Moving to Bulgaria - questions

Hello,

Let's clarify everything: all you are talking about is a residency process - Visa D + residence permit+ ID card of a foreigner.

Regarding this, you are obliged to present all required documents (pensioner documents, health insurance, bank statments, etc) at the beginning of the process. One part of them are the evidence for the ground you are using to obyain Bulgarian residence and the rest are accompanying documents ( for non- criminal status, funding for living).

@Taaliak

Welcome to the expat.com forum, and good luck with your retirement in Bulgaria!

Retirement (any age, but with an official private or public pension) is one of the easiest ways to qualify for D visa and residence, so it should not be overly challenging. But you gotta give them exactly what they ask for, as you know that bureaucrats can be a little picky.

@Vasilev is an immigration expert, so his guidance is very useful.

I think you'll find the following pages very helpful. It's from the Bulgarian Embassy in USA, but the requirements and process should be pretty much identical at the Bulgarian Embassy in South Africa.

General visa info, including D visa

http://www.bulgaria-embassy.org/en/consular-services/visa-for-bulgaria/

D visa-specific documentation

http://www.bulgaria-embassy.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/VISA-TYPE-D-VISA.pdf

As @Vasilev says, you need proof of your eligibility for a particular D visa category. So you must have an official letter or other proof that you are now entitled to a pension. The Bulgarian minimum wage is 360 euros per month, and I'd be very surprised if your pension was less than this.

The other documents are supporting documents for all/most visa applications. In particular, the key proofs are proof of address in Bulgaria, proof of funds, and proof of health insurance.

- The address is normally the Notary Act (deed) of a property you purchased, or a long-term rental contract.

- Funds are required to show you are financially independent, so this is your pension and/or savings. Based on the Bulgarian minimum wage you don't need huge savings, so this will be the easiest aspect of your application. The best proof is funds already in your Bulgarian bank account, with an official bank-stamped statement (not printed off the internet).

- Health insurance is required so that Bulgaria won't have to pay to fix you, if you get sick. There's a Health Insurance for Foreigners policy which costs less than 100 euros.

If you want to visit Bulgaria first (maybe you want to look at the country, or go property hunting) several of these proofs are very easy to do in person. You can come over on a tourist visa, or I'd imagine that a South African passport will allow you visa-free visits of up to 90 days in 180 days. You can find a place to rent, and get the rental contract (or buy a place, and get the Notary Act). You can go to an insurance broker and get the health insurance policy. You can open a Bulgarian bank account, and put a few thousand euros in it, and get an official bank-stamped statement. Then you go back to South Africa and include these proofs in your D visa application there.

I'm lazy, and I'd prefer not to fly over first... especially if I'm flying all the way from South Africa. It's a long and expensive trip. I'd rather avoid the aggravation, and spend a bit of money to get the proofs remotely. You can rent the cheapest studio possible for around 200 euros per month, and make sure the landlord notarizes the rental contract and his landlord declaration. Or you can ask a Bulgarian attorney to organize a rental contract for immigration for 500 euros or so. There are a couple of insurance brokers who do online sales and will send your policy by email. Or you can pay your Bulgarian attorney to pick up an insurance policy, as well as do the rental contract. You can't open a Bulgarian bank account remotely, but Bulgarian banks are now reluctant to open accounts for non-residents, so you have a good reason for not coming over to do this. I am confident the Embassy will accept your finances if you have a generous pension entitlement and a statement for your savings/investment account in South Africa.

Everything you provide for your D visa should be valid from (or before) the date you want to fly to Bulgaria, and want your D visa to start. They will still be (or should be) valid when you get to Bulgaria and go do your residence application.

@Taaliak

First of all - congratulations on your decision to move to Bulgaria!

The answer of your first question is During the initial D visa process you have to have an insurance (you can get one applying online for the visa D, but for the application in Bulgaria you have to present the original police, which you have to get from an office of your chosen insurance company)

The second question is about your bank account. At the stage in the embassy applying for visa D you don't need to present a Bulgarian bank account, but your have to show them your current account. You have to present a Bulgarian bank account with sufficient money deposit once when you are in Bulgaria, supporting your own application for a residents card.

Good luck!

@Vasilev thank you, I understand.

@FerreiraM thank you much appreciated.

@gwynj  thank you. I will go thru all the information you have provided.

Unfortunately my pension is really minute! But let's see what happens.

@Taaliak

Well, I quoted the Bulgaria minimum wage as most folks have pensions bigger this. I don't think this is the minimum required, so don't be put off applying if your pension is less.

But... how "minute" do you mean?

The rule for qualifying for D visa is that you are retired in your own country, with a pension.

The financial means proof IS based on the minimum salary, and 360 euros monthly x a year is less than 4,500 euros. If you have both your pension, and savings significantly over this amount, my guess is that you would be OK. But for a definitive answer, we probably need someone more expert than me to weigh in.

I am not an expert by any means, but I did apply for and receive a "D" visa based on retiree status.  I'm a U.S. citizen, retired.  I submitted proof of my two pensions (one from my home state employment, one from the federal government).  I was told that either would have been sufficient in itself.  The proof of pension had to be in the form of a letter from the relevant government agencies, with signature and stamp. These letters had to state the amount of the pension, and had to state clearly that I would receive that amount for life. (I then had to have these apostilled).  Per my lawyer, the pension amount just had to exceed the Bulgarian minimum wage, as previously stated above. Of course I also had to provide the FBI background check, a letter from my Bulgarian bank verifying the amount in the account, a rental contract (notarized) and landlord's declaration, and insurance.

You will love your new experience is Bulgaria, I urge you to be a constant reader of this blog.   The most reliable information I have seen is posted by GWYNJ, 

The country is evolving and many laws are inconsistent and contradictory to what many of us are used to.  Go slow and obtain a second and third opinion prior to doing anything.

Visa D is a snap if you are retired.   Yes, you need all the documents, insurance, bank account showing your retirement check is sent to a bg bank, minimum funds in the bank etc.  A good immigration attorney is a must to walk you through the process if you do not speak the language.  I have been here 5 years and am beginning to be comfortable in my language skills and still use interpreters to be sure I fully understand contracts. 

Again, without use this site for any question no matter how basic.   There are many good people on it who truly want to assist other expats. 

Good advice! Visa D is a snap if you are retired!

Dont let the I'm alright Jack crowd put you off.

But remember this is not America. You do not need an  immigration attorney! You go to the embassy and fill in the form. Simples.

@Vasilev  hello,

I wanted to check, regarding the Appostillation if documents.

Do these need to be done by DIRCO?

OR.

Can the documents be appostilated by a Magistrate/ Judge in court.

Would appreciate your input.

@FerreiraM hello

I was wondering if you could advise me.

Regarding the Appostillation process.

Does the Appostillation have to be done by DIRCO

Or

Can it be done in court by a Judge/magistrate?

In my case (U.S.) the apostille for my state pension had to be done by my state Attorney General's office:  First, I had to have the document notarized in the usual manner.  Then, the notarized document  had to be submitted with the proper request form to my state's Attorney General's office (I think that in some U.S. states, apostille is done by the Secretary of State, but you can find out on your state government's website, if you're in the U.S.)  My federal pension and FBI background check had to be notarized, as above, and then sent to the State Department of the U.S. to be apostilled.  I chose to hire a company that specializes in walking such applications through the process, but of course you can do it yourself.  If you're not in the U.S., the procedure will likely be similar, but the details, of course, will differ.

@Taaliak

Here's a relevant link for a company that will get the apostille for you (and it sounds like DIRCO only).

I'd guess you'd legalize your criminal record certificate, and your pension confirmation (if it's a government / public pension).

https://apostil.co.za/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwhsmaBhCvARIsAIbEbH6r_nFKVww_71RKDvc6sQTuQGJpff8CTIR5Fexf4FGwxAw7KysCSHAaAhpZEALw_wcB

It is interesting on how many different experiences users recite on this and many topics.  I have also had different experiences on identical issues in different cities and I suspect that it is which "Inmates are running the asylum" meaning that every local government office is ruled (not managed) by a person who decides the rules in his/he/ it/she/her/ them/ those etc. area of authority. So it is like it is in every country-- Local rule and local management. Learn to suck it up and go with the flow to get along.  You cannot argue with a bureaucrat and expect to either win or impact change.  They do not listen as their jobs are for life. 

hi all

Is there anyone on this site who has recently obtained there D Type Visa in the UK  for Bulgaria.. im a little confused about the requirements for the translation of my ACRO check and my Company pension letter.

Iv tried to get the BG embassy to help me but they dont Reply to me

The paperwork from Embassy says Translation may be done by an accredited translator, they give a site address with there accredited translators are on there, no proplem there and  im already in contact with one.

The next part is that the translation is certified by the BG Embassy.  now im in unknown territory because i dont know if this is done before i go for my interview or at the interview.    and if its before how is this enacted ?    i dont live near London and its a major task to go + i hate London when i do go .. so im hoping someone can tell me what to do about this because the Embassy wont tell me

Phil

@philip Mckay

All the info is online so I suspect the Bulgarian Embassy just wants to see your completed application, rather than answer questions! And I don't think they'll ask you for an interview unless you've applied (and the application looks good). :-)

In general, these visa (and residence) applications are a bit of a pain, and can cost a few quid due to needing certain documents, and legalisation, and translation. And you need to figure out which docs you need, and whether they need legalisation or translation or both. And, of course, the cost of couriers, notaries, and trekking down to London! But if you want the D visa, then you have to do what they want.

Legalisation is done at a specific place in London. You have to pay online, print a cover page, and send them the document. This applies to official publicly issued docs like birth and marriage certificates and criminal record checks.

https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised

Documents in English need to be translated into Bulgarian. And the translator needs to be a Bulgarian certified translator (who will put the appropriate stamps on the document). Plenty here in Bulgaria, or I think you can do it by using a translator recommended by the Embassy, and the Embassy will check it and certify it. The translator must have the original document, as they bind the original and translation together and put stamps on every page/corner.

Notarized docs are the same, it must be a Bulgarian notary (here in Bulgaria). Or you can use a UK notary, but then you have to get it legalised. Or you can visit the Bulgarian Embassy as they can be a notary (hence the translation service).

You also need (I think) a way to show Bulgarian health insurance and a Bulgarian address. So don't forget those!

You can do it remotely, but it gets expensive (e.g. courier your doc to a Bulgarian translator in Sofia, they courier the translated/certified version back to the UK).

Typically, you either have two visits to the Bulgarian Embassy (pre-application for certifying translations and notarizing documents, then interview post-application), or a visit to Bulgaria (look around, find a place to live, do your translations, notarizations, rental contract, etc.)  gets you ready to apply, and a visit to the Embassy for your interview.

Good luck!

OMG! I don't know about anyone else, but I'm totally confused now!

@grumpyoldbird

Nah, you'll be fine. :-)

Official visa info:

https://www.mfa.bg/en/services-travel/consular-services/travel-bulgaria/visa-bulgaria

D visa requirements:

https://www.mfa.bg/upload/716/VISA_TYPE_D.pdf

Got mine last year in May, now on my 2nd year prolonged stay identity card.

@GinnyHench I also have two pensions, so what I am gathering from your post is that it is not necessary to present both. It would be a lot easier to present the $1,700 pension, as the documentation is easier to get. Is that enough funds or do they want you to present more, I am not sure what the minimum wage equates to. Thanks.

@D H16 That one pension should be plenty enough. The Bulgarian minimum wage is now 780 BGN which at the current exchange rate is $423 a month.

Hi

The minimum wage for Bulgaria in set at 933lv for Jan 2024..  well below your pension

@D H16 Hi - I don't know how much the pension currently needs to be -- if one pension is more than the required amount, then I would think it's ok just to submit that one.  When I applied, each of my pensions exceeded the minimum, which is why I was told that I could have submitted either one.

Hi guys. I am planning on moving to sofia due to a business opportunity and was wondering if someone in the forum would be willing to speak with me on the phone in the upcoming weeks to answer some questions and doubts i have. Thanks a lot

Teo

Hey all,

         I have been reading this forum and had a quick question. My pension begins in Oct, but will they accept our savings when we setup our BG bank account? Are there any specific banks anyone can recommend? We are already RB (Raiffeisen) acct holders here. Thanks

@RexTechGuy.

Sadly it varies from area to areas, but i would say look to have access to the amount the same as the minimum wage, about 800lv a month. We have never had to show a bank statement, the fact that we had a bank account with cards was enough, someone did post that they had to have 6000 euros when they applied.

The initial process is very easy to obtain a visa.( At least it was for me in the US).

Second step is when you apply in Bulgaria for extended permit. For this it it good to hire a lawyer to do all the paperwork/ and the assistant to do all the translations/notaries. They will help you get the health insurance as well.If you do that it will be  a breeze in Bulgaria too.

Everyone in Migration Sofia was nice and polite. And the wait was no more than 10 minutes each time. Good Luck!!!