The difference
Long-term residence runs for a period and is renewed. Permanent residence has no such period and gives a more stable position.
That is also why the conditions are stricter and the scrutiny more detailed.
The grounds are different categories
Some people arrive here after a defined period of lawful residence. Others fall within separate categories, by descent or through a family connection to a Bulgarian citizen, for instance.
Which route is yours depends on your history, not on preference. So the first job is to review the whole of your previous residence.
Absences matter
This is what surprises people most often.
Where the ground relates to the length of residence, time spent outside the country counts. Someone who has lived here for years but spent long periods away may not meet the condition, even though they think of themselves as local.
So the real picture is checked against documents before anything is filed.
Documents and timing
As with any procedure involving foreign documents, the order of gathering matters. A document with limited validity, obtained too early, expires while you wait for the rest.
A criminal record certificate, documents on income and accommodation, and any records from abroad require planning in advance rather than collection in the final week.
On refusal
It is appealed, within the deadline. Bring the refusal itself, because it shows what was considered unproven. See appealing a refusal.
Related
Long-term residence, citizenship by descent.
What I will need
Your nationality, current status and the history of your residence in Bulgaria. All previous permits. Documents on your connection to Bulgaria if that is the ground. Any earlier refusal as well.
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.