🇧🇬 Bulgaria closes the loophole: permanent residence is no longer a “backup airfield”
Thousands of foreigners kept Bulgarian permanent residence in their pocket as insurance and a European status that required no actual relocation.
It seems this scheme is living out its final months.
🔑 What the scheme was
Bulgarian permanent residence gave a foreigner the status of a permanent resident of an EU country with the freedom to live anywhere: in Dubai, London, Moscow, New York.
It was enough to invest money and be formally registered as a resident. No real move, no 183 days a year, no tie to the country whatsoever.
Now the government has decided this no longer works.
⚖️ What is being proposed
Bill No. 52-602-01-29, submitted to parliament on July 28, 2026, introduces one simple but tough rule:
Want to keep your Bulgarian permanent residence? Live in Bulgaria for more than 183 days a year.
The EU long-term resident status was left untouched — there, it’s still enough not to be absent from the EU for a long stretch. The blow is aimed specifically at the national Bulgarian permanent residence.
💸 Investors in the crosshairs
This is especially painful for those who entered through investment programs. Entry thresholds after Bulgaria’s switch to the euro:
→ ~€511 thousand — investment in Bulgarian funds and a number of other instruments
→ ~€1.02 million — certain types of securities
→ ~€3.07 million — large investment instruments
The money is invested, the status obtained, but that’s no longer enough. The bill makes no exception for investors. Want permanent residence? Move.
That’s why Bulgaria’s investment program risks losing its main selling point for its core audience: people who wanted a European passport in a drawer, not an actual life in Sofia.
Worth noting: Bulgaria already scrapped citizenship-by-investment earlier under pressure from Brussels. Now it’s permanent residence’s turn.
👥 Who else is affected
The bill hits wider than it looks. The new rules cover:
→ those who got permanent residence after years of living in Bulgaria but later left
→ certain family members of Bulgarian citizens
→ foreigners of Bulgarian origin
→ anyone who works or runs a business in the EU, UK, US, CIS, or the Middle East while keeping their Bulgarian status
🆕 What else the reform changes
The same package includes other changes:
🔹 Lost your job — you don’t automatically lose your residence permit. Foreigners with a Single Permit get a grace period to look for a new employer, but only with official registration at the Employment Agency
🔹 Late with the notification — say goodbye to your residence permit. A temporarily unemployed foreigner must notify the Migration Directorate within a strictly set deadline. Miss it, and it’s grounds for cancellation
🔹 Border screening. The Interior Ministry gets the power to run comprehensive checks on migrants — both at entry and inside the country
🔹 Fines recalculated in euros — a technical conversion as part of the euro transition, the actual amounts haven’t changed
⏳ The main question: what happens to those who already have permanent residence?
The bill hasn’t been passed yet — it has only just been submitted for review to the relevant committees. MPs could soften the 183-day requirement, add exceptions, or a transition period.
But here’s the problem: in its current wording, there is no transition mechanism at all. That means the law could potentially hit people who obtained permanent residence under completely different rules and built their plans around them.
Lawyers are already calling this one of the key questions for the upcoming parliamentary review.
📌 In short
Bulgaria is changing the very meaning of “permanent residence.” It used to be a status. Now it’s an obligation.We offer professional assistance in the preparation of all necessary documents and support at every stage of the process. Our team has extensive experience in migration law and guarantees an individual approach to each client.
Why choose us?
- Professional lawyers with experience
- Full support at all stages
- Fast and high-quality registration
Contact us today and take the first step towards a new life in Bulgaria! Our office is located opposite the IGR (Migration) in the city of Burgas.
Write to us by mail: oknobg@gmail.com
or call/write to WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram
Phone +359878145348 (Bulgaria)
