UK Visas for Bulgarian and Romanian Nationals

All EEA and Swiss nationals are free to enter and live in the UK without a visa. However, Bulgarian and Romanian nationals who wish to work in the UK are usually required to apply for permission.

Bulgarian and Romanian nationals seeking permission to work in the UK may require an Accession Worker Card or a Registration Certificate.

Employers seeking to sponsor or hire foreign workers can sign up for UK Corporate Immigration Services.

Bulgarian and Romanian National Visa Requirements

Accession Worker Card: To obtain an Accession Worker Card, the applicant’s employer must have a letter of approval from the UK Border Agency for a work permit. Applicants will then be able to apply for an Accession Worker Card which will be issued for a specific job.

Registration Certificate: To obtain a Registration Certificate as a worker or job-seeker, the applicant must be in the UK as a student, self-employed or self-sufficient person. Highly skilled Bulgarians and Romanians may also be eligible to apply for a Registration Certificate entitling them to full access to the UK labour market.

Bulgarian and Romanian National Visa Entitlements

An Accession Worker Card or Registration Certificate entitles the holder to work in the UK. In the case of an Accession Worker Card, the permission to work is job specific and permission to work will cease if the job changes or work ceases. Bulgarians and Romanians who have held an Accession Worker Card and been legally employed for 12 months in the UK are entitled to unrestricted work rights in the UK.

Family members of Bulgarian and Romanian nationals are entitled to accompany them to the UK, however they are not entitled to work in the UK without permission.

Bulgarian and Romanian National Visa Processing Time and Costs

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