They say that it’s good where we are not. Following this saying, some seek their happiness in foreign countries. And sometimes they even find it. Since moving to permanent residence in European countries or the United States is an expensive pleasure, many people use the affordable alternative. And more and more often, Bulgaria plays such a role. What do you need to move to this country and what are its advantages? Let's find out.
Bulgaria and its features
The Republic of Bulgaria is located in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula and overlooks the Black Sea. Thus, the country is located immediately in 2 climatic zones - continental and Mediterranean. Due to this, although winter and summer are close in temperature to the European part of the Russian Federation, the climate itself is milder. In addition, the lack of large industrial facilities has a positive effect on the environment.
The main sources of profit in the economy of this state are agriculture and tourism. In fact, the latter feeds the Bulgarians. At the same time, industry is poorly developed. This is due to the lack of the possibility of re-profiling enterprises or improving them in accordance with modern standards.
On the other hand, Bulgaria has its own reserves of gas and coal. This gives her a certain energy independence. Although it cannot be said that utility bills are cheap. They comply with the minimum requirements of the EU to which this state is a member.
What is attractive this country for Russians
Studying the experience of moving to Bulgaria for permanent residence of some compatriots, we can note the main advantages of living here:
- Good ecology.
- A mild climate that is perfect for asthmatics and allergy sufferers.
- Good level of medical care.
- Established education system.
- A lower tax rate for doing business is 10%.
- Relatively stable economy.
- Prices for products, items and real estate are close to Russian.
- Since Bulgaria is part of the EU, being its citizen, you can travel to the Schengen countries without a visa.
- Another plus is that the main religion in Bulgaria is Orthodoxy. And this is very important for some Russian migrants. Also, Bulgarian is close to Slavic, and it is easier to learn than the same English or French.
- And finally, a huge plus is the possibility of obtaining dual citizenship. Another thing is that the path to such opportunities is on average about 10-14 years.
Cons of living in this country
Studying the reviews about moving to Bulgaria from Russia, you can make a short list of the shortcomings of this state:
- Unemployment. This problem is very relevant. In this regard, all laws are aimed at the primary employment of their own citizens. So finding a paid job for a foreigner is problematic. Therefore, you will have to immediately rely on running your own business or other passive source of income.
- Based on their own experience of moving to Bulgaria, many migrants advise to be very careful. The fact is that laws allow foreigners to conduct business if their company is listed as a foreign representative. But if you register directly in Bulgaria, you will have to employ 10 citizens of this country at once.
- Expensive utilities. This will be an unpleasant surprise for those who plan to move to Bulgaria from Russia. More modern homes in this country use electricity, which is slightly cheaper than gas. In villages, they often drown with wood. And the majority of ordinary residents are disconnected from central heating as too expensive and winter in semi-cold apartments.
- As in any country, the standard of living in large cities and villages is different. It is noteworthy that most of those who leave feedback about moving to Bulgaria for permanent residence live in Sofia or Varna. Naturally, there the infrastructure is better established. Those who live in villages far from the coast, note a not very good condition of roads, living standards and a more aggravated criminal situation. For example, the same state kindergartens in such places are usually crowded. To get there is problematic and you have to go to private ones, and they cost an order of magnitude more expensive.
- Corruption. The inhabitants of large settlements also write about its absence, again, in their reviews about moving to Bulgaria for permanent residence. While in smaller ones, it thrives.
On what grounds can I apply for permanent residence
Most of the reviews and recommendations for moving to Bulgaria are advised to first decide on what basis you plan to live here. Here are the options:
- Have Bulgarian roots.
- Marry a citizen / civilian country. In this case, you can apply for permanent residence after 2 years.
- To be a child of a person who already has permanent residence or residence permit.
- Be a parent / guardian of a Bulgarian citizen.
- To have outstanding services to this country in various fields.
- Stay in Bulgaria in refugee status for 5 years or more.
- Invest in the country's economy more than 500 thousand euros.
As mentioned above, finding a job here is quite problematic. But its presence is one of the conditions for obtaining a visa, and then a residence permit, etc. In connection with this, one of the most popular reasons for moving is the opening of a representative office of a foreign company in Bulgaria. To do this, you need to have a working business in your own country, which will feed you further.
A sales office is the basis for obtaining a D visa, and subsequently a residence permit. However, it is not a commercial organization. This means that you can not conduct business or buy real estate. The maximum that is available is to purchase vehicles. So this is more a formality.
With this option, you will have to live until obtaining permanent residence due to doing business abroad. If there is a desire to do this in Bulgaria - any foreigner, with only a passport, can open his LLC (in this country they are called OOD and EOOD). The authorized capital of such an enterprise may be only 1 euro, and the registration procedure lasts only from 3 to 10 days. To obtain a residence permit on this basis, you need to employ 10 citizens of Bulgaria. In addition, the maintenance of such a company per year will cost 150-300 euros (or 11-22 thousand rubles). These are just administrative expenses.
Sometimes one of the reasons for moving to Bulgaria is the purchase of real estate worth more than 300 thousand euros (a little more than 22 million 152 thousand rubles). But there are nuances. At home, foreigners can really buy houses in this state. However, possession of them allows you to purchase only a residence permit, but not permanent residence. And even after 5 years of living in such a status, it will still be impossible to apply for permanent residence in Bulgaria on this basis.
Education in this state could theoretically be the reason for obtaining permanent residence. However, years of residence in the country as a foreign student will only be counted in half. Yes, and Bulgarian higher education is difficult to consider prestigious against the background of the same Polish or Czech.
Theoretically, a work visa can be considered as another reason for moving. That's just to hire you, the Bulgarian employer must prove that such a specialist as you do not have in his homeland. In addition, your salary should be 1,500 euros (a little over 110 thousand rubles) and above, and your boss must provide you with housing. Few will do this. Unless the employer is your relative or a very good friend.
Moving to Bulgaria for senior citizens
Migration of this category of the population is most frequent due to the simplification of the procedure. The fact is that this state benefits from moving foreign elder beneficiaries. After all, they already receive a pension from the state, where they have worked all their lives, and spend it in Bulgaria. So they are analogues of year-round tourists.
As for the elderly migrants themselves, the change of country of residence is beneficial to them mainly because of the climate and a slightly better healthcare system. In addition, moving to coastal areas, they get the opportunity not to leave the resort all season. But the local climate favorably affects the treatment of many chronic diseases, including gastroduodenal (GDZ).
You can usually learn about pensioners moving to Bulgaria at embassies or missions in their homeland. And also on their websites or portals of intermediary companies. By the way, they can help with the preparation of all necessary documents.
A nice feature of migration to this country is that by selling your apartment in the Russian Federation, you can buy almost the same in a new country for the money you earned. Some companies even offer their exchange services. However, if possible, it is better not to agree to such proposals. After all, becoming a victim of fraud in such a situation is very simple.
In their reviews of moving to Bulgaria, pensioners specify that living on a regular pension will be problematic. In this case, you will either have to open your own small business (a bakery, a family-type hotel, sell souvenirs or vegetables / fruits), or ask for help from children and grandchildren. Therefore, as a rule, either migrants with particularly high pensions, or those who already have a source of income at home, decide to migrate at an old age.
Often, a pensioner moving to Bulgaria for permanent residence is initiated by his relatives, who also want to move there. After gaining a foothold in a new country, he helps other family members with migration. By the way, this is a fairly common practice today.
What you need for this
To relocate to Bulgaria for permanent residence, a pensioner must first purchase housing here. Alternatively, you can arrange a long-term lease, if you are still not sure about your place of residence.
On average, the acquisition of real estate and the move itself will cost about 20 thousand euros (1 million 476 thousand rubles).
In order to start the procedure for obtaining permanent residence, a package of such documents translated into Bulgarian must be submitted to the Bulgarian Migration Office:
- Statement.
- A receipt on the payment of state duty in the amount of about 500 euros, or 36,890 rubles. (in case of a positive decision).
- Certificate of pension amount (data for the last 3 months). Taken at the Pension Fund. This document is proof that the future citizen will not become a financial burden for the new homeland. The amount of the migrant's pension should not be less than the minimum Bulgarian (75 euros, or 5533 rubles).
- Account statement in a Bulgarian bank. It serves as a confirmation that the pensioner has a minimum amount of means of living. As a rule, about 2 thousand euros (or about 147 500 rubles) should be in the newly opened account. In the future, the Russian pension will also be transferred here. Such an account can be opened both independently and through an intermediary.
- A document proving the provision of housing during your stay in the country. Do not forget that this can be either a contract of ownership or a lease.
- Passport and certified copies of its cover page, as well as pages where a stamp about the last border crossing is clearly visible.
- Certificate of no criminal record.
- 3x4 photos for registration of permanent residence status assignment.
As a rule, the Bulgarian Migration Commission can consider such an application within 3 months. If she has doubts about their reliability, you may be required to provide additional documents. For their consideration, another 2 months are given. Theoretically, a decision on an issue can be issued within 6 days from the date of filing a package of documents.
If the result is positive, the next day after payment of the fee a certificate is already issued.
Stages of acquiring citizenship
In most cases, when moving to Bulgaria for permanent residence with further obtaining citizenship of a given country, it is necessary to go through a number of stages:
- Obtaining a category D immigrant visa. It allows the holder to freely leave and return to Bulgaria for 180 days.
- A category D visa allows its holder to apply for a residence permit. This is the next step. Residence permit is given for 1 year, but it can be constantly renewed. This will have to be done annually for 5 years.
- Having lived in Bulgaria legally for the aforementioned period, one can apply for permanent residence.
- In order to apply for Bulgarian citizenship, you must live here in permanent residence status for another 5 years. After that, the migrant has the right to apply for citizenship.
Procedure for applying for a category D visa
To begin the procedure for obtaining this document, you need to decide on the grounds. Next, you have to make an appointment with the representative office / consulate of Bulgaria in your country and provide such a package of documents:
- Profile and 2 photos.
- A certified copy of the passport valid for at least 1.5 years.
- Certificate of no criminal record (for persons over 18 years of age).
- Medical insurance policy.
- Bank statement from a Bulgarian bank (at least 2 thousand euros, or 147.5 thousand rubles).
- Lease / ownership of housing in Bulgaria.
You will also have to provide documents that are the basis for moving to this country. This can be a certificate of registration of a commercial representative in the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and BULSTAT, a certificate of marriage, birth, Bulgarian roots, etc.
The cost of a visa is 100 euros (7380 rubles). This fee will have to be paid at the embassy immediately before submitting documents.
Documents are reviewed within 30 days from the filing date. Please note that all papers will need to be translated and certified. An exception is issued in Bulgaria.
Registration of residence permit and residence permit
If you received a category D visa, it means that your grounds for moving to Bulgaria are recognized as significant. Now you have 180 days to collect all the necessary documents to initiate the next step.
The deadline for their submission to any Bulgarian regional migration service, according to address registration, is 14 days before the visa expires.
What is included in the package of documents for applicants for a residence permit or permanent residence:
- Statement.
- Tax receipt.
- A certified copy of the passport valid for at least 1.5 years.
- Confirmation of the presence of real estate (property or rental) in Bulgaria.
- Extract from a local bank.
- Certificate of no criminal record.
After obtaining permission for a long / permanent stay in the country, the migrant is issued a personal card that confirms the legality of his stay in Bulgaria and by which he is allowed to enter here. Upon obtaining citizenship, she changes to a passport.
Intermediary Services: Pros and Cons
Quite often, people who decide to move to Bulgaria for permanent residence from Russia do not have the physical ability to constantly travel and draw up all the documents related to this, to look for suitable housing or to solve other formalities. For this case, there are many companies that provide services to migrants.
On the basis of a power of attorney, they will help to remotely open an account with a Bulgarian bank, draw up a medical insurance policy, a lease agreement, register a new sales office and translate all documents into Bulgarian. Thanks to their help, the Bulgarian Embassy will have to come only twice: submit and receive documents. All the rest, the intermediaries take over.
As for the cost of their services, it varies by type. For example, opening your own sales office in Bulgaria costs from 450 euros (a little more than 33 thousand rubles) excluding postage. Making a remote medical insurance policy for half a year will cost from 55 euros (about 4 thousand rubles). And for the intermediary to open a personal account in your Bulgarian bank account in your name with the receipt of a statement by proxy, you will have to pay from 150 euros (11 thousand rubles). All this excluding postal services.
For this money, intermediaries will solve all problems with the migration services and collect all the necessary documents for you. Thus, you do not have to spend money on constant visits to Bulgaria, stand in lines and understand all the bureaucratic nuances.
On the other hand, all these unpleasant little things are part of life in this country, and since you are planning to move, you will have to adapt to them.Therefore, if you already have where to live in Bulgaria and the deadlines are not running out, you can try to arrange everything yourself. Of course, it will take more time and effort. But sooner or later, you still have to delve into it all.
Moreover, in recent years there has been a specific trend. Migrants, barely getting settled, immediately begin to provide consulting services. It is clear that one cannot dream of a high level of service with such intermediaries. Choose you.
Tips experienced
Having read the laudatory comments about moving to Bulgaria for permanent residence from Russia, many naively believe that it is very simple, and most importantly - profitable. However, experts advise, before deciding on such a radical act, it is good to weigh everything. The fact is that many such laudatory articles or blogs are written / maintained by representatives of intermediary firms. And although many of them conduct their business in good faith, their main goal is to attract customers, that is, you. And for the sake of this, they tend to embellish the dignity of living in the country and hide the flaws to the maximum.
Therefore, if you are really interested in moving to Bulgaria for permanent residence, you should first study everything well. The following is a list of the most common tips that you might find useful.
- Before you think about moving, you should at least several times visit Bulgaria as a tourist. An ideal option would be to travel around the country and see its different areas. Of course, citizens of the Russian Federation will first have to apply for a visa.
- Even if you are clearly tuned for the final move to Bulgaria for permanent residence, you should not immediately burn all the bridges in your homeland and begin to take root in the Balkans. Experts advise at first not to buy housing, but to rent. Better in the offseason. Then, due to the lack of an influx of tourists, rental prices are reduced. In addition, if after a year of living here you want to return to your homeland, you do not have to worry for a long time with the sale of an apartment or house. Moreover, in many reviews about moving to Bulgaria they write that selling a property here always turns out to be somewhat cheaper than it was bought.
- If you do not plan to permanently live in this country or because of the specifics of your work, you will have to travel a lot, it is easier to buy a house closer to the resort area. In the months of your absence, you can take it to friends or tourists. By the way, this is one of the types of business in this country.
- When moving, personal acquaintance with a local or migrant family will help a lot. Knowing all the ins and outs, they can help with advice and deed. The best option is if it turns out to be old acquaintances whom you can trust. If there are none, there are many forums where you can be prompted with various ways to solve your problems.
- Although the Bulgarian language is very close to Russian, it is different. Do not listen to those who say that learning it is not necessary, as the locals understand Russian well. If you are aiming to move to Bulgaria for permanent residence from Russia, you must know the language of this state.
- After the language, the first thing to learn is the legislation of this country. Indeed, despite the friendliness of its inhabitants, many of them will try to sell you those services or goods that you can get for free. So it’s in your interests to clearly know your rights and obligations in your new homeland. Otherwise, it all depends on you.