The caretaker government approves a draft law amending the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act

The caretaker government approved a draft law amending and supplementing the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act. The adopted amendments aim to synchronize the document with EU directives regarding the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of highly qualified employment. The amendments provide for the possibility of changing employers after the first 12 months and changing the position held by the Blue Card holder without requiring any additional authorization, other than the EU Blue Card and a valid passport. 

The conditions for the entry and stay of third-country nationals as seasonal workers are being amended. After obtaining a residence document, there will be an option to extend the foreigner's stay for up to 90 days. The procedure for presenting the right to long-term residence for investors is optimized. The stay of third-country nationals on the territory of Bulgaria will be considered as a stay within the Schengen Area. In this regard, the draft law provides for a general rule for stay in accordance with the Schengen Borders Code.