For third country national with short-term or long-term residence in the country, no health insurance contribution is required. They pay the value of the medical care provided to them, unless an international agreement to which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party is in force (Article 39, paragraph 5 of the Health Insurance Act).

Compulsory health insurance provides a basic package of health activities, guaranteed by the budget of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). The National Revenue Agency (NRA) collects the funds from the obligatory health insurance contributions.

Mandatory foreign citizens insured in the NHIF are:

Bulgarian citizens who are citizens of another country and permanently live on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria;

Foreign citizens or stateless persons who are allowed long-term or permanent residence in the Republic of Bulgaria, unless otherwise provided in an international agreement to which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party; The obligation to insure the persons arises from the date of obtaining a permit for long-term or permanent residence (Art. 34, para 1, item 2 of the Health Insurance Act).

Persons granted refugee status, humanitarian status or asylum;

Foreign students and doctoral students admitted to study in higher schools and scientific organizations in our country by the Decree of the Council of Ministers № 103 of 1993 on educational activities among Bulgarians abroad and Decree of the Council of Ministers № 228 of 1997 on admission of citizens of the Republic of Macedonia for students in the state higher schools of the Republic of Bulgaria;

Persons other than those mentioned so far to whom the legislation of the Republic of Bulgaria applies in accordance with the rules for the coordination of social security systems (the rules introduced by Council Regulation (EEC) № 1408 of 14 June 1971 and the Regulation implementing it), and / or Regulation (EC) № 883/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council and its implementing regulation, and any other regulations amending, supplementing or replacing them).

Not necessarily insured in the NHIF  are persons who, according to the rules for coordination of social security systems, are subject to health insurance in another Member State of the European Union.

The payment of the health insurance of the compulsorily insured foreign citizens is made according to the terms and conditions for the Bulgarian citizens

If the person has an employment contract, the payment of monthly health insurance is mandatory. 60% of the amount is paid by the employer (60%), while the remaining 40% is automatically deducted from the remuneration.

If the person is self-insured or unemployed, it is necessary to pay his / her monthly insurance in by himself/herself . In order to pay the insurances, a declaration must be submitted to the regional office of the National Revenue Agency at a permanent or current address.

If the person is registered as an unemployed with the Labor Office and receives unemployment benefits, the health insurance is covered by the state for the period during which you receive the benefit.

If the person is under the age of 18, a full-time student until the completion of secondary education, but not later than the age of 22, a student in full-time education up to 26 years or pensioners, health insurance is covered by the state budget .

Health insurance rights are suspended if the health insurance has not been paid for more than three months. These rights can be restored after payment of the missing contributions.

In case of interrupted health insurance rights, the persons pay in full for the medical care provided to them at prices determined by the medical establishments.

Useful links:

Checking the health insurance status in the portal for electronic services of the National Revenue Agency