RESIDENCE PERMIT FOR INVESTORS
IN ECONOMICALLY DEPRESSED REGIONS

The process of obtaining a residence permit is the same as in other cases. First you need to get a long-term visa to Bulgaria. This is done at the consulate in the country of legal residence. The cost of a visa is 100 euros, the list of documents is given below. The next step is to enter Bulgaria with this visa during its validity period. Next, you need to contact the migration service at the regional police department. This can be done at any time, but no later than two weeks before the end of the period of stay in Bulgaria on a Visa D. In this case, the same package of documents is submitted as when applying for a visa. The permit will be ready in 14 days. The cost of a residence permit for six months is 200 levs, for a year - 500 levs. Additionally, you need to pay for a personal card, the cost of its production starts from 45 levs (ready in a month). Those who want to receive a document in 15 days will have to pay 90 levs, and if the card is needed after 2 days, its production will cost 250 levs. In the future, the residence permit can be extended; documents must be submitted no more than 2 weeks before the expiration of the previous permit. The documents are needed are the same, except for a certificate of no criminal record.

To do this, three conditions must be met:

• The investment must be made by depositing funds (minimum 250 thousand leva) in the capital of a Bulgarian commercial organization, where the foreigner is a partner or shareholder and owns at least 50% of the capital.
• As a result of the investments, new assets (tangible and intangible) appeared, worth at least 250 thousand leva and at least five jobs were created for Bulgarian citizens.
• Investments must be certified by the Ministry of Economy.

List of documents for visa and residence permit
• Application form with a photo for a visa or an application for a residence permit.
• Passport + copies of spreads with personal data and a stamp of entry into Bulgaria. The document should be valid for at least another year and a half.
• Proof of housing in Bulgaria.
• A statement from the bank about the funds in the account (at least 6 minimum Bulgarian salaries when applying for a visa and twice as much if you need to get a residence permit for a year).
• Certificate of no criminal record, issued in the country of citizenship or permanent residence, must be translated and legalized. Stateless persons and minors do not submit a certificate. The validity period of the document is 6 months, the certificate must be issued a maximum of 5 months before the submission of documents.
• Receipt of the paid fee for the examination of documents.
• Health insurance for foreigners for the entire period of stay (coverage of at least 60 thousand levs).
• Investment certificate issued by the Ministry of Economy.

Employees of the migration service and the Ministry of Economy are constantly exchanging information. This means that if the circumstances specified in the certificate change and the grounds for staying in Bulgaria disappear, the employees of the migration service will immediately know about it. In this case, the residence permit may be canceled.