Immigration
Bulgaria | Immigration residency requirements for third country nationals get simplified
Summary
As of 1 May 2024, Bulgaria has changed its immigration residency requirements for third-country nationals, focusing on two key aspects: standardisation and process efficiency. These changes aim to streamline immigration processes and attract foreign workersр while ensuring compliance with local residency and employment laws.
The detail
Enhancing Efficiency in the Hiring Procedures of Seasonal Third-Country Nationals
The primary changes focus on the procedures for obtaining residence permits for both long-term and short-term seasonal employees. These adjustments create a legal opportunity for foreign nationals residing already in Bulgaria and holding permits other than the Single Work and Residence Permit, the EU Blue Card or ICT (intra-corporate transfers) to apply for extended residence without leaving Bulgaria. Seasonal workers can extend their stay for up to 90 days, even if they initially entered the country under a short-term visa. Also, they now have the flexibility to change their employers within specific limits without exiting the country. This facilitates year-round coverage for local employers, eliminating the need for seasonal workers to reapply by exiting the country.
Furthermore, during the initial application for a residence permit, foreign nationals are now required to furnish a certificate of no criminal record from either their country of citizenship or the country of habitual residence. This certificate has become mandatory as part of the application process.
The statutory process for granting long-term residence for seasonal employment should not surpass 30 days. The employer may withdraw the submitted application, leading to the termination of the procedure.
The processing duration for obtaining a resolution from the Directorate of “Migration” on residence permits has been shortened from 10 to 3 days in specific cases, for seasonal workers mainly, accelerating the overall timeline for obtaining the necessary approvals.
Consequences
Bulgaria’s revised residency requirements aim to streamline immigration procedures, especially for seasonal workers, for whom the country is in high demand for its summer and winter resorts, the tourist sector and other areas of the local economy. In overall, these changes reflect Bulgaria’s commitment to modernising its immigration system, while maintaining the necessary security measures.
Contact us
For a deeper discussion on the above, please reach out to your Vialto Partners Bulgaria point of contact:
Mina Kapsazova
Director
Ekaterina Arnaudova
Manager
Further information on Vialto Partners can be found here: www.vialtopartners.com
Vialto Partners (“Vialto”) refers to wholly owned subsidiaries of CD&R Galaxy UK OpCo Limited as well as the other members of the Vialto Partners global network. The information contained in this document is for general guidance on matters of interest only. Vialto is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. All information is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to warranties of performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event will Vialto, its related entities, or the agents or employees thereof be liable to you or anyone else for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in this document or for any consequential, special or similar damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
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Further information on Vialto Partners can be found here: www.vialtopartners.com
Vialto Partners (“Vialto”) refers to wholly owned subsidiaries of CD&R Galaxy UK OpCo Limited as well as the other members of the Vialto Partners global network. The information contained in this document is for general guidance on matters of interest only. Vialto is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. All information is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including, but not limited to warranties of performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event will Vialto, its related entities, or the agents or employees thereof be liable to you or anyone else for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information in this document or for any consequential, special or similar damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
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