Hello all,
I found the following on a website regarding moving to Sofia -
Residency and Citizenship in Bulgaria
Information on residency in Bulgaria for European and non-European citizens: how to ensure you have the right documents in place to legally reside (and work) in Bulgaria...
Bulgaria is a member of the European Union. All foreign citizens (EU and non-EU) staying in Bulgaria for longer than 90 days must apply for a residency permit at the National Migration Directorate (Дирекция Миграция) in Sofia or at the immigration department at their local Police Station. The National Migration Directorate and its local immigration departments in the local Police offices is the authority in charge of issuing, cancelling or extending resident permits in Bulgaria.
•Sofia Police Directorate, Bulgarian Documents Department (СДП - Български документи за самоличност)
At: 48 Knyaginya Maria Luiza Boulevard, Sofia 1202 (Адрес: 1202 гр. София, бул. Княгиня Мария Луиза, № 48)
Tel: 02 982 3316
Could anybody advise if this is difficult. If I move to Sofia I will wish to stay 1 - 2 years. Is it difficult to get a visa from the Police. I have a Britich Passport.
I appreciate any advice.
Thanks
Scott
Relocating to live and work in Sofia
I'll let you know in Feb, I'm planning for the 90 days. You need to have a solid address before hand I beleive then just register.
Thanks, Im now waiting on my work... I currently work from home in Wales and have just asked them if I can work from home in Sofia instead... If everything works out I might send you a message when I get there.
Yeah, I'm up in Carmarthen. PM me if you want. I'll give you my email and can give you a hand with stuff like phone etc (i know nothing but can find out etc).
I just stumbled upon this post after posting on the general side of Bulgaria forum. Well I am actually wondering something VERY similiar. Now, I'm Canadian, and upto 90 days stay in BG are legal without any visas, but are you telling me, that I can apply for permanent resident there if I have a solid address? and by solid I believe, a non-renting address, is this correct?
Or can this be good, and what else do I need - because if you see my post - You can see what the Bulgarian Embassy told me - pretty much NO to all my questions - That I can't stay without coming back here then applying to type VISA D and only then I can apply for permanent residency. I hope I made sense to you.
Let me know what can be done - basically I need to know as this is a quite important decision - I do not want to come back here just to file this and waste 6weeks to 3 months waiting on my arse for papers... if I get around this - I shall.
Thank you, and please check my post aswell for details.
Regards,
Germain
Scott
I have been in Sofia 2 years it is so easy to get residency..you dont need to go the Police. the place to go is The National Migration Directorate and its local immigration departments ..
please say hello to Wales for me..
Hi Scott,
Even we are planning to move to Bulgaria by Aug.. Still working on few things.. How easy/difficult is life in Sofia? We are from India..do you see any indians around? heard they do have few Indian resturants there..so I believe there are Indians around... Well we do love making friends with locals and other expats there..would love to hear more from you or anyone out here--willing to pass imp info etc ..
stay well...
cfsbg wrote:Scott
I have been in Sofia 2 years it is so easy to get residency..you dont need to go the Police. the place to go is The National Migration Directorate and its local immigration departments ..
please say hello to Wales for me..
Perhaps you can help me...
I am an Australian citizen. I was in Bulgaria for approx 180 days (6 months) on a formally extended free-visa stay. During this time I met and married my husband, he is a Bulgarian citizen. Prior to our marriage earlier this month, we sought advice from the Migration Directorate on the procedure we should take so that I could remain in Bulgaria for additional 3-6 months. As advised by them, we left Bulgaria following our marriage to apply for visa C and visa D in Athens, Greece at the Bulgarian Embassy. We were told visa C could not be refused to me and would be issued almost immediately. Upon attempting to make my visa application at the embassy, it was refused by the consul. He stated that I don't have the right to apply for visa C because of the visa-free agreement between Bulgaria and Australia. He also refused my visa D application for reasons which we had never been informed of previously and which we still think are not entirely correct. I'm trying to keep this post succinct since the situation has become a little complicated, but I can provide further details if you need them.
Following the refusal at the embassy, we appealed to the Bulgarian Border Police to allow me into Bulgaria (to collect my belongings and move out of the apartment which I rent there). This has been granted for 1 week.
Meanwhile, we are reading up on the law regarding Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria and have contacted Solvit (still awaiting response) and trying to find information online. Because the actual law is difficult to ascertain at times and because we have been told many variations on the correct procedure we were to take, we are eagerly seeking clarification.
I kindly ask you:
1. Do you know what my rights are when I return to Bulgaria (during the 1 week that has been granted by the border police)?
2. Do I have the right, as I have read, to remain in Bulgaria visa-free for up to 90 days as a non-EU family member to a Bulgarian citizen (regardless of the fact that I've already been there on a visa-free stay prior to my marriage)?
3. Should and/or do I need to apply for a residence permit?
4. Is there anything else that you can tell me in regards to the circumstances I've mentioned here?
If you need clarification on anything I've written please let me know. I very much hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely
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