Bulgaria · Work
Bulgaria Intra-company transfer
First stay: 1 yr
Long-term residence permit for intra-corporate transfer
First checked against official sources on Record corrected 11 Oct 2026Change log
Key facts
Intra-company transfer is a work route for Bulgaria. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Processing
- Up to 14 days
- First stay
- 1 yr
Time and long term
RenewalRenewable
Permit is renewable up to 3 years for managers and specialists and 1 year for trainees.
Permanent residenceTime here doesn't count
Formally limited temporary permits are excluded from the 5-year count for long-term status.
ProcessingUp to 14 days
Applications for prolonged residence permits are examined within 14 days; complex cases can be extended by one more month.
Where to applyFrom abroad
Employment Agency endorsement first, then the permit from the Ministry of Interior after the Visa D.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Time on this route doesn't count toward permanent residence
- Applications are made from outside Bulgaria, not after arriving
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Bulgaria
- Work rights are limited
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- Applicants work for the receiving enterprise of the same group, as manager, specialist or trainee employee.
- Managers and specialists worked in the same enterprise or group for at least 12 months without interruption before applying; trainee employees for at least 6 months.
- Trainee employees hold a higher-education degree.
Documents2
- The employer submits a justification, proof that both enterprises belong to the same group, the transfer document and a declaration on pay and conditions.
- Proof of housing, a criminal record certificate and qualification documents are submitted.
Steps2
- The employer or authorised person files at the Migration Directorate; the Employment Agency gives its opinion on access to the labour market.
- Applicants live outside Bulgaria at the first application and hold a long-stay Visa D.
After you arrive1
- The permit is issued for one year and renewed; it can reach three years for managers and specialists and one year for trainee employees.
What happens at day 183
How Bulgaria decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
1 year at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in each 12-month periodResiding in Bulgaria more than 183 days makes a person a resident for tax purposes.
- Foreign-source income
Total annual tax base of residents on worldwide income; Bulgarian-source income of non-residents.
All tax rules for Bulgaria Tax records checked
What you need to arrange
- Accommodation
Proof of housing, a criminal record certificate and qualification documents are submitted
- Police certificate and civil documents
Proof of housing, a criminal record certificate and qualification documents are submitted
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
Managers, specialists and interns transferred within a group of enterprises to a Bulgarian entity, with Ministry of Interior permit after Employment Agency endorsement. 1 2
Requirements
- Applicants work for the receiving enterprise of the same group, as manager, specialist or trainee employee. 2
- Managers and specialists worked in the same enterprise or group for at least 12 months without interruption before applying; trainee employees for at least 6 months. 2
- Trainee employees hold a higher-education degree. 2
- The employer submits a justification, proof that both enterprises belong to the same group, the transfer document and a declaration on pay and conditions. 2
- Proof of housing, a criminal record certificate and qualification documents are submitted. 2
- The employer or authorised person files at the Migration Directorate; the Employment Agency gives its opinion on access to the labour market. 2 3
- Applicants live outside Bulgaria at the first application and hold a long-stay Visa D. 2
- The permit is issued for one year and renewed; it can reach three years for managers and specialists and one year for trainee employees. 2
Stay
- Permit for one year, renewable up to three years for managers and specialists and one year for trainee employees.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Third-country nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Work for the receiving group enterprise in the stated position only.
Family
Family members can work under employment contracts or as freelancers with Employment Agency permission.
Official sources
- Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act (English translation) · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy · checked 2026-10-10
- Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, consolidated text (amended to State Gazette 52/2025) · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (consolidated text, printed 13 February 2026) · checked 2026-10-11
- Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act (Bulgarian text, as amended to 2021) · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy · checked 2026-10-11
Intra-company transfer and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intra-company transfer | – | 1 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Blue Card | – | 5 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Trade representative permit | Needs income of BGN 100k+ a year ≈ $57k | – | – |
| Seasonal worker permit | – | 9 mo, renewable | – |
| Researcher permit | Needs income of €620+ a month ≈ $690 | – | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Intra-company transfer?
Permit for one year, renewable up to three years for managers and specialists and one year for trainee employees.
How long does the Intra-company transfer take to process?
Applications for prolonged residence permits are examined within 14 days; complex cases can be extended by one more month.
Can I work on the Intra-company transfer?
Limited. Work for the receiving group enterprise in the stated position only.
Can I bring my family on the Intra-company transfer?
Family members can work under employment contracts or as freelancers with Employment Agency permission.
Who can apply for the Intra-company transfer?
Third-country nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Intra-company transfer lead to permanent residence in Bulgaria?
Time on the Intra-company transfer doesn't count toward permanent residence in Bulgaria.
How are Intra-company transfer holders taxed in Bulgaria?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Intra-company transfer. The standard rules apply: Bulgarian tax residents pay a flat 10% on the total annual tax base; dividends are taxed at a final 5%.
More in Bulgaria
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 3 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act (English translation) · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy · checked 2026-10-10
- Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, consolidated text (amended to State Gazette 52/2025) · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (consolidated text, printed 13 February 2026) · checked 2026-10-11
- Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act (Bulgarian text, as amended to 2021) · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.