Temporary residence permit- help

As far as I am aware you just need to visit a local police station to apply for visa extention once in the country, best to also have an interpreter handy. Which area are you looking to buy property in? Perhaps I can assist.

That’s incorrect.

To stay longer than 90 days you need to apply for a D Visa and this needs to be done in the country you live in. But you need an address to do that, so a rental agreement would be applicable in this situation. Best to get some legal advice on this as the criteria for obtaining D visa are not easy-unless you are retired, ie receiving a pension, it will likely cost you a few thousand pounds.

However I can’t imagine needing that long to find somewhere to live. There is a lot of information online, including properties available, our agent did video tours of the villages, local life etc, so I already knew my way round the area and knew the house I was going to buy before I even set foot here.

If an agent isn’t quite so holistic in their offering there are a ton of videos by tourists, travellers and residents alike all over You Tube. Those should give you a feel for places and narrow down those you want to examine more closely.

It is not incorrect. The visa can still be obtained by applying at the local police station and it is not at all difficult to obtain.

@Ilko Tsanev

You need to buy a property first

Then once you have the deeds apply for a residence card..its for 5 yrs

2nd one is for 5 yrs also

Then a permanent redidence card

Then no reason to stamp your passport..so you can forget the 90 day rule. Need proof of your invome..credit ir debit cards suffice.but will need to show proof.even pensions if your old enough. Healthcare proof too..but EHIC will suffice.

Good luck..thats what i did..but i am retired

You missing the initial question, she ask if she can extend the 90 days whilst looking for a property to buy.

If you have a eu passport then the 90 days does not count otherwise with Uk passport 90 days in 6 month period.

Sorry there are such wrong comments here.

if it is so easy to get a long stay visa at the police station why are so many people going through Embassies and immigration lawyers etc at much expense and inconvenience?

you can’t just apply for residence any more, it was possible in the past, now you have to hold the long stay D visa first. Be wary of people telling you what they did pre Brexit, it means nothing now.

I’m not repeating myself, check requirements online, just Google D visa Bulgaria and see what you need to do.

You are correct Helen, Some people still confusing pre brexit and post brexit rules.

All depends on the persons status if eu or non eu.

Ilko, I think you are missing the fact that  Monique is a UK citizen. Thanks to Brexit things are a lot more complicated for British citizens who wish to settle in Bulgaria. I wish it was as simple as applying at the police station! But at present Brits, like other non-EU citizens, only get 90  days per 180 days, unless they meet very specific requirements to get a D visa.

If there is an easier way, I would love to know what it is!

After checking carefully you are right. Unfortunately the rules have changed and non EU citizens are in great disadvantage. Visa D can only be obtained outside Bulgaria back from the original country of residence of the non-Bulgarian national. That means if you stay longer than 90 days you should go back to UK and apply for a D visa. This is obviously inconvenient and unfair I have seen before te EU foreigners applying for visa extensions within the country. However enploying a bulgarian immigration lawyer can speed things up and I read people get their visas for within 20 days. As well as there are 18 reasons you can apply for a visa D so plenty of options.

The most important question I need to ask is:

Is the property be a ground of residence permit in Bulgaria.

As I see from what you mentioned, you do not hold any temporary residence permit.

Do you aware of the fact that only properties above 300 000 EUR can be used for a residence permits?

But this is in case you are not a pensioner for example.

When you answer these questions,then we will be more precise.

And finally they can be connected with these 90 days, depending of the process.

@VasilevDo you aware of the fact that only properties above 300 000 EUR can be used for a residence permits?

Where on earth have you got this information from?

It's incorrect, please do your due diligence before sharing incorrect information.

@Monique Woodcock D visa ,Google   Visa   for  Bulgaria

@Ilko Tsanev  Im sorry but for a non Eu citizen, like the british you have to apply for a D visa from your home country. It cannot be done at a police station.

Its not as easy as it used to be since Brexit...........if you do not live in the EU, then they are making it quite difficult to actually get a D visa. Lots of hoops to jump through

@Jules999 The exact price is 306 775 EUR or 600 000 BGN.

Yes, there are some other investment option which can include real estates less than that amount, but they are connected with other requirements.

All that allpies to non-EU citizens.

And do not confuse the requirement for some lind of shelter/address for Visa D and residence permit for EU and non-EU citizens with the investment in real estates as an option for long term residence permit. First is obligatpry, second is one of the many options.

@Vasilev  Are you trying to say that if you were wealthy enough to afford a property of that value, as a non EU citizen, that would be your only requirement to fulfill the D visa & residency status?????

@Jules999

Purchasing a property for 600 K BGN is AN OPTION, from the same range of being a student, pensioner, freelancer, employee, and 20 more for long term residence permit. For Permanent residence permit the OPTIONS are differemt and if they are investment, they are bigger and harder.

As you see Bulgarian residence is not only for wealthy, but if you cannot meet the other requirements, but you can afford to purchase such a property you can apply for this.

Having a Bulgarian address is an OBLIGATORY REQUIREMENT along with one of these options. Rented house or apartment or your own one - it is your choise and its price isn't connected with the options and your permission.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think that anyone can settle in the UK if they're rich enough, so why not in Bulgaria and other countries?

Do you aware of the fact that only properties above 300 000 EUR can be used for a residence permits?

-@Vasilev

Can always trust lawyers? No this be #fake

@GB_2_BG Allaways trust lawyers. Please, read Foreigners Act.

Hello everyone,

Please, read Foreigners Act.

@Vasilev, is there a link that you can share to redirect us to this act, please?

Thank you,

Cheryl

Expat.com team

@HelenDinBG

Hello Helen,  you mentioned that I need to apply for the D visa in the UK before I go to Bulgaria. I would just like to clarify, do I need to go to Bulgaria first then come back to UK or just apply in UK for I go anywhere?

Also I do not have a land address in the UK as I live on a narrow boat on the Kennet and Avon canal. My plan was to go to Bulgaria show that I have sufficient funds to get a D visa and at the same time get a rental contact as proof of address and then start my search for a home to buy!

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Monique

@HelenDinBG

Hello Helen, I have just spoken to Tanya Dimitrova from visaforbulgaria. She told me that their is little hope of me getting a D visa even their I have sufficient funds to prove I could support myself. I think the only option for me is to get a property and use it as a holiday place for 90 days and then retire their when I get my UK pension!

@Monique Woodcock remember your 90 days in BG dont count towards your EU Schengen 90 days.

You can stay 90 in BG then 90 in a Schengen zone EU country: Spain, Croatia etc

Or get a second house in Serbia? Macedonia? Use up your 90 days there too.

Hi,Everyone seems to miss the point,If the 3 months is not enough,you can do almost six months on the bounce with a overnight in Turkey at the end of 3months or anywhere barr Bulgaria,you just need to work your dates out and do a wkend in Bulgaria right at the start of your 1st 90day block..Rember it's an Adventure 👍

@Cheryl Yes, of course. It's a public document -

https://www.lex.bg/mobile/ldoc/2134455296

But I warn everybody that this Act not to be assumed as a legal advice in every aspect, because the matter is complex and detailed.

I advice everyone who has any doubt about his options for legal stay in Bulgaria to hire a professional advisor to help him through the whole administration procedure.

No need to hire anyone. Stop paying for free information.

Hi,Everyone seems to miss the point,If the 3 months is not enough,you can do almost six months on the bounce with a overnight in Turkey at the end of 3months or anywhere barr Bulgaria,you just need to work your dates out and do a wkend in Bulgaria right at the start of your 1st 90day block..Rember it's an Adventure 👍
-@Newlifebg

You cant.

It's 90 days within 180 days.

Monique, sorry there wasn't an easier way. One quicker option (depending how far you are from retirement) could be to start a UK company (I believe it doesn't need to be making money) and then after two years apply for a D visa as a Trade Representative Overseas. I am considering that one, as I'm still five years from retirement age.