The Bulgarian ID Card for Foreigners: Lichna Karta, EGN, and LNCh (2026)

Updated August 14, 2026 · 5 min read

In Bulgaria, the plastic card in your wallet and the 10-digit number printed on it matter more than your passport for daily life. This short guide untangles the vocabulary — lichna karta, residence card, EGN, LNCh — and walks through getting, renewing, and replacing your card as a foreigner.

Where the card fits in the bigger journey: Bulgaria residence permits explained.

What "lichna karta" actually means

Lichna karta (лична карта) is, strictly, the national identity card of Bulgarian citizens — mandatory from age 14, typically valid 10 years for adults.

Foreigners get functionally equivalent cards with different names:

EU/EEA/Swiss citizens: a registration certificate on paper (same-day, about €7) and an optional card-format document (about €18); after 5 years, a permanent residence card valid 10 years. Process: EU citizens moving to Bulgaria.
Non-EU nationals with continuous residence: a biometric residence permit card (karta na prodalzhitelno prebivavasht chuzhdenets) valid as long as the underlying permit — usually 1 year at a time.
Non-EU permanent and long-term residents: a long-validity biometric card; recent rule changes extended standard validity periods (10-year cards for permanent residents were approved alongside the December 2025 reforms).

All foreigner cards are EU-standard biometric documents (photo + fingerprints) and serve as proof of legal residence — carry the card, leave the passport at home.

EGN vs. LNCh: the two personal numbers

Bulgaria runs on 10-digit personal numbers. Which one you have signals your status:

Number	Who gets it	Notes
EGN (unified civil number)	Bulgarian citizens; foreigners with permanent or long-term residence	Encodes birth date; used everywhere, forever
LNCh (personal number of a foreigner)	Foreigners with continuous residence, including registered EU citizens	Same role in practice; replaced by an EGN if you upgrade status

The number — either one — is the key to Bulgarian life: bank accounts, employment contracts, the tax agency, health insurance, notaries, utilities, even loyalty cards. You will type it daily. It never changes while your status lasts, and an upgrade from LNCh to EGN is automatic when permanent residence is granted (update your bank and employer — records do not sync themselves).

How to get your card, step by step

Have your status approved — registration for EU citizens, or the residence permit decision for non-EU nationals (see the D visa guide for the run-up).
Go to the Migration Directorate (or ODMVR office) for your district with your passport, approval/permit documents, and proof of paid fees.
Biometrics: photo and fingerprints on the spot.
Pay the card fee: about €18 standard, about €36 expedited (around 3 business days; standard issuance runs up to 2-4 weeks).
Collect in person — bring the receipt slip.

Your address is printed on record with the card. Report address changes to Migration (and your municipality) — an outdated address can snag renewals and official mail.

Renewals

Continuous residence (non-EU): the card dies with the permit — renew the permit first (start 1-2 months early; late renewal endangers your 5-year continuity), then reissue the card.
Permanent residence / EU permanent cards: the right does not expire; only the plastic does. Renew the card before its printed expiry — same office, same biometrics, same €18.
Bulgarian citizens renew lichna karta every 10 years at any MVR office (relevant once you reach citizenship).

Lost, stolen, damaged

Declare the loss within 3 days at any police station (a legal obligation — small fines apply for sitting on it).
Request a replacement at Migration/MVR with the police declaration; fees are similar to first issuance, expedited service available.
If your passport went missing too, your consulate first — the residence card replacement needs a valid travel document behind it.

Keep a phone photo and a paper copy of both card sides; replacement is a nuisance, not a crisis.

How to read the numbers

The EGN is not random — it encodes data:

Digits 1-6: date of birth as year-month-day (YYMMDD), with the month shifted by +40 for people born after 1999 — someone born in March 2001 starts 01 43 — and by +20 for the 1800s.
Digits 7-9: a serial component; the ninth digit's parity encodes sex (even for male, odd for female).
Digit 10: a checksum — software validates it instantly, which is why one mistyped digit errors out everywhere.

The LNCh is the same length but does not encode your birth date — it is an opaque identifier issued by the Ministry of Interior. Some websites and bank forms validate input against EGN rules only; if a form rejects a valid LNCh, that is a known nuisance — pick the foreigner/LNCh option where offered, or ask the clerk to switch the field type. Businesses that genuinely cannot process an LNCh (rare now) can identify you by passport instead.

FAQ

Is the card enough for travel inside Schengen?

Your residence card proves legal residence and, with a valid passport, lets you move around the Schengen area under the 90/180 rules for other member states. For flights, carry the passport as the travel document — the foreigner card is not a stand-alone travel document (a Bulgarian citizen's lichna karta is, within the EU).

Can I drive with my Bulgarian ID card?

No — the card is identity, not a license. License exchange rules (mandatory for non-EU licenses after residence) are in driving in Bulgaria.

What does the card cost in total?

For most non-EU foreigners: permit state fee (about €100-256 by duration, about €511 for permanent) + €18 card. EU citizens: about €7-18 total. Expedited card: €36.

Do children get cards and numbers?

Yes — each family member, including minors, gets their own permit, card, and LNCh/EGN. See family reunification for how dependents' statuses are issued.

Someone asked to photocopy my card — normal?

Banks, notaries, and mobile operators: normal and lawful with your consent. Random businesses hoarding copies: push back — GDPR applies in Bulgaria like everywhere else in the EU.

Sources

Immigration rules change — always confirm current requirements with the Bulgarian Migration Directorate or an immigration lawyer before applying.

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