Bulgarian visa resources
Eligibility for a Bulgaria long-stay visa
Who can apply for Bulgaria's national Type D long-stay visa and residence, and the general conditions the Foreigners Act sets for third-country nationals.
Important
Bulgaria's national long-stay visa (Type D) is for third-country nationals who wish to settle in Bulgaria for a long term or permanently. It is not a tourism route: it is the legal entry point that lets you then obtain a Bulgarian residence permit. Bulgarian legislation recognises numerous separate grounds for a Type D visa (work, study, family reunification, retirement, investment and others), and you must fit one of them.
The Type D visa entitles the holder to multiple entries during its validity and is cancelled once a residence permit is issued by the administrative-control authorities. Eligibility therefore has two layers: qualifying for the visa on a recognised ground, and then meeting the residence-permit conditions in the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act.
Validity and stay categories
The Type D fact sheet distinguishes two statutory categories:
- Article 15(1): a long-stay visa of up to 6 months with a right to stay of up to 180 days, for those settling long-term or permanently
- Article 15(2): a visa valid up to one year with a right to stay up to 360 days, for defined groups such as scientific researchers, students on up to one-year programmes, post-graduate/trainee students, and certain assignees (including under the Investment Promotion Act)
General conditions for residence
To move from the visa to a continuous residence permit, third-country nationals generally must show:
- A recognised legal ground of stay (e.g. work authorisation, enrolment, family relationship)
- Secured accommodation in Bulgaria
- Compulsory health insurance and social insurance as applicable
- Sufficient means of subsistence so as not to rely on the social-assistance system
Long-term / permanent residence
After lawful, uninterrupted residence in Bulgaria (as defined by the Foreigners Act, generally five years), eligible third-country nationals may apply for long-term or permanent residence status. Time limits and interruptions are assessed by the Migration Directorate.
Next steps
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.