Bulgaria EU free movement

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens may live in Bulgaria with a valid ID card or passport; a stay beyond 3 months needs a long-term residence certificate applied for within 3 months of entry. ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11}

Requirements

• Citizens of EU states and, under the Act, of EEA states and Switzerland may live in Bulgaria. ^{11 1 8 9}
• Stays of up to 3 months need only a valid national ID card or passport. ^{11 1}
• Beyond 3 months, workers and self-employed persons may stay while they work. ^{11 4}
• Beyond 3 months, persons not working need sufficient resources and comprehensive health insurance. ^{11 3}
• The money test is health insurance and funds to cover living costs without burdening social assistance. ¹¹
• A valid national ID card or passport is needed. ²
• Documents proving the worker, self-employed, funds-and-insurance or student status are attached, with proof of paid state fee. ¹¹
• Apply within 3 months of entry for a certificate of long-term residence, in person. ¹¹
• Apply to the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior, the Sofia Directorate of Interior, or a regional directorate. ¹¹
• The certificate is issued on the day of application and a long-term stay lasts up to 5 years. ¹¹
• Permanent residence is acquired after 5 years of continuous lawful residence. ⁵

Stay

• Up to 5 years per certificate of long-term residence (applied for within 3 months of entry); permanent residence possible.
• First 3 months up to 3 months: Valid ID card or passport only.
• After 3 months: Worker, self-employed person, or person with health insurance and sufficient funds, including a student.

Nationality

Citizens of the 27 EU states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

Work

Workers and self-employed persons may work in Bulgaria on the same terms as Bulgarian citizens; some public-authority posts may be reserved for nationals.

Family

Family members who are EU citizens apply for the same certificate; non-EU family members apply within 3 months of entry for a residence card for a family member of a Union citizen.

Checked 2026-10-10 · partly verified

Official sources

1. Residence rights when living abroad in the EU · European Union - Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
2. Registering residence abroad after the first 3 months · European Union - Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
3. Residence rights for economically inactive EU citizens · European Union - Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
4. Workers: residence rights · European Union - Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
5. Permanent residence (after 5 years) for EU nationals · European Union - Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
6. Working abroad · European Union - Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
7. Work in the public sector abroad · European Union - Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
8. Free movement of EU nationals · European Commission, Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion · checked 2026-10-10
9. Free movement of persons (Switzerland and the EU) · Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs · checked 2026-10-10
10. Your non-EU spouse and children's residence rights in the EU · European Union - Your Europe · checked 2026-10-10
11. Act on the Entry, Residence and Departure of EU Citizens in Bulgaria (Bulgarian text) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria (State Gazette text) · checked 2026-10-10