Travelling in Europe on a Bulgarian permit
Bulgaria joined the Schengen area at its air and sea borders on 31 March 2024 and at its land borders on 1 January 2025. Since then the answer to „can I travel in Europe on a Bulgarian permit“ has changed — but not into „as long as I like“. The document gives defined, not unlimited, freedom of movement, and the boundaries are set by Schengen rules.
Visas and residence · Last reviewed: 2026-10-10
This is not legal or financial advice
A residence document is not a visa
The document evidences your right to reside in Bulgaria. For travel to other states in the area it works as a facilitation for short stays; it creates no right to settle, work or remain indefinitely there. The assumption „I have a card, so I can live anywhere“ is the most common error.
The stay rule
Short stays in the Schengen area are calculated so as not to exceed 90 days within any 180-day period. This is a rule defined in Schengen legislation, and the count runs across the area rather than per country. It has exceptions and special cases — for your own situation, ask the competent authority or the migration service of the state you are travelling to.
What to carry
- A valid passport and a valid residence document covering the whole trip.
- Documents supporting the purpose of your stay, which may be requested at the border.
- Evidence of health cover.
- Details of your return or onward travel.
- Proof of your residence in Bulgaria, which smooths the return leg.
When the document is not enough
| Situation | Is the document enough |
|---|---|
| Short visit to another Schengen state | As a rule yes, within the stay rule |
| Working in another EU state | No — that state's authorisation route applies |
| Settling in another EU state | No — a separate residence procedure is required |
| Travel outside Schengen | No — that country's visa regime applies |
| Travelling on an expired document | No — the renewal procedure has to be completed |
What the foreign ministry page says about the stay rule
The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs page “Visa for Bulgaria” (read on 10 October 2026) states that Bulgaria has been part of the Schengen area at its air and sea borders since 31 March 2024 and that checks at the internal land borders with Romania were lifted on 1 January 2025, citing Council Decision (EU) 2024/3212 of 12 December 2024. The same page spells out what each Bulgarian document allows:
| Document you hold | What the page says |
|---|---|
| A residence permit issued by Bulgaria in the uniform format under Regulation (EC) No 1030/2002 and still valid after 31 March 2024 | Visa-free short stays in the other Schengen countries of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, for as long as the permit is valid |
| A long-stay visa issued by Bulgaria and still valid after 31 March 2024 | The same rule: no more than 90 days in any 180-day period |
| A national short-stay visa issued by Bulgaria or Romania before 31 March 2024 | Travel to Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus only; a Schengen visa is required for the other Schengen states |
| A national of a visa-exempt country (Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, Annex II) | Visa-free stay of up to 90 days in any 180-day period when crossing the external borders |
The European Commission's short-stay calculator page (dated 27 October 2025) adds a distinction: someone who holds an EU residence permit or a long-stay visa is not subject to the 90/180-day rule, because those documents allow stays of more than 90 days. Your stay in Bulgaria rests on your residence permit; for short stays in other countries, the 90-day limit written on the Bulgarian ministry page applies.
Travelling while your permit is being renewed
Frequently asked questions
Does my Bulgarian permit let me work remotely from another EU state?
Physically working from another state raises that state's rules on residence and, often, on social security and tax. A Bulgarian permit does not settle those questions, so check before an extended stay.
Do days spent in Bulgaria count towards the stay rule?
Not in the same way. Your stay in Bulgaria rests on your residence status, while the rule concerns short stays in the other states of the area.
Can I travel to EU countries outside Schengen with it?
Those states apply their own entry rules, which may include a visa requirement. Check each destination separately rather than assuming EU-wide coverage.
How long can I stay in other Schengen countries on a Bulgarian residence permit?
According to the Bulgarian foreign ministry page, a Bulgarian permit issued in the uniform format and still valid after 31 March 2024 allows visa-free short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the other Schengen countries, for as long as it is valid. It creates no right to work or settle there.
Sources
The information on this page is based on the official sources listed below. Legislation changes — open the links and verify the current position.
- Европейска комисия — Шенгенски граници и визи — https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen-borders-and-visa_en · 2026-08-16
- Европейска комисия — Портал за имиграция — https://ec.europa.eu/immigration/ · 2026-08-16
- Министерство на външните работи (МВнР) — https://www.mfa.bg/ · 2026-08-16
- Дирекция „Миграция“ — МВР — https://www.mvr.bg/migration · 2026-10-12
- Your Europe — граждани — https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/ · 2026-08-16
- Your Europe — Travel documents for non-EU nationals — https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/entry-exit/non-eu-nationals/index_en.htm · 2026-10-06
- Your Europe — Residence rights when living abroad in the EU — https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/residence/residence-rights/index_en.htm · 2026-10-06
- Министерство на външните работи — Visa for Bulgaria — https://www.mfa.bg/en/services-travel/consular-services/travel-bulgaria/visa-bulgaria · 2026-10-10
- Европейска комисия — Short-stay calculator (90/180) — https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/border-crossing/short-stay-calculator_en · 2026-10-10
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