site.btaLegislation on Foreigners to Be Amended in Line with EU, European Parliament Acts

Bulgaria's Council of Ministers on Wednesday approved a bill to amend the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act intended to align the law with EU and European Parliament acts on foreign nationals' entry and residence in this country, the Government Information Service reported.

The draft legislation is intended to ease the requirements for the entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purpose of highly qualified employment, seasonal work and internship.

The bill makes provisions for the relevant types of personal documents and a procedure for their issuing, accordingly amending the Bulgarian Personal Documents Act and the Act on Entry into, Residence in, and Exit from, Bulgaria of EU Citizens and Family Members Thereof.

The approved text standardizes requirements for foreigners applying for permanent residence, optimizes the procedure for granting long-term residence to investors. The InvestBulgaria Agency will verify whether the investment meets the conditions so as to qualify the investors for this type of residence.

The draft amendments provide for penalties for administrative violations of foreigners who fail to comply with the legislation in force regulating the right to reside and work in Bulgaria. Employers will no longer be required to produce proof of the foreigner's residence address in the initial set of documents submitted when applying for a residence permit. Such proof will be required only after the foreigner has entered Bulgarian territory.

New conditions are introduced for authorizing residence on grounds of documented annual turnover for two years prior to the registration of the trade representation of a foreign business company in Bulgaria. A permit on these grounds may be granted to two representatives at most.

The authorities of the General Directorate Border Police will be empowered to impose coercive administrative measures on citizens of EU Member States - there are no such provisions in the current version of the Act on Entry into, Residence in, and Exit from, Bulgaria of EU Citizens and Family Members Thereof. The Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act is revised precluding the possibility to grant residence to foreigners wishing to engage in non-profit activities in Bulgaria.