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Bulgaria · Residence-based status

Bulgaria Permanent Residence for a Non-EU Family Member of an EU Citizen

10 facts quoted from the official source

For a non-EU family member who has resided lawfully with the EU citizen in Bulgaria for five continuous years.

Route type
Residence-based status
Can bring
—
Not stated in the official source
Requirements
3
each quoted below
Who qualifies

Who this route is for

Every item below is the government’s own wording, quoted from the official source. Whether you personally qualify depends on your full profile.

3 requirements quoted from the official source.

The conditions that decide it
  • Prior Eu Family Residence RequiredThe applicant must hold residence as a non-EU family member of an EU citizen.
  • Residence With Principal RequiredThe ordinary route requires residence together with the EU principal.
  • Retained Right Periods May CountQualifying retained-right periods may count toward permanent residence.
Also stated by the source
  • Application Lead Time MonthsThe application is filed two months before expiry of the current residence.
  • Eligibility summaryArticle 19 provides permanent residence after five years for the non-EU family member.
  • Lawful Continuous Residence Years MinFive years of lawful continuous residence is required.
  • Loss After Absence YearsThe permanent right is lost after more than two consecutive years outside Bulgaria.
  • Official source basisArticle 19 provides permanent residence after five years for the non-EU family member.
  • Report summaryArticle 19 provides permanent residence after five years for the non-EU family member.
Family

Who you can bring

— Not stated in the official source. The official page for this route does not address dependent-family rights, so we do not publish a claim either way.
Costs & timelines

What the source prices

Processing time
1 proven from the official source.
  • Processing Time Months MaxThe permanent residence document is issued within one month.
How it works

From here to a yes

See if you qualify — freeThe 3-minute check scores your profile against every Bulgaria route at once, this one included. No signup, no card.
Get your full report — €10One personalised report ranks every route you can actually get, with the full requirement set for your profile — so you apply for the right one.
Apply with the official sourceThe application itself always happens with the government — the enacting authority linked below. The report points you straight at it.
FAQ

Straight answers

01Who qualifies for this route to Bulgaria?
The official source states: For a non-EU family member who has resided lawfully with the EU citizen in Bulgaria for five continuous years.

Every answer is quoted from the official mvr.bg page for this route, last read 2026-07-26.

We checked 10 points against the official source; 10 are quoted on this page. The other 0 are either not addressed by the source or not yet backed by a quote — we would rather show you the edge of the record than fill it with a plausible guess.

See the 0 open points

Fees and validity are not published in the official source for this route. We publish a number only when the official text states that number.

Not stated in the official source — the official source names no exclusion for this route.

The source

Where every quote comes from

Official source of the governing body mvr.bgLast read 2026-07-26 Every quote on this page is from this Bulgaria government page.
Compiled from official sources · pending independent re-check · Last checked 2026-07-26 · Our methodology
 · Compiled by António Mira · How we verify · Not legal advice — rules change; confirm with the official source before deciding.
Same category, same country

Other residence-based status routes to Bulgaria

13 other residence-based status routes to Bulgaria.

EU Long-Term Resident Status after Five Years in BulgariaEU Long-Term Resident Status for a Mobile Blue Card HolderEU Long-Term Resident from Another Member State - Other PurposeEU Long-Term Resident from Another Member State - Self-EmployedEU Long-Term Resident from Another Member State - Study or Vocational TrainingEU Long-Term Resident from Another Member State - Worker
Same category, elsewhere

Residence-based status routes in other countries

186 other countries publish at least one residence-based status route. Nearest first.

Croatia10 residence-based status routes Romania7 residence-based status routes Serbia4 residence-based status routes Montenegro3 residence-based status routes Albania1 residence-based status route Bosnia and Herzegovina1 residence-based status route

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