Renewal of residency permit

Its actually by 31 December 2021 to be pedantic.
Exchanged mine earlier this year for new residancy cards. Straightforward enough in Yambol.
Advice for all Brexit transition here

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-b … -residency

Hope it helps

Regards

Frank

If you don't yet have a BG residence permit, you have to apply before 31 December 2020, the end of the transition period.

If you have a current BG residence permit, you can also apply to RENEW (i.e. for another 5 years) before 31 December 2020. (I did this a couple of weeks ago.)

Before 31 December 2021, UK holders of a BG Residence Permit (I believe either Permanent or Long Term) need to make an application under the new BG scheme for Residence Permits for UK nationals per the Withdrawal Agreement.

I understand it's a formality with no supporting documentation (re: job / health insurance / finances etc.) required, and I believe that all it is swapping out our Residence Permits for EU Citizens (Blue/Green card which says "European Union Certificate for EU Citizen") for a regular BG Residence Permit for non-EU nationals (Red/Blue card says Republic of Bulgaria Residence Permit / Permis de Sejour").

However, you should note that this is not a renewal, so the expiry date of your replacement card is the same as your old one (that's why I renewed now during the transition period).

Thanks. Back in 2018, I received 5 years residence permit.
In short, do you mean that if I apply for RENEWAL before 31 December 2020, I will get new permit valid till December 2025?
If, however, I will postpone it till next year I will get another permit valid till 2023 as my current one?
Sorry, it makes no sense for me. In my opinion renewal is something different from swapping blue/green card to red/blue one.

I agree there's not much to be gained as your permit is valid to 2023. If you renew / apply for a new residence permit this year, it would be valid to 2025, five years from now. In addition, they are already issuing the new non-EU cards to UK citizens.

My permit was the same as yours, an EU long term (5 years permit) issued in 2017, valid to 2022. It stated "Certificate for EU Citizen". I renewed 2 weeks ago, so my new one is valid to 2025, and it's the new non-EU card.

If you apply next year, you are simply swapping your card, and it the new card will have the same expiry date of 2023.

I agree with you that it doesn't make much sense. I would have thought they could have just left the UK residence permits as is, and renewed/replaced them as they expired. But Bulgaria decided they wanted to get them changed immediately. Their rationale, I suppose, is correct, technically: we are holding Residence Permits which are the ones issued to EU citizens... and now the UK is not in the UK, so we should have the cards that get issued to non-EU citizens. :-)

I also agree with you that renewal is different from the the "swapping". I could have gone in and swapped (or I could have gone in next year to swap). But I decided I'd take the opportunity to renew as it was still easy during the transition period... and, as a bonus, it turns out (I believe) that they did the swap too. So now I'm good until 2025.

MY PREVIOUS BG (EU CITIZEN) RESIDENCE PERMIT LOOKED LIKE THIS


MY CURRENT BG (NON-EU CITIZEN) RESIDENCE PERMIT LOOKS LIKE THIS
https://images.app.goo.gl/tB96EVsRoZG5CaBH9

Thanks. Today, I applied to renew my permit but they told me that it would be valid not for five years (as you suggested) but according to the date of expiration of my current card, i.e. three years. Strange!

My long-term permit (5 years) was due to expire in January 2021 so I went to get it renewed, then I thought why not ask for a permanent permit (10 years) they issued It no problem. Much happiness. 

Congrats!

Hi what are the requirements for five Yr and 10yr permit? Thks.

The 5-year one (often issued for less that 5 yrs, and then needed to be renewed) is a Long Term Residence. The 10-year one is Permanent Residence, given after you have been long-term resident for 5 years.

hi.
is it necessary for residence permit renewal to have the rental agreement notarized?
i moved from varna to burgas since my last renewal.
problem is my landlord doesn't come trough...
can't drag him to the notary

In my experience here in Plovdiv, yes, the rental agreement had to be notarized. When renewing, even though I was at the same address and on the same agreement I had to have the previously notarized agreement copied and notarized again.

PlovdivEd wrote:

In my experience here in Plovdiv, yes, the rental agreement had to be notarized. When renewing, even though I was at the same address and on the same agreement I had to have the previously notarized agreement copied and notarized again.

hi,
thank you, good to know. one more question. do i need a declaration form from the landlord too?
i just found one on the internet. the last time i went to immigration office was 2019 and i really can't remember..

basically this declaration form says that the landlord declares that this non-bg person lives in this apartment, and all statements are true ..etc.

oh, and also do i need a copy of the lease agreement or just the original..?

thanks.

Hi, yes, you need the declaration form too, also notarized but if your landlord goes with you then it's ok not to apparently.

You need a notarized copy of your rental agreement as they take it as part of the process.

Hope it goes well for you 🙂

ok, thank you

bit strange, i just accidently found that on some website...
most, including the official bg government webiste does not mention this declaration form...

Yeah it was an unpleasant surprise when they handed it to us when we first applied. It's on the mvr.bg site, you have to dig around for it, I'm pretty sure the format is different for different regions too just to add to the fun!

https://www.mvr.bg/kardjali/%D0%B0%D0%B … 1%86%D0%B8

PlovdivEd wrote:

In my experience here in Plovdiv, yes, the rental agreement had to be notarized. When renewing, even though I was at the same address and on the same agreement I had to have the previously notarized agreement copied and notarized again.

hi,
today i went to the notary with my landlord, and got the declaration notarized. and i said i need the lease agreement notarized too, but she said no. something like she can't/won't notarize it because she only notarizes if it is freshly signed in front of her and/or it is not needed. (the landord's grandson translated it like that, the only person who spoke english.)
maybe so, the declaration has all names, IDs, and addresses on it.. i sure hope so..

anyways, tomorrow i go to the immigration, then i'll know and write what exacty is needed, at least in burgas.

ok, so for burgas immigration, if you have a notarized declaration, the lease agreement does not need to be notarized.
but, the last time i went there 2018 a copy of my credit card was enough as 'proof' of financial sufficiency. this time she told me to get a statement printed as proof there is actually some money on it.
the whole process was pretty quick, i hardly waited in line. i went after lunch break.
the lady, albeit not smiling much, was friendly, efficient and spoke english.

Question about renewing my Bulgarian work permit :

Hello,

Good day to you!

My name is Redouane and I am no-EU citizen. My company has submitted the application to​ renew my Bulgarian working permit on 24 November 2022, and until now it's not approved, more than 2 months and one week and still no update.

I have asked my company and they said it's matter of time only. However, my residence and ID card will expire on March 07, 2023 and I am really worried about this especially that all my colleagues who applied with me for renewal in the same day, they get their works permit approved one month ago (on December 25, 2022).

I would like to know if this is normal that more than 2 months and one week now and my work permit still not approved, and what is the consequences in case my ID card will expire and I still did not get the approval for my work permit?

Any information will be much appreciated!

Kind regards,

Redouane

I am a British citizen, my Bulgarian long term residents card expired 2020, can i renew? This link states a yes for renewel...: https://immigration2bulgaria.com/renew- … citizens/.  Or do i need to apply for D-Visa?

@joescott

I'm no expert, but having gone through the process to move from the UK to France, post Brexit, I would imagine you'd need a D Visa. If you'd applied before the old one expired you'd be ok, but its all changed now I'm afraid.

@grumpyoldbird Thankyou for your advice, hope all will be a success for you in France.

@joescott

Thanks for that, but its not going great here, so I'm planning a move to Bulgaria. 🙂

Good luck with the visa application.

@grumpyoldbird Oh, ok, hope the move will be a good one for you,thanks & best wishes.

@joescott

Depends on your local immigration, we were lucky to be here at our house near Vratsa when immigration turned up to do there checks after i applied for my D Visa last year. My partner, who speaks reasonable Bulgarian was cheeky enough to ask the immigration officer why she couldnt have a residency card, hers expired in 2016. He asked to see her old 10yr card, made a phone call and told her to come to the office and they would complete a new application. Result was a new 5 year residency before i got my 1 year prolonged stay residency a month later and a saving to us of  probably 2k plus on her not having to go down the D Visa and yearly residency route.

Even our Advocate said at the time its not possible, but if you dont ask you won't get.

So do I and my husband need to renew our residency cards before they run out in 2025?

Yes as you can still be fined if you dont renew on time.

@grahamstark1 Thankyou for your positive story, best wishes & an excellent outcome.