Residence through a trade representative office: how the route works, step by step

Third-country nationals have one comparatively easy residence option in Bulgaria: a trade representative office (TRO) of a foreign company, registered at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI). A non-EU national who owns or manages a business outside Bulgaria can open such an office, which has purely representative functions, and thereby qualify for a extended residence permit that is renewable annually.

Residence permits can be granted for up to two commercial representatives per trade representative office. Under a family reunification procedure, each representative may also bring immediate family to Bulgaria: a spouse and unmarried children under 18.

The trade representative office explained

A trade representative office (търговско представителство) lets a foreign company keep a presence in Bulgaria without forming a separate Bulgarian legal entity. It has no right to independent commercial activity or revenue on the local market, since it serves market research and business promotion. The BCCI registers it, and accreditation must be renewed every year.

What the foreign company must meet

A foreign company can register a trade representative office only if it satisfies the conditions below:

• Turnover: the company's turnover must have reached BGN 100,000 (approx. EUR 51,000) a year in each of the last two financial years, proven by audited accounts or a certificate from its tax authority;
• Tax good standing: a certificate that the company owes no outstanding tax;
• Office address in Bulgaria: a physical office on Bulgarian territory is required for the TRO, and a rental agreement must support it;
• Legalised documents: the constitutive documents of the company (certificate of incorporation, articles of association, certificate of good standing) need an apostille or legalisation, and a certified translator must render them in Bulgarian.

What draws non-EU nationals to this route

• Bulgarian employees and Bulgarian social contributions are not required;
• Earning revenue and paying Bulgarian corporate tax are not required;
• Owners of businesses, entrepreneurs, digital nomads and managers whose companies are registered abroad are the natural applicants;
• Each TRO may have up to two representatives, and each of them can use family reunification;
• A permit is valid for up to 12 months, and it can be extended every year any number of times;
• Continuous residence for 5 years makes the holder eligible to apply for permanent residence.

The procedure, step by step

1. Get the company documents ready and legalised — all company documents are apostilled or legalised and translated. You also sign a power of attorney that lets our firm act for you.
2. Register at the BCCI — we prepare and submit the registration application and obtain the BCCI certificate of accreditation. Allow approximately 10–15 working days once the complete file has gone in.
3. Request a Type D (long-stay) visa — the request goes to a Bulgarian consulate or embassy in the representative's home country or country of legal residence. Required: a clean criminal record, proof of accommodation in Bulgaria, a letter from the foreign company and the BCCI certificate. Expect 10–30 days, depending on the consulate.
4. Travel to Bulgaria on the Type D visa — the visa allows multiple entries and is issued for up to 6 months.
5. Submit the extended residence permit application — during the validity of the Type D visa, the representative submits the application (type "D" card — продължително пребиваване) to the Migration Directorate in Sofia. Allow up to 35 days from filing.
6. Receive the residence card — you get a biometric card valid for up to 1 year. As long as the TRO remains registered, it can be extended annually.
7. Optional family reunification — after the main representative has received the residence permit, an application for family reunification can be made for a spouse and for children under 18. The family members get a residence permit tied to the main holder's permit.

Yearly renewal

Each year the TRO has to be accredited again at the BCCI, and updated financial documents of the foreign company must go with the application. Once the BCCI has issued the renewed certificate, the Migration Directorate renews the residence permit on the strength of it. The number of renewals has no upper limit.

Our assistance

Acting on a power of attorney, we handle everything from a distance: the documents are prepared and apostilled, the office is registered with the BCCI, and the file goes to the Migration Directorate. Your trip to Bulgaria can wait until you are ready to enter on the Type D visa. We can also find a suitable office address, set up the visa interview and deal with the later residence permit and renewal applications.

Further reading

• Which Bulgarian residence permit fits your situation? An overview of the legal routes
• Bringing your family to Bulgaria: the family reunification procedure

From our practice

• Appeal of Art. 24i FRIA residence permit refusal — won at AASC and SAC
• Type D visa refusal from Istanbul consulate annulled
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