The foreign ministry wants foreigners applying for a type D visa to pay 120 euros instead of 100, a rise of 20%. It has published the plan as a draft on the Council of Ministers' public procurement portal.

A type D visa is for foreigners who want to live in Bulgaria long-term or permanently. Family members of Bulgarian citizens will not pay more, because the law exempts them from the visa fee.

The ministry says the higher price covers the equipment and administrative costs of the service, in line with today's economic realities, and brings the fee closer to what other EU countries charge.

The ministry checked what the other member states charge for a national long-stay visa. The EU average is 113 euros, and almost half of the countries charge 120 euros or more. Bulgaria's fee is still below the average, and the ministry says that carries fiscal, administrative and migration risks.

The ministry also believes the fee helps to regulate who applies. If Bulgaria keeps its price below that of the other Schengen countries, it becomes a cheaper "entry point" for migration pressure and attempts to abuse the law, the draft's explanatory note says.

A low fee also brings in more applications, the ministry says, including ones that will be refused but still take processing, time and staff. That adds to the workload of consulates and migration officials.