Profile

long-stay residence permit — investment in an economically disadvantaged region (Foreigners Act, art. 24(1)(20))

Route status

Active as of 2026-08-25[1][3]

Open to new applications under the rules recorded below.

Residency route facts

Identity

Identity
Official name (local)разрешение за продължително пребиваване по чл. 24, ал. 1, т. 20 от ЗЧРБ as of 2026-08-25[1]
Official name (English)long-stay residence permit — investment in an economically disadvantaged region (Foreigners Act, art. 24(1)(20)) as of 2026-08-25[1]
Translation.
Legal basisЗакон за чужденците в Република България, чл. 24, ал. 1, т. 20 as of 2026-08-25[1][4]
Instrument typeresidence permit as of 2026-08-25[1]

Who can apply

Who can apply
Nationals not served by this routeEU, EEA as of 2026-08-25[2]
Criminal-record conditionYes as of 2026-08-25[1][4]

Permit terms

Permit terms
Initial durationup to 1 year as of 2026-08-25[5]
ЗЧРБ чл. 23, ал. 1, т. 2: продължително residence is 'with a permitted term of up to one year, save in the cases provided for in this Act'. The register prices the permit in two bands, up to 6 months and up to 1 year.
RenewableYes as of 2026-08-25[1]
The register's filing rule — 'no later than 14 days before the permitted stay expires' — and its provision for repeat certificates presuppose extension.
Work rightsnone as of 2026-08-25[6]
ЗТМТМ чл. 8, ал. 1, т. 2: a third-country national holding a continuous-residence permit on the ground in ЗЧРБ чл. 24, ал. 1, т. 20 has no right of access to the Bulgarian labour market. The grounds listed there are чл. 24, ал. 1, т. 2, 6 – 8, 10, 14, 16, 19 and 20, and the list is closed.

Permanent residence and citizenship

Permanent residence and citizenship
Counts toward permanent residenceNot established from a qualifying source

Requirements

Requirements
Investment options
    • Option: bg-prodalzhitelno-neblagopriyaten-region-kapital
    • Asset class: business capital
    • Minimum amount: BGN 250,000 one-off as of 2026-08-25[1][4]
      Source states the threshold in Bulgarian leva. Bulgaria adopted the euro on 2026-01-01 at the fixed rate 1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN; none of the sources consulted publishes a redenominated figure for this threshold.
    • Restrictions: Not less than BGN 250,000 contributed to the capital of a Bulgarian commercial company in an economically disadvantaged region within the meaning of the Investment Promotion Act, where the foreigner is a partner or shareholder with registered shares holding not less than 50 per cent of the capital; as a result new tangible and intangible fixed assets worth not less than BGN 250,000 must have been acquired and at least 5 jobs for Bulgarian citizens created and maintained for the duration of the residence, certified by the Ministry of Innovation and Growth. The assets must be located and operated in a disadvantaged region at the date the investment started. Disadvantaged regions are municipalities whose unemployment rate equals or exceeds the national average; the list is approved by order of the Minister of Innovation and Growth and published in the State Gazette. The jobs requirement applies to each foreign person separately. Implementing rules: ППЗЧРБ чл. 14, ал. 1 and чл. 29б.
Source-of-funds checksYes as of 2026-08-25[4]

Process

Process
Where to apply fromin-country only as of 2026-08-25[1][5]
ЗЧРБ чл. 23, ал. 5 requires the application for продължително (long-stay) residence to be filed in person at the Migration Directorate or a regional Migration unit; the register states it is filed no later than 14 days before the permitted stay or the type D visa expires. Entry is on a type D visa under чл. 15, ал. 1.
Statutory processing timeup to 14 days as of 2026-08-25[1]
Register: up to 14 days from filing, extendable by one month where the case is legally or factually complex or additional documents are required.
Fees
    • Kind: application
    • Amount: BGN 10 one-off as of 2026-08-25[1]
      Source states the threshold in Bulgarian leva. Bulgaria adopted the euro on 2026-01-01 at the fixed rate 1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN; none of the sources consulted publishes a redenominated figure for this threshold.
    • Charged per: application
    • Paid by: applicant
    • Condition: payable on filing
    • Kind: issuance
    • Amount: BGN 200 one-off as of 2026-08-25[1]
      Source states the threshold in Bulgarian leva. Bulgaria adopted the euro on 2026-01-01 at the fixed rate 1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN; none of the sources consulted publishes a redenominated figure for this threshold.
    • Charged per: applicant
    • Paid by: applicant
    • Condition: permit issued for up to 6 months
    • Kind: issuance
    • Amount: BGN 500 one-off as of 2026-08-25[1]
      Source states the threshold in Bulgarian leva. Bulgaria adopted the euro on 2026-01-01 at the fixed rate 1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN; none of the sources consulted publishes a redenominated figure for this threshold.
    • Charged per: applicant
    • Paid by: applicant
    • Condition: permit issued for up to 1 year
Quota
  • Quota exists: Not established from a qualifying source

Physical presence

Physical presence
none statedto keep the permit as of 2026-08-25[1]

Family inclusion

Family inclusion
Family members may be includedYes as of 2026-08-25[5]
Eligible relationsNot established from a qualifying source
Family members' work rightsNot established from a qualifying source

Your next step

Read the requirements above considering your own situation: the income multiple, the absence limits, who you can bring. Check the country record for the reference figure those amounts are calculated from, and for anything that has changed recently.

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Verification

Verification
Sources cited6
of which official (tier 1)6
Oldest as-of date2026-08-25
Newest as-of date2026-08-25
Reviewed on2026-08-26
Schema version1.1

Sources

  1. [1] Разрешаване на продължително пребиваване на чужденци — информация за предоставяне на услуга
    Администрация на Министерския съвет — Административен регистър (ИИСДА) · official guidance · Tier 1 · Accessed 2026-08-25
  2. [2] 1077 Разрешаване на постоянно пребиваване на чужденци — информация за предоставяне на услуга
    Администрация на Министерския съвет — Административен регистър (ИИСДА) · official guidance · Tier 1 · Accessed 2026-08-25
  3. [3] 2372 Издаване на удостоверения за извършени инвестиции за целите на разрешаване на пребиваване в страната
    Министерство на иновациите и растежа · official portal · Tier 1 · Accessed 2026-08-25
  4. [4] Правила за издаване на удостоверения от Министерството на иновациите и растежа по чл. 24, ал. 1, т. 20, чл. 25, ал. 1, т. 7, чл. 25, ал. 1, т. 13 във връзка с чл. 25в и чл. 25, ал. 1, т. 16 от ЗЧРБ
    Министерство на иновациите и растежа · official guidance · Tier 1 · Published 2023-06-05 · Accessed 2026-08-25
  5. [5] Закон за чужденците в Република България (консолидиран текст)
    Министерство на иновациите и растежа (публикуван текст на закона) · statute · Tier 1 · Published 2022-03-18 · Accessed 2026-08-25 · Amended by bg-dv-zid-zchrb-52-2025
  6. [6] Закон за трудовата миграция и трудовата мобилност (консолидиран текст, PDF)
    Министерство на труда и социалната политика · statute · Tier 1 · Accessed 2026-08-25

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