Long-term residence permit for parents of Bulgarian citizens and foreigners with a permanent residence permit

The Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act allows parents of Bulgarian citizens, as well as parents of foreign citizens who already hold a permanent residence permit, to obtain a long-term residence permit. The main requirement for applicants is financial means and secured housing in the country.

Step-by-step procedure

Obtaining the status is traditionally divided into two key stages: obtaining a national visa in your home country and the subsequent registration of residence in Bulgaria.

Stage 1: Applying for the type D visa (in the country of lawful residence)

The documents are submitted in person by the applicant at the Bulgarian consulate.

Consular fee: 100 €.

Processing time: From 30 working days.

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

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

After entering the country on a type D visa, you must apply in person to the regional Migration Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior in the provincial city where you live. The application must be submitted no later than 2 weeks before the visa expires.

Fee for processing the documents: 5.11 €.

Fee for the residence permit (after approval): 255.65 € (the long-term residence permit is issued for a term of up to 1 year).

Production of the personal card: The plastic resident card is paid for separately depending on the chosen urgency rate.

List of required documents

Both for the type D visa and for the subsequent issue and annual renewal of the long-term residence permit, the migration authorities require the same set of documents. All foreign documents must be translated into Bulgarian by a licensed translator and legalised (bear an apostille).

Standard (general) set:

Foreign passport + copies of the main page and of the page with the stamp of the last entry into Bulgaria. The passport must be valid for at least 1.5 years (18 months) from the date of application.

Application: A completed form with a photo (for the visa) or an application of the prescribed form to Migration.

Personal card and a copy of it — required only when renewing the long-term residence permit in Bulgaria.

Proof of housing:

For property owners: a copy of the notarial deed.

For tenants: a notarised copy of the lease agreement and a notarial address declaration from the owner of the property.

Medical insurance: A specialised policy for foreigners with coverage of at least 30 000 €, valid for the entire period of residence applied for.

Certificate of no criminal record: Issued no earlier than 5 months before submission (apostille and translation required). Minor children and stateless persons do not provide this document.

Proof of financial means (choice of):

Option A (Personal account): The original certificate from any Bulgarian bank confirming funds in the applicant's personal account. From 1 January 2026 the minimum wage in Bulgaria is 620 €.

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 €.

Option B (Support by the child): If the parent is unable to open a personal account, their adult child (a citizen of the Republic of Bulgaria or a foreigner with a permanent residence permit) can take on all the expenses. In this case a statement from the child's bank account is provided, together with a notarised declaration of support in which the child undertakes to cover all the parent's expenses during their residence in Bulgaria.

Special documents (proof of grounds)

To prove the family relationship with a Bulgarian citizen or resident, the following are additionally provided:

The birth certificate of the child (a Bulgarian citizen or a foreigner with a permanent residence permit) — a notarised copy with translation and legalisation is required.

Proof of the child's status: The child's valid personal card with permanent residence permit status (a copy) or an official document confirming Bulgarian citizenship (original + copy).

Renewal of the status

The long-term residence permit is renewed annually directly in Bulgaria. The set of documents is submitted to Migration two weeks before the current status expires. The main advantage of renewal is that you do not need to provide a certificate of no criminal record from your country of origin again. All state duties and fees (5.11 € for processing and 255.65 € for the permit) remain unchanged.