Bulgaria Long-Term and Permanent Residence in 2026
Bulgaria distinguishes ordinary prolonged residence, long-term resident status and specific permanent-residence grounds.
For third-country nationals, current Ministry of Interior guidance states that long-term resident status generally requires five years of legal, continuous residence in Bulgaria, together with sufficient means and qualifying health coverage. Statutory counting rules and exclusions can affect particular residence histories.
Route-specific planning
Do not assume every temporary route counts identically. Confirm the current settlement treatment for digital nomad, Startup Visa, freelance/self-employment, employment and commercial activity.
EU citizens
EU/EEA/Swiss citizens use the free-movement framework. The Ministry of Interior states that EU citizens may obtain permanent residence after five years of legal consecutive residence under those rules.
A digital-nomad permit itself is limited to one year plus one extension, so it should not be described as a standalone five-year settlement programme.
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Official and supporting sources
- Bulgaria Ministry of Interior — long-term residencegovernment · accessed 2026-09-18
- Bulgaria Ministry of Interior — EU citizensgovernment · accessed 2026-09-18