Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Statistics on Population and Housing fund Department
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
2, P. Volov, Sofia, Bulgaria
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
25 June 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
25 June 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
25 June 2025
3.1. Data description
Data collection on the residence permits (RESPER) statistics contains statistical information based on the principles stated in the Union legislation on migration Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 as amended by the Regulation (EU) 2020/851 and the Commission Regulation (EU) No 216/2010 implementing the categories of reasons for residence permits.
The main RESPER data collection based on Article 6 of the Migration Statistics Regulation
First residence permits,
Residence permits issued on the occasion of changing the immigration status or reason to stay,
Residence permits valid at the end of the year,
Long-term residence permits valid at the end of the year,
Long-term permits issued during the year.
Statistics collected on voluntary basis
Residence permits issued for family reunification with beneficiaries of protection status.
3.2. Classification system
See table 3.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables RESPER’.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Migration and asylum – Residence permits statistics.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables RESPER’.
3.5. Statistical unit
Each table refers to the number of persons, not to the number of administrative decisions or acts.
3.6. Statistical population
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables RESPER’.
3.7. Reference area
According to the country code disseminated by Eurostat.
3.8. Coverage - Time
See table 3.8. in annex ‘Quality report tables RESPER’.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Number of persons.
Calendar year.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The compilation of RP is based on Article 6 of Council Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 as amended by the Regulation 2020/851 which depicts in details the data provisions Member States are bound to supply Eurostat with.
The Resident permits are issued in accordance with the Law on foreigners in Republic of Bulgaria. The Ministry of Interior of Republic of Bulgaria maintains database "Register of foreigners" where all residence permits are registered. The Migration Directorate (a Service within Ministry of Interior) is responsible in Bulgaria for the issuance of residence permits and the registration of the administrative data. Upon an agreement between NSIBG and MoI, two institutions exchange data (including residence permits).
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Agreement between NSI and the Ministry of Interior (РД-08-30)
Agreement between NSI and National revenue agency (РД-08-82)
Agreement between NSI and the National employment agency (РД-08-51)
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Law on Statistics of Bulgaria, art.25
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Not applicable.
8.1. Release calendar
The dissemination of the annual statistics is mainly in the beginning of July of each year for the previous reference year. The information on release calendar is available under rubric: "Products and Services" Products and Services | National statistical institute (nsi.bg).
Information is published annually according to the Release Calendar presenting the results of the statistical surveys carried out by the National Statistical Institute. The calendar is available on the BGNSI website: Release Calendar. Data is published on the NSI website, section Population (Demography, Migration and Projections - Residence permits for foreignershttps: Residence permits granted during the year to third-country nationals by reasons and length of validity in accordance with the Law on Statistics and the European Statistics Code of Practice respecting the professional independence and aimed at objectivity, transparency and equal treatment of all consumers. In addition, since 2024 the publication of the statistics on residence permits is accompanied by a short written 'news item' which point out on the trends. The 'news item' is available on the BGNSI website under rubric "Press releases" in the day of announcement from 11.00.
Once of year in the begining of July at BGNSI website.
Apart from sending the tables to Eurostat and dissemination of the statistics in site of NSIBG, there are generally no other means of dissemination.
10.5.1. Metadata - consultations
Not applicable.
10.6. Documentation on methodology
BGNSI works according to the relevant Eurostat guidelines.
10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate
Not applicable.
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Not applicable
11.1. Quality assurance
NSIBG works in accordance with the Statistics Act and has implemented Policy on personal data in the National Statistical Institute. Source of data on residence permits is the Register of foreigners (Ministry of Interior). The data from the Register of foreigners is transmitted to NSIBG. For successful processing, the initial notification should meet the system rules on validation and control, incl.: totals consistency, changes over time and checking the consistency between statistics by "reason" and statistics by "age" and "sex" categories. These validation checks ensure the internal consistency of the datasets at the level of each aggregation, consistency of data between relevant tables as well as consistency of the data between different reporting periods.The processed results are validated in respect the consistency of a single table and between the tables.
The main users of RP statistics are Eurostat, DG Home Affairs.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not applicable
12.3. Completeness
See table 12.3. in annex ‘Quality report tables RESPER’.
12.3.1. Data completeness - rate
Not applicable.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
The reported statistics cover third-country national receiving residence permits, as foreseen by Regulation (EC) 862/2007 (as amended by Regulation (EU) 2020/851) and as defined in the Technical Guidelines for residence permit statistics. As the residence permits is issued to a specific person by name, regardless of age and reason, each person is counted only one. NSI applies the initial validation checks of the permit statistics before providing data to Eurostat.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable
13.3.1. Coverage error
There is no difference between the frame population and the target population. There is no under-coverage or over-coverage.
13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion
Not applicable.
13.3.2. Measurement error
Not applicable. (As the residence permits is issued to a specific person by name, regardless of age and reason, each person is counted only one.)
13.3.3. Non response error
Not applicable.
13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate
Not applicable.
13.3.4. Processing error
Not applicable
13.3.5. Model assumption error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Residence permits statistics covered by Article 6 is supplied to Eurostat within six months of the end of the reference year.
14.1.1. Time lag - first result
Not applicable.
14.1.2. Time lag - final result
Not applicable.
14.2. Punctuality
See table 14.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables RESPER’.
14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Not applicable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Data is collected and processed for the different territorial units using one and the same methodology and definitions. Data are provided respecting the RESPER Technical Guidelines.
15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient
Not applicable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables RESPER’.
15.2.1. Length of comparable time series
Not applicable.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not applicable
15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics
There are only annual statistics.
15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts
Not applicable.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Not applicable
Not applicable
17.1. Data revision - policy
Not applicable
17.2. Data revision - practice
See table 17.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables RESPER’.
17.2.1. Data revision - average size
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables RESPER’.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual data collection
18.3. Data collection
The source of the data for the residence permits statistics since 2008 is the Ministry of Interior through the Register of foreigners which is the sole registration system for foreigners. In addition, the National revenue agency and the National employment agency supply information on economic sector and occupations.
18.4. Data validation
Data on events is checked and controlled. The processed results are validated in respect the consistency of a single table and between the tables.
18.5. Data compilation
Data is processed according to the rules for validation and control of the events.
Data collection on the residence permits (RESPER) statistics contains statistical information based on the principles stated in the Union legislation on migration Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 as amended by the Regulation (EU) 2020/851 and the Commission Regulation (EU) No 216/2010 implementing the categories of reasons for residence permits.
The main RESPER data collection based on Article 6 of the Migration Statistics Regulation
First residence permits,
Residence permits issued on the occasion of changing the immigration status or reason to stay,
Residence permits valid at the end of the year,
Long-term residence permits valid at the end of the year,
Long-term permits issued during the year.
Statistics collected on voluntary basis
Residence permits issued for family reunification with beneficiaries of protection status.
25 June 2025
See table 3.4. in annex ‘Quality report tables RESPER’.
Each table refers to the number of persons, not to the number of administrative decisions or acts.
See table 3.6. in annex ‘Quality report tables RESPER’.
According to the country code disseminated by Eurostat.
Calendar year.
The reported statistics cover third-country national receiving residence permits, as foreseen by Regulation (EC) 862/2007 (as amended by Regulation (EU) 2020/851) and as defined in the Technical Guidelines for residence permit statistics. As the residence permits is issued to a specific person by name, regardless of age and reason, each person is counted only one. NSI applies the initial validation checks of the permit statistics before providing data to Eurostat.
Number of persons.
Data is processed according to the rules for validation and control of the events.
See table 18.1. in annex ‘Quality report tables RESPER’.
Once of year in the begining of July at BGNSI website.
Residence permits statistics covered by Article 6 is supplied to Eurostat within six months of the end of the reference year.
Data is collected and processed for the different territorial units using one and the same methodology and definitions. Data are provided respecting the RESPER Technical Guidelines.
See table 15.2. in annex ‘Quality report tables RESPER’.
