BULGARIA: Residence permits allowing visa-free travel to the Schengen area
For specimen: see PDF-document below
I. To the foreigners residing in the Republic of Bulgaria are issued the following residence documents:
- Residence permit for continuously residing family member of an EU citizen who has not exercised his right of free movement with marking „family member – Directive 2004/38/EC, family member under Directive 2004/38/EC” – This document is issued by the Ministry of Interior with validity of 5 years. Issued under the Act on entering, residing and leaving the Republic of Bulgaria by European Union citizens and their family members, transposing the texts of Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States – specimen № 700591264.
- Residence permit for permanently residing family member of an EU citizen who has not exercised his right of free movement with marking „family member – Directive 2004/38/EC, family member under Directive 2004/38/EC” – issued by the Ministry of Interior with validity of 10 years. Issued under the Act on entering, residing and leaving the Republic of Bulgaria by European Union citizens and their family members – specimen № 700591261.
- Residence permit to foreigners who reside continuously with marking „beneficiary pursuant to Article 3, paragraph 2 of Directive 2004/38/EC” – issued by the Ministry of Interior with validity of 5 years. Issued under the Act on entering, residing and leaving the Republic of Bulgaria by European Union citizens and their family members – specimen № 700591137.
- Residence permit to foreigners who reside permanently with marking „beneficiary under Article 3, paragraph 2 of Directive 2004/38/EC” – issued by the Ministry of Interior with validity of 10 years. Issued under the Act on entering, residing and leaving the Republic of Bulgaria by European Union citizens and their family members – specimen № 700591347.
II. To the family members of EU citizens, family members of citizens of the States Parties to the EEA Agreement, the citizens of the Swiss Confederation, who are not citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland, which by virtue of international agreements concluded by the EU have the right of free movement are issued the following documents for residence:
- „Residence card of a member of the family of a Union citizen” to continuously residing member of the family of an EU citizen who is not an EU citizen and who has exercised his right of free movement – issued by the Ministry of Interior for a period valid for up to five years. Issued under the Act on entering, residing and leaving the Republic of Bulgaria by European Union citizens and their family members – specimen № 873000000.
- „Residence card of a member of the family of a Union citizen” to permanently residing member of the family of an EU citizen who is not an EU citizen and who has exercised his right of free movement – issued by the Ministry of Interior for a period valid for up to five years. Issued under the Act on entering, residing and leaving the Republic of Bulgaria by European Union citizens and their family members – specimen № 873000000.
Attention, do note that the Bulgarian residence permit with remark “Family member of Bulgarian citizen” does not have any visa free value
Information boxes on the front of the document „Residence permit” according Regulation (EC) № 1030/2002 and Council Regulation (EC) No 380/2008.
1. Title of the document – „Residence permit”.
2. The document number – „000000000”.
3. Names – names in compliance to the national document of the third country national.
4. Valid until – DD.MM.YYYY.
5. Place and date of issue of the residence permit.
- in the cases of foreigners with a category „permanent or long-term residence”, the place of issuance is MoI Sofia;
- in the cases of foreigners with category „long term residence”, the place of issuance sectors/groups „Migration” to Sofia Metropolitan Directorate of Interior/Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior.
6. Type of permit – the category residence permit, long-term residence, long-term resident-EU Blue Card is introduced.
7. Field Note /Remarks/ contains one of the following:
- family member – Directive 2004/38/EC, /family member under Directive 2004/38/EC;
- „beneficiary under Article 3, paragraph 2 of Directive 2004/38/EC /beneficiary under Article3 /2/ of Directive 2004/38/EC;
- former holder of an EU Blue Card /Former EU Blue Card holder;
- researcher;
- the condition for access to the labor market – the information is submitted by the Employment Agency to MLSP;
- in the other cases for third-country nationals – the field remains blank.
8. Signature.
Information boxes on the back of the document “Residence permit”:
9. Date and place of birth – for place of birth will be written the country of birth of the third country national.
10. Nationality – citizenship of the person.
11. Sex.
12. Address of residence – for legally residing foreigners the address is their permanent address and for continuously residing foreigners – their current address.
13. In „Remarks” is written:
- „number of national travel document” /passport №/;
- ID/Personal number/.