Document checklist
Sierra Leone → Bulgaria: Single Permit for Residence and Work (ЕРПР)
What you need before you submit, checked against official requirements, not guesswork.
Not yet checked. This page was drafted from the sources listed below but hasn't passed verification yet. Double-check anything critical directly with the official source before you rely on it.
Required documents
11 itemsIdentity
Completed application form (Appendix 3a)
RequiredThe Single Permit application form, Appendix 3a from the implementing regulations, fully completed.
Copy of your passport
RequiredA copy of the pages of your passport showing your photo and personal data.
Purpose of travel
Certified copy of your employment contract
RequiredA certified copy of your employment contract with the Bulgarian employer, showing the position code from the national classification of occupations.
Evidence the employer advertised the job locally
RequiredEvidence from your employer that the position was posted in local and national media and online job platforms, and that no suitable candidate from Bulgaria or another EU member state was found.
Accommodation
Proof of housing
Proof of your accommodation in Bulgaria, needed if you already hold an approved long-term residence permit.
Insurance
Proof of health insurance
RequiredMandatory health insurance valid in Bulgaria for at least 3 months, unless you're already covered under the Bulgarian Health Insurance Act.
Other
Academic recognition certificate
A recognition certificate from Bulgaria's National Center for Information and Documentation for your foreign qualification, where applicable.
Certificate of good conduct
RequiredA certificate of good conduct, required for a first-time application.
Employer declarations on workforce and pay
RequiredDeclarations from your employer on: how many third-country nationals they already employ, their average headcount of Bulgarian, EU/EEA and Swiss employees over the last 12 months, and that your pay and working conditions won't be less favourable than those offered to Bulgarian citizens for the same kind of work.
Professional license or permit for regulated professions
If your profession is regulated in Bulgaria, evidence of the required license or permit.
Proof of your education, qualifications and work experience
RequiredDocuments proving the specialised knowledge, skills and professional experience needed for the position, legalised and with a certified Bulgarian translation, plus work experience documentation from the relevant authority in the country where you worked.
Why applications on this route get refused
Employer's quota of third-country national employees exceeded
Third-country national employees can't exceed 20% of an employer's average headcount over the last 12 months (35% for small and medium enterprises), unless the job falls under a quota exemption such as an international treaty, guest lecturing, or a Culture Ministry- or sports federation-endorsed role.
How to avoid it: Check with your employer that hiring you keeps them within the quota, or confirm your role qualifies for a quota exemption, before applying.
Employer didn't show the job was properly advertised
The Employment Agency checks that the employer posted the vacancy locally and nationally and didn't find a suitable Bulgarian or EU/EEA/Swiss candidate, missing or unclear evidence of this can lead to a negative opinion.
How to avoid it: Make sure your employer keeps clear records of where and when the job was advertised before they apply.
Qualifications or experience not properly evidenced
Education, professional qualification and work experience documents need to be legalised and translated into Bulgarian, documents that aren't in this form don't establish that you have the specialised knowledge, skills and experience needed for the role.
How to avoid it: Get your qualification and experience documents legalised and translated before you apply.
Sources
Check your documents against this list before you pay the Bulgaria application fee.
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