your place of residence. The documents must be submitted no later than 14 days before the visa expires.

Fee for processing the documents: 5.11 €.

Processing time: 14 days.

State fee for the long-term residence permit (after approval): 255.65 € for a one-year permit. Once it is paid, the personal plastic card is ordered.

Financial requirements in euro (€)

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

Account with a Bulgarian bank: you must provide a certificate confirming a personal account holding the following amounts:

For the type D visa (for 6 months): at least 6 minimum wages — 3 720 €.

For the long-term residence permit (for 1 year): at least 12 minimum wages — 7 440 €.

List of required documents

For the type D visa, the initial application and subsequent renewals of the long-term residence permit, the migration authorities require the same set of documents. Foreign certificates must be legalised/apostilled and have an official translation into Bulgarian.

Confirmation of the grounds: a positive ruling from the Directorate of Religious Denominations or a permit from the Ministry of Justice of Bulgaria.

International passport: valid for at least 1.5 years (18 months) from the date the documents are submitted. Copies of the first double page and of the page with the stamp of the most recent entry into Bulgaria are required.

Application:

For the type D visa: a legibly completed visa application form with a colour photograph attached.

For the long-term residence permit: an application on the standard form (the digital photograph for the personal card is taken on site at the Migration Directorate).

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 notarial address declaration (the parties' signatures are certified by a notary).

Bank statement: a certificate from a Bulgarian bank confirming the available funds (3 720 € for the visa or 7 440 € for the long-term residence permit).

Medical insurance: a specialised policy valid on the territory of Bulgaria for the entire period of stay in the country, with coverage of at least 30 000 €.

Certificate of no criminal record: issued in the country of habitual residence no earlier than 5 months before submission (translation and legalisation are required). It is not provided by minors, by stateless persons, or when the long-term residence permit is subsequently renewed inside Bulgaria.

Copy of the residence permit card: provided only during the status renewal procedure.

Annual renewal of the status

If the grounds remain in place (extension of the contract, invitation or permit), the long-term residence permit is successfully renewed inside the country. To do so, you must apply to the Migration Directorate two weeks before the current permit expires. The list of documents, the financial amounts and the state fees remain the same.