Bulgarian government approves draft amendments to Foreigners Act
Bulgaria’s government approved on July 22 draft amendments to the Foreigners Act, the government information service said.
The amendments were drafted because of the need to transpose into Bulgarian law a 2024 EU directive on a uniform application procedure for third-country (meaning, non-EU) nationals for a single permit to reside and work in the territory of an EU member state and on a common set of rights for third-country workers legally residing in a member state, the statement said.
The objective of the proposed amendments and supplements is to achieve compliance between the national legal framework and the EU legal framework with regard to the Pact on Migration and Asylum, and in particular to determine the authorities for the screening procedure and to determine the tasks to be performed by other relevant state structures.
The statement said that four things would be achieved through the amendments.
First, the legal opportunity for the holder of a Single Residence and Work Permit to not have the right to residence revoked if becoming unemployed, provided that the requirements provided for therein are met.
Second, the obligation for applicants for a Single Residence and Work Permit in the event that they do not have residence in the Republic of Bulgaria on any other basis, to be outside the territory of the country.
Third, the legal possibility of revoking a residence permit in the event that, on becoming unemployed and registering with the Employment Agency, the foreigner fails to notify the Migration Directorate of this circumstance within the specified period.
Fourth, legal regulation to define those people who are excluded from the scope of the directive and cannot obtain residence under the procedure provided for therein.
In addition, in view of the increased number of applications from foreign citizens, the changes to the Foreigners Act “will provide conditions for stricter control of foreigners with a permanent residence permit in the Republic of Bulgaria,” the government statement said.
(Photo: government.bg)
