Has anyone recently exchanged their EU (or Article 50) long term residence visa for permanent (i.e after 5 years)?.
If so I would love to know what information was required?.
Did you have to show bills, entry/exit to country or other evidence that you have been living in Bulgaria for 5 years or just the usual income/self sufficiency and health care etc? (Just turned up after 5 years and swapped cards?.).
Thanks in advance.
@Zooldrool
Yup, I got mine at the end of last year. It was issued for 10 years (but is renewable upon request).
I found the application form online somewhere after hunting around. I think at Migration (MVR) regarding Brexit.
https://www.mvr.bg/en/about-the-ministry/brexit/information-about-brexit
But I'm not 100% sure, as I let my attorney do the form filling and submission (we had to go to immigration too).
The main requirement is 5 years of "legal and continuous residence" meaning that you've held a valid Bulgarian residence permit, without any kind of break, for 5 years or more. There is a physical presence requirement too, but I'm told they can check that based on border entries (pre-Brexit they weren't stamping my passport). I believe the official requirement is about 50% (30 months out of 60), but my suspicion is that they're pretty relaxed about Brits because of the Withdrawal Agreement. Certainly, my partner had a lot less than 50% here, and she got hers too.
I can't remember what documents I supplied. I think it was my Notary Act (proof of address/accommodation), and proof of health insurance (my Bulgarian EHIC). I printed off a bank statement too, but I don't know if he included it.
So, yes, for this stage I pretty much turned up and "swapped cards". No hassle at all.
My only frustration was they insisted that they only give the Bulgarian Permanent Residence Permit to Brits. Not the EU 5-year variation which gives EU mobility, passport styley. There is quite a bit of confusion because of these 2 types of card which can be issued after 5 years. My card means I can stay in Bulgaria for life (if I want to), and now non-discrimination (versus Bulgarians) applies. This means I don't need a company to buy land, I can enroll in social security, and so on. However, it doesn't allow me to relocate elsewhere in the EU.
Thanks so much for the detailed response!.
I thought it would be a pretty relaxed approach but I wanted to check others experiences.
Shame about the potential mobility issue. Only option will be to go for the passport next!.
@gwynj
Hey, I was just looking into this again and saw the below article...
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content … sum:l23034
Are you still sure you can't use your PR in Bulgaria to move to another European country, if you so wished?
@Zooldrool
I got free medical care too this year after showing my long term residents card.
You will need to take a language test if you want a big citizenship and bg passport..note..my wife is bgn..but not allowed to sit in the same room as the test...shame..
@Zooldrool
Nope, not sure. :-) And probably can't be sure unless I go try it in another EU country.
Certainly, the intent is as you describe, that after 5 years in the EU, you become an EU long term resident, and can relocate if you wish. But it's definitely NOT working well currently - if it were, they wouldn't need the RECAST.
Separately, I did go back to the immigration office with an interpreter recently, as I had to get info on my family reunification for my dad (yes, this is possible). While there, I showed them my permanent residence card, and asked if I could get the famous EU Long Term Resident's Residence Permit (i.e. an EU permit, rather than a strictly BG permit). She said the Brits Article 50 card was special, as was BOTH a permanent residence permit for BG, and an EU long term resident's permit. That's what she said... so I must try it (as above). But it seems to me a bit implausible, I think the EU card has some specific text on it, which mine doesn't.
Further... even if we have a BG permanent residence card... and even if it doesn't convey formal relocation rights... several EU countries do treat a permanent residence permit elsewhere in EU as a shortcut to getting a permit there. (But not all do this, hence the recast, I guess.)
As an example, you can see the Bulgarian Law on Foreigners has a chapter specifically for non-EU citizens holding a permanent residence permit elsewhere in the EU. So this
it's on p46:
Chapter Three "a"
RESIDENCE OF A FOREIGNER WHO HAS RECEIVED A LONG-T ERM RESIDENCE PERMIT IN ANOTHER
MEMBER STATE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
In this case, I think they'll give you a permanent residence permit in BG immediately... but notify your first EU country that you've relocated.
@gwynj Thanks so much for the reply and the links. Very interesting!. My 5 years is up next year so will hopefully get my permanent residence then. I agree the only way to really know if it's transferable to another EU country is to try one day. Good to know that in theory at least it is an option.
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