Read the reasons, not just the decision
A refusal usually states which condition was not met or which document was not accepted.
That is the most useful information you will get, and it determines the whole next move. A refusal for a missing document and a refusal because the ground did not fit are different situations, resolved differently.
Bring the document in full, including the reverse side, where the appeal route is often set out.
Appeal or fresh application
Appealing is not always better.
An appeal makes sense where the refusal is unlawful: something was required that was not due, the evidence was not considered, the procedure was not followed, or reasons are missing.
A fresh application makes sense where the refusal was substantively right and you were simply missing a document, or the ground chosen was wrong.
Appealing a case that will not hold costs months. I will tell you honestly which of the two is yours.
The deadline
It is short and runs from service. Keep the envelope or the receipt, because the date of receipt, not the date of issue, is usually what counts.
If you have missed a deadline, say so at once. There is sometimes a way through, but it narrows by the day.
Refusal by silence
If you filed an application and there is no reply within the statutory period, silence is in certain cases appealable too. Do not wait indefinitely.
If you are outside Bulgaria
You do not need to come. The appeal is conducted under a power of attorney.
If you have already left the country because your status expired, say so at the start, because it changes the approach.
Related
Long-term residence, appealing an administrative act.
What I will need
The refusal, in full, with the date of service. The application you filed and all the documents attached. Everything else received from the service.
This page provides general information and does not constitute legal advice on any specific case. Rights and deadlines depend on the facts and the applicable law.