In addition to the possibilities for obtaining protection as a refugee оr temporary protection, Ukrainian citizens also have legal opportunities to settle their residence in accordance with the Law on Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria.
If you are a citizen of Ukraine and hold a valid biometric passport, you can enter and reside in Bulgaria for a period of 90 days within every 180 days. Nevertheless, there are ways to extend your stay.
1) You are entitled to a one-time extension of your visa-free stay for humanitarian reasons related to hostilities in your country of origin. For this purpose, you must personally submit an application form to the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior or to the Migration Department at the Regional Directorates of the Ministry of Interior before the expiry of 90 days from your entry into Bulgaria. You must attach to the application:
- a copy of your passport (bring the original for verification);
- evidence of humanitarian reasons;
- evidence that you have means of subsistence, housing and medical insurance for the duration of the extended stay.
2) If you are a family member (spouse, child) of a foreigner with an extended, long-term or permanent residence permit in Bulgaria or if you are a family member of a Bulgarian citizen, you are entitled to apply for a single extended residence permit for up to 1 year. In this case, you are exempt from the obligation to have a "D" visa. The documents you need to submit are:
- application form;
- copy of a regular passport (bring the original for verification);
- document for paid state fee of 10 BGN;
- proof of insured housing;
- compulsory medical insurance on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria;
- evidence of sufficient means of subsistence in an amount not less than the minimum monthly wage, the minimum scholarship or the minimum pension in the country, for the duration of the stay on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria;
- criminal record certificate;
- documents concerning the existence of exceptional circumstances (related to the war in Ukraine).
After obtaining the permit, if you are granted residency for 6 months, you must pay a state fee of 200 BGN, and if you are granted residency for more than 6 months up to 1 year, a fee of 500 BGN is charged.
3) If you are of Bulgarian descent (at least one of your ascending relatives is Bulgarian), you have the opportunity to obtain a residence permit in Bulgaria under a simplified procedure (without the need to have a "D" visa, without having to prove the availability of housing and sufficient means of subsistence, etc.).
To determine which is the best option for your particular situation, consult a specialist.
- Log in to post comments
