Foreigners living in Bulgaria have to be aware that there are certain cases and reasons that can produce the revocation of their residence in Bulgaria, in a previous article, we have mention how to get the residence and this time we will focus on the revocation of this right.
This article is with information purposes only and the info here can take it as a reference and the first step in understanding this situation. In any case, if you are facing this kind of problem, we recommend you to get expert assistance, and contact a lawyer with expertise in the immigration law.
There are 3 different residences status:
Temporary Residence
This is when the permit lasts for a certain amount of time. E.g., 6 months or 1 year. lets say you are an employee of a foreign company and you come to Bulgaria for a particular project and for a fixed period of time.
Long-Term Residence Permit
Issued for one year to non-EU citizens and for five years to EU citizens, this is when you have the grounds and the intention to be in Bulgaria for a long period of time.
Permanent Residence Permit
Issued for an indefinite period of time by the National Migration Directorate and its local branches. Applications for Permanent Residence can only be submitted in Bulgaria
Obtaining a residence permit in Bulgaria can be a grueling process, and once you receive your residence, you may feel your status is genuinely permanent, especially as you settled into Bulgaria and established a new life.
However, there are rare cases where your status may be revoked. It is crucial for immigrants to maintain their permanent resident status until you either complete naturalization (get your citizenship) or abandon their status (move permanently to another country).
Every day, many foreigners renew their residence cards without complications, but others lose their residence in our country and remain in the difficult situation of “irregular immigrants in Bulgaria.”
For EU nationals Losing the right of permanent residence may happen if:
1. Fail to prove to have health insurance and the financial resources required for covering the expenses with regard to their residence and the members of his/her family, and being a burden to the social support system;
2. it is found that the person has presented untrue data in order to acquire right of residence;
3. the person is absent from the Republic of Bulgaria for a period, exceeding two consecutive years;
4. the person suffers from diseases with epidemic potential, specified by the World Health Organisation.
5. When another EU country put a signal into the Schengen Information System and confirms that the person is a threat for the national security
The law that regulates the relation between European citizens and Bulgaria is the ACT ON ENTERING, RESIDING AND LEAVING THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA BY EUROPEAN UNION CITIZENS, WHO ARE NOT BULGARIAN CITIZENS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS (TITLE SUPPL. – SG 97/16)
The most common reasons that can lead to revoking the right to stay in Bulgaria, for foreigners from a non-EU country are:
1. It is established that the data presented for its obtaining are untrue;
2. the marriage is terminated before the elapse of 5 years from its contracting
3. within one year after the permission the foreigner has not settled and is not on the territory of the country.
4. it is established that the foreigner has not stayed on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria during the preceding calendar year for at least 6 months and one day.
The law that regulates the relation between Bulgaria and foreigners living in the country is “Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act”
It is important to note that foreigners living in Bulgaria must maintain good conduct, and respect the laws and regulations of Bulgaria.
