Most people who move to Bulgaria do not move alone. Once the main applicant — in legal terms, the sponsor — has secured residence, the law allows their close family to join them, with a residence status that follows the sponsor’s own.
Who can sponsor, and who can join
Family members of Bulgarian citizens follow a different, more favourable regime — see residence as a family member of a Bulgarian citizen.
What the sponsor must prove
- A copy of each family member’s passport, valid for at least six months from the date of filing
- Suitable accommodation in Bulgaria for the whole family
- Stable, regular, predictable and sufficient means for each family member — at least the national minimum monthly wage (EUR 620.20 in 2026) for each month of the stay, about EUR 7,450 per person for a year
- A criminal record certificate for each adult family member, from their country of nationality or habitual residence, current at the date of filing
- A marriage certificate or birth certificates proving the family link
Certificates issued abroad must usually be apostilled or legalised and translated into Bulgarian.
The three stages
Sponsor’s application
The sponsor applies to the Migration Directorate for permission for family reunification. The family does not need to be in Bulgaria. A decision is usually given within one month.
Visas for the family
Within six months of being notified of the approval, each family member applies for a Type D visa at the Bulgarian consulate for their country of residence — under a facilitated procedure.
Residence permits
After arrival, the family members apply for residence permits, which follow the sponsor’s status.
Where things go wrong
The most common problems are not legal but practical: certificates issued too long ago, names spelled differently in different documents, missing apostilles, or translations not done to Bulgarian requirements. Consulates can also refuse visas despite an approved reunification — a refusal we have had annulled in court, arguing that an approved reunification is itself the ground for the visa and leaves the consulate very little discretion.
Questions clients ask
Do my family members have to be in Bulgaria when I apply?
No. The first stage is the sponsor’s application alone. The family travels only after permission is granted and visas are issued.
Can my parents join me as well?
The core regime covers spouses and minor children. Other relatives can sometimes come on different grounds; we assess each family individually.
What happens to my family’s status if I change my residence ground?
Their permits follow yours. If you move to a new ground, their status needs to be aligned with it, so plan the change for the whole family at once.
This guide is general information about Bulgarian law as it stood on the date of publication. It is not legal advice for your specific case.
