Long-term residence permit for seasonal workers: contract from 90 days to 9 months

Foreign nationals planning to work in Bulgaria on a seasonal basis have the legal right to obtain a long-term residence permit. This status is issued for the term of the official employment contract, which must be no less than 90 days and no more than 9 months.

In the plastic residence card, the "permit type" field officially bears the note "сезонен работник" (seasonal worker).

Step-by-step procedure

Obtaining the status involves several consecutive stages requiring coordinated action by the employer and the foreign employee.

Stage 1: The employer files the documents (in Bulgaria)

The employer or an authorised representative initiates the process by applying directly to the Migration Directorate of the regional police department where the company is located. The migration service carries out a check and requests confirmation of the foreigner's right of access to the Bulgarian labour market.

Result: Once approved, the migration service issues the residence permit, notifies the employer, and the data is automatically sent to the consular service. The employer must immediately inform the employee of this.

Fast-track procedure: Available to those foreign nationals who have already legally worked in Bulgaria as a seasonal worker at least once in the past 5 years.

Stage 2: Obtaining the type D visa (in the employee's home country)

Having received notification from the employer, the foreign specialist must, within 20 days, apply in person to the Bulgarian consulate in the country of their lawful residence for a long-term type D visa.

Consular fee: €100.

Processing time: From 30 working days.

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

After entering Bulgaria on a type D visa, the seasonal worker must appear at the regional migration service office within 7 days to complete the long-term residence permit.

Issuing time: The residence permit is issued within 3 working days after the employee submits the application.

Financial requirements and costs in euro (€)

With Bulgaria's switch to the euro (€), all financial criteria are calculated in the single European currency. The financial threshold is tied to the minimum wage, which as of 1 January 2026 is €620.

Employee's salary: The employer must guarantee that the pay and conditions for the foreign seasonal worker fully comply with Bulgarian law (not below the minimum wage — €620).

Medical insurance: The employee must provide a specialised insurance policy for foreigners with coverage of at least €30,000, valid throughout Bulgaria for the entire term of the contract.

List of required documents

The procedure is divided into two sets of documents: the initial one (from the employer) and the personal one (from the employee). All foreign certificates and diplomas must be officially translated into Bulgarian and legalised (bear an apostille).

1. Set of documents submitted by the employer to the Migration Directorate:

Copy of the employee's international passport: The passport must have been issued no earlier than 10 years ago, and its validity must be no shorter than the term of the employment contract.

Employment contract: A copy of the fixed-term employment contract (for a term of 3 to 9 months) certified by the employer.

Professional documents: Legalised and translated educational diplomas, certificates of qualification or specialisation, and confirmation of the foreigner's work experience.

Documents for regulated professions: If the specialisation is on the list of professions regulated in Bulgaria, confirmation of compliance with all statutory requirements is provided.

Sector specifics: A document proving that the employer operates in sectors officially included in the list of economic sectors under Art. 25 of the Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act (for example, tourism, agriculture).

The employer's declaration of strict compliance with working conditions and payment of wages.

Other accompanying documents at the request of the migration authorities.

1. Set of documents submitted by the employee in person (after entering on a type D visa):

Application in the prescribed form.

Copy of the international passport (including the page with the type D visa affixed and the stamp of the most recent entry).

Mandatory medical insurance with coverage from €30,000.

Extending the status and changing employer

Extension rules: Within the overall 9-month limit, the long-term residence permit may be extended once. This is possible either when the current employment contract with the same employer is prolonged, or upon an official change of company.

Change of employer: Under European Regulation No 1030/2002, when moving to another employer the foreigner must go through the procedure again and obtain a new permit. The total validity of the new document may not exceed the period initially authorised (that is, the combined period of work for the season may not be longer than 9 months).

Lawful stay during the waiting period: If the current long-term residence permit expires while the documents for its renewal or for a change of employer are being reviewed, the seasonal worker has the legal right to remain in Bulgaria until the migration service issues an official decision. The key condition is that the application must be filed strictly before the previous permit expires.