NEW LAW ON FOREIGNERS IN THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
A new Law regulating the terms and conditions under which foreigners can enter, stay or leave the Republic of Bulgaria, was published in the Official Gazette No 153 of 1998. The Law rescinded the old one on foreigners' stay in the Republic of Bulgaria that was effective till then.

GENERAL PROVISIONS OF THE LAW ON FOREIGNERS
A foreigner as per this Law is any person who is not a Bulgarian citizen. The foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria have all the rights and obligations according to the Bulgarian laws and the ratified international agreements of which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party, except those requiring a Bulgarian citizenship.

For any foreigners enjoying diplomatic or consular immunity and privileges, the generally accepted norms of international, diplomatic and consular laws, as well as the ratified international agreements of which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party, shall be applied.

The foreigners working in Bulgaria on the grounds of a permit issued by the respective authorities, have the rights and obligations of the Bulgarian citizens, unless provided otherwise by the international agreements of which Bulgaria is a party.

ENTRY OF FOREIGNERS TO THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
A foreigner may enter the Republic of Bulgaria if he has the valid papers for travelling abroad or any other substitute documents, as well as a visa for entry, stay or transit passing through the country when such a visa is required. Visas are not required when there is a bilateral agreement between Bulgaria and native country of the foreigner or an Act of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria for a non-visa regime.
A short-term visa shall be issued to any foreigner upon a single entry for a period of 90 days.

A long-term visa shall be issued to a foreigner who can enter the country without any limits and the period of stay upon each entry shall be 90 days. The validity of this visa shall not exceed 12 months.

An airport transfer visa shall be issued to a foreigner who travels by air and changes his flight in the Republic of Bulgaria; he should leave the country taking the first flight.

A transit visa shall be issued to a foreigner who will enter the Republic of Bulgaria via a specific border check - point of a country, and he should leave the country within 24 hours through the border check - point of another country.
Upon entry to the Republic of Bulgaria, a foreigner shall declare the purpose and address of his stay.

Any foreigner who enters the Republic of Bulgaria or travels transit through the country, should possess the following:

• the necessary financial funds for support;
• the necessary financial funds to leave the country;
• entry or single entry fast track visas, if necessary;
• obligatory insurance as per an Act of the Council of Ministers;
• other documents specified by an international contract or an Act of the Council of Ministers.

Any foreigner who enters, stays or travels transit with a vehicle through the country by land, by air or by sea, should possess the following:

• a permit for the vehicle, when such is required as per the Bulgarian legislation and the international agreements of which Bulgaria is a party;
• documents ascertaining the registration of the vehicle;
• documents ascertaining the ownership of the vehicle;
• obligatory insurance;
• driving licence.

STAY OF FOREIGNERS IN BULGARIA
Foreigners can stay in the Republic of Bulgaria either for a short term or for a long term.

The long - term stay can be either continuous (with a permission for a definite period of up to one year), or permanent with a permission for an indefinite period of time.

The short-term stay is up to 90 days as of the date of entering the country. The term can be prolonged by the by the authorities for administrative control of foreigners for reasons of humanitarian character. Any foreigner who is staying in the country for a short period of time whose document for travelling abroad has been replaced by a new one, can leave the country only after notifying the authorities for administrative control of the foreigners, unless otherwise provided by an international agreement of which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party.

The foreigners staying for a short-term period on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria can have an employment contract only after receiving a permit by the authorities of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy. These foreigners can work only for the employer and for the term specified by the permit for work.

A long-term permit can be received by the foreigners who:

• have a permit issued by the authorities of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy to work in the Republic of Bulgaria under an employment contract;
• carry out trade or other activities in the country in compliance with the labor legislation;
• are enrolled as regular students at licensed educational institutions;
• are foreign specialists staying in the country as per certain international agreements of which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party;
• have a reason to get a permit for permanent residence, or are married either to a Bulgarian citizen or to other foreign persons that have permits for permanent stay;
• are managers of representation offices of foreign trade companies registered with the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
• are financially secured parents of foreigners that have permits for permanent stay in the country;
• have undergone a long medical treatment at a medical institution and have financial funds for medical treatment and support;
• are correspondents of the foreign media and have their credentials in the Republic of Bulgaria;
• have pensions secured and have at their disposal enough funds for support in the country;
• carry out activities as per the Law on Foreign Investments;
• carry out activities as per the order or request of persons that have made investments in the country pursuant to the Law on Foreign Investments;
• are members of the family of a foreigner who has a permit for permanent residence.

A foreigner who has a permit for a long-term stay, can leave the country and then come back without any visa until expiring date of the permit.

The Foreigners with permits for a long-term stay on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria can carry out activities under an employment contract only after they have received a permission by the authorities of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy. These foreigners can work only for the employer and the term specified by the working permit.

A permit for permanent residence can be obtained by any foreigners, when:

• they are of Bulgarian nationality;
• two years after their marriage to a Bulgarian citizen or to any other foreign person who has a permit for permanent residence in the country;
• juvenile and minor children of a Bulgarian citizen, or of a foreign person with a permit for permanent residence in the country, who are not married;
• parents of Bulgarian citizens;
• persons staying permanently in Bulgaria on legal grounds during the last five years, not including in this term the period of regular education at the licensed Bulgarian educational institution;
• persons who have made investments in the country amounting to more than US$250,000.00, as per the law.

A foreigner who has a permit for permanent residence can enter and leave the country without any visa. These foreigners can be employed to work in Bulgaria as per the rules for Bulgarian citizens.

The foreigners who have entered the country for one reason, shall not be allowed to prolong their stay on the grounds of another reason, except emergency cases that cannot be delayed or if there is a marriage with a Bulgarian citizen.