Bulgaria · Spouse visas
Bulgaria Spouse of a citizen
Income needed: €620+ a month ≈ $690
Long-term residence permit as a family member of a Bulgarian citizen (Art. 24(1) item 18)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Spouse of a citizen is a spouse visas route for Bulgaria. Applicants need income of €620+ a month ≈ $690. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- €620+ a month ≈ $690
- Processing
- Up to 14 days
Cost, time and long term
To apply: income to show €620+/mo ≈ $690; decision: up to 14 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Shown, not spent€620+/mo ≈ $690
- EUR 620.2 a month (≈ $690)Minimum national monthly salary (EUR 620.20 (≈ $690) from 1 January 2026); the legal alternatives are the minimum scholarship or minimum pension.
RenewalRenewable
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
Permanent residence for a family member of a Bulgarian citizen after 5 years of lawful continuous residence.
CitizenshipAfter 3 years as a permanent resident
Naturalisation after 3 years on a permanent or long-term permit if married to a Bulgarian citizen for at least 3 years, plus income and Bulgarian language.
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
Obtain the long-stay visa abroad, then apply for the permit in Bulgaria.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Applications are made from outside Bulgaria, not after arriving
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- Applicant is the spouse of a Bulgarian citizen and lives with them in the same household.
- The marriage documents and proof of right of support issued abroad are recognised and registered under Bulgarian law.
- A second spouse cannot be admitted for family reunification where the foreigner already has one.
What you must show2
- Applicant has means of subsistence of at least the minimum national monthly salary, minimum scholarship or minimum pension, without recourse to social assistance.
- The minimum monthly wage is EUR 620.20 (≈ $690) (BGN 1,213 (≈ $690)) from 1 January 2026.
Documents2
- Documents supporting the visa application, secured housing and mandatory health insurance.
- A criminal record certificate from the country of citizenship, origin or habitual residence for applicants over 18.
Steps2
- The Migration Directorate decides on the application within 14 days of submission after the procedure set in the Implementing Regulations.
- Authorities can examine whether the marriage is of convenience, for example whether the spouses know each other or share a language.
After you arrive1
- Permanent residence can be granted after five years of lawful, continuous residence with no more than 30 months away.
What happens at day 183
How Bulgaria decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- 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
- Health insurance
Documents supporting the visa application, secured housing and mandatory health insurance
- Accommodation
Documents supporting the visa application, secured housing and mandatory health insurance
- Police certificate and civil documents
A criminal record certificate from the country of citizenship, origin or habitual residence for applicants over 18
Taken from this route's requirements above. The authority's own list is the one that counts.
Full official text
Long-term residence permit for the foreign spouse living in the same household as a Bulgarian citizen, with a route to permanent residence after five years of continuous residence. 1 2 3 4
What you must show
- Income of at least EUR 620.2 a month (≈ $690) · Minimum national monthly salary (EUR 620.20 (≈ $690) from 1 January 2026); the legal alternatives are the minimum scholarship or minimum pension. 5 1
Requirements
- Applicant is the spouse of a Bulgarian citizen and lives with them in the same household. 3
- The marriage documents and proof of right of support issued abroad are recognised and registered under Bulgarian law. 3
- A second spouse cannot be admitted for family reunification where the foreigner already has one. 3
- Applicant has means of subsistence of at least the minimum national monthly salary, minimum scholarship or minimum pension, without recourse to social assistance. 3
- The minimum monthly wage is EUR 620.20 (≈ $690) (BGN 1,213 (≈ $690)) from 1 January 2026. 1
- Documents supporting the visa application, secured housing and mandatory health insurance. 3
- A criminal record certificate from the country of citizenship, origin or habitual residence for applicants over 18. 3
- The Migration Directorate decides on the application within 14 days of submission after the procedure set in the Implementing Regulations. 3
- Authorities can examine whether the marriage is of convenience, for example whether the spouses know each other or share a language. 3
- Permanent residence can be granted after five years of lawful, continuous residence with no more than 30 months away. 3
Stay
- Prolonged-stay permit; five years of continuous residence lead to a permanent residence permit.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
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
Family members of Bulgarian citizens need no labour-market access permit; employment is declared under the Implementing Regulations (Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act Art. 9(1) item 5, Art. 9(2)).
Family
Family members of a Bulgarian citizen are the spouse, unmarried descendants (under 21, or older if dependent or needing care), ascendants, and household members wholly dependent on the citizen.
Official sources
- Decree setting the minimum monthly wage from 1 January 2026 (BGN 1,213; EUR 620.20) · State Gazette of Bulgaria · checked 2026-10-11
- Law amending the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act (State Gazette 52/2025) · National Assembly of Bulgaria (State Gazette) · checked 2026-10-11
- 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
- Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act (English consolidated text) · Migration Directorate / Council of Ministers of Bulgaria · checked 2026-10-11
- Bulgarian Citizenship Act (Zakon za balgarskoto grazhdanstvo), Art. 12-13 · Ministry of Justice, Bulgaria · checked 2026-10-11
- Visa D (long term): documents and Art. 24 categories (June 2023) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2023-06
Spouse of a citizen and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a citizen | Needs income of €620+ a month ≈ $690 | – | – |
| Spouse of a resident | Needs income of €620+ a month ≈ $690 | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a citizen Portugal | – | – | – |
| Spouse of a resident Spain | Needs income of €900+ a month ≈ $1,010 | – | Yes |
| Spouse of a resident Georgia | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Spouse of a citizen?
Income of at least EUR 620.2 a month (≈ $690). Minimum national monthly salary (EUR 620.20 (≈ $690) from 1 January 2026); the legal alternatives are the minimum scholarship or minimum pension.
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a citizen?
Prolonged-stay permit; five years of continuous residence lead to a permanent residence permit.
How long does the Spouse of a citizen 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 Spouse of a citizen?
Family members of Bulgarian citizens need no labour-market access permit; employment is declared under the Implementing Regulations (Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act Art.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a citizen?
Family members of a Bulgarian citizen are the spouse, unmarried descendants (under 21, or older if dependent or needing care), ascendants, and household members wholly dependent on the citizen.
Who can apply for the Spouse of a citizen?
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 Spouse of a citizen lead to permanent residence in Bulgaria?
Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward permanent residence in Bulgaria, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 3 years as a permanent resident.
How are Spouse of a citizen holders taxed in Bulgaria?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Spouse of a citizen. 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
Spouse and partner 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 7 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.
- Decree setting the minimum monthly wage from 1 January 2026 (BGN 1,213; EUR 620.20) · State Gazette of Bulgaria · checked 2026-10-11
- Law amending the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act (State Gazette 52/2025) · National Assembly of Bulgaria (State Gazette) · checked 2026-10-11
- 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
- Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act (English consolidated text) · Migration Directorate / Council of Ministers of Bulgaria · checked 2026-10-11
- Bulgarian Citizenship Act (Zakon za balgarskoto grazhdanstvo), Art. 12-13 · Ministry of Justice, Bulgaria · checked 2026-10-11
- Visa D (long term): documents and Art. 24 categories (June 2023) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria · checked 2026-10-10
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.