Long-term residence permit in Bulgaria for volunteers: status for up to 1 year

Foreign nationals coming to Bulgaria to take part in volunteer projects under the European Voluntary Service have the legal right to obtain a long-term residence permit. When the status is issued, the plastic personal residence card must bear the mark “volunteer” in the “type of permit” field.

Key features and time frames

Validity of the status: the long-term residence permit is issued for the period during which the foreign national will carry out their volunteer activity, but for no more than 1 year (12 months).

Passport requirements: an important relaxation applies to volunteers. Unlike other immigration grounds, where the passport must be valid for at least another 1.5 years, for volunteers it is sufficient that the passport remains valid throughout the declared period of stay in Bulgaria.

A two-stage process: first a type D visa is obtained in the country of lawful residence, after which the applicant enters Bulgaria and files the documents for the long-term residence permit itself.

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 as of 1 January 2026 is €620.

Proof of funds for living expenses: a volunteer must confirm that they have financial resources amounting to at least one Bulgarian minimum wage for each month of residence. Thus, for a permit for the maximum period (12 months), the account must hold at least €7,440.

Consular fee (type D visa): €100.

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

State fee for the permit (after approval): €255.65 per year of stay.

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

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 set of documents. Foreign certificates must be apostilled/legalised and have an official translation into Bulgarian.

Agreement with the host organisation: the original and a copy of the official contract concluded with an organisation on Bulgarian territory. The agreement must clearly state: the place, the exact content and the duration of the volunteer activity.

Passport: valid for the entire period of stay in the country, along with copies of the first page and of the page with the Bulgarian entry stamp.

Application: a legibly completed visa application form with a colour photograph (for the visa) or an application in the prescribed form to the “Migration” Directorate (for the long-term residence permit).

Proof of accommodation: a title deed to the property OR a notarised copy of the tenancy agreement together with the mandatory notarised address declaration from the owner of the property.

Bank statement: a certificate confirming financial means at the rate of €620 for each month of the project.

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

Criminal record certificate: required for all adults (except stateless persons) from the country of citizenship or permanent residence. It must be issued no earlier than 5 months before filing and is subject to mandatory translation and legalisation.

Step-by-step procedure and time frames

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

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

Processing time: 30 working days.

Result: a long-term type D visa is issued with a validity of 180 days.

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 filed no later than two weeks (14 days) before the visa expires.

Processing time: 14 days.

Result: a residence permit is issued, after which the applicant orders the plastic personal card marked “volunteer”.

Extending the status

If the volunteer project lasts longer than the period initially requested (but within the overall limit), the long-term residence permit can be extended inside Bulgaria. To do so, you must apply to the migration service at most 2 weeks before the current permit expires.

The extension requires the same set of documents (a new or extended agreement, a recent bank statement, insurance and a tenancy agreement).

An important advantage: when extending the status inside Bulgaria, there is no need to submit a criminal record certificate from the country of origin again. A copy of the valid personal residence card is simply attached to the set of documents.