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BGEntry · residence · long-term status

Legal ways to live in Bulgaria.

Bulgaria currently offers 6 active paths relevant to remote workers, including a digital nomad visa (income requirement 2,295 EUR/month). Conditions below come from official immigration sources — filter by your citizenship.

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6 legalization paths · 5 sources · official immigration sources only

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6 legalization paths

01

Choose your route

A compact map of every documented option for Bulgaria. Start with eligibility and duration, then open the full conditions below.

  1. 01Visa-free short stay (Schengen 90/180)Getting in · Visa-free stayWho qualifiesUS citizens, UK citizens, Ukrainian citizensDuration3 moNo direct PR path
  2. 02EU/EEA/Swiss citizens — freedom of movement (long-stay certificate)Staying long-term · Special programWho qualifiesEU citizensDuration5 yrs +→ PR path
  3. 03Digital nomad / remote-work residence (виза за цифрови номади)Staying long-term · Digital nomad visaWho qualifiesAll except EU citizensDuration1 yr +→ PR path
  4. 04Freelance / self-employed permit (D visa + residence)Staying long-term · Freelance permitWho qualifiesAll except EU citizensDuration1 yr +→ PR path
  5. 05Trade representative office of a foreign company (TRO residence)Staying long-term · Business visaWho qualifiesAll except EU citizensDuration1 yr +→ PR path
  6. 06Temporary protection for displaced UkrainiansStaying long-term · Special programWho qualifiesUkrainian citizensDuration1 yr +No direct PR path

02

Getting in

Who can enter Bulgaria and on what terms — visa-free windows and entry visas.

01Getting in
Visa-free stayactive

Visa-free short stay (Schengen 90/180)

For: US citizens, UK citizens, Ukrainian citizens

Duration
3 months
Path to PR
No

Requirements (4)

04
  1. 01Valid (for Ukraine, biometric) passport of a Schengen visa-exempt country
  2. 02Maximum 90 days within any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area (Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025)
  3. 03Tourism, family visit or business only — local gainful work is not permitted
  4. 04Sufficient means and accommodation

03

Staying long-term

Grounds for residence — business, employment, special programs — with the conditions to qualify.

02Staying long-term
Special programactive

EU/EEA/Swiss citizens — freedom of movement (long-stay certificate)

For: EU citizens

Duration
5 years, renewable
Path to PR
Yes
Family
Included

Requirements (4)

04
  1. 01EU/EEA and Swiss nationals may live and work in Bulgaria with no visa or work permit
  2. 02For stays over 3 months, register with the Migration Directorate and obtain a long-stay certificate (удостоверение за продължително пребиваване)
  3. 03Freedom of establishment: freelance or run a business on the same terms as Bulgarian nationals
  4. 04Permanent residence available after 5 years of continuous legal residence
03Staying long-term
Digital nomad visaactive

Digital nomad / remote-work residence (виза за цифрови номади)

For: All except EU citizens

Duration
1 year, renewable
Path to PR
Yes
Family
Included
Income requirement
2,295 EUR/month

Requirements (4)

04
  1. 01Non-EU remote workers earning income from OUTSIDE Bulgaria: freelancers/independent contractors, remote employees of foreign companies, or online entrepreneurs / owners of a foreign company
  2. 02Prove income of at least 50× the previous year's monthly minimum wage; freelancers typically show ~12 months of documented remote activity
  3. 03No work for Bulgarian clients, no services to local companies and no local employment — income must be foreign-sourced
  4. 04Health insurance and accommodation in Bulgaria; long-stay type-D visa first, then the residence permit
04Staying long-term
Freelance permitactive

Freelance / self-employed permit (D visa + residence)

For: All except EU citizens

Duration
1 year, renewable
Path to PR
Yes
Family
Not included

Requirements (4)

04
  1. 01Non-EU nationals wishing to practise a liberal profession or work as self-employed IN Bulgaria (serving the local market)
  2. 02Permit from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy to practise the freelance/liberal activity
  3. 03Business plan describing the activity plus proof of at least 2 years' professional experience in the field
  4. 04Long-stay type-D visa, then a continuous-residence permit (up to 1 year, renewable)
05Staying long-term
Business visaactive

Trade representative office of a foreign company (TRO residence)

For: All except EU citizens

Duration
1 year, renewable
Path to PR
Yes
Family
Included

Requirements (4)

04
  1. 01Register a trade representative office (търговско представителство) of a foreign company at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI)
  2. 02Parent company legally registered and genuinely operating for at least 2 years, with real economic activity (~BGN 100,000+ annual turnover in the preceding two years)
  3. 03Each office may appoint up to two non-EU trade representatives, who obtain a type-D visa then a residence permit
  4. 04The representative office may NOT conduct commercial activity itself (representation/liaison only)
06Staying long-term
Special programactive

Temporary protection for displaced Ukrainians

For: Ukrainian citizens

Duration
1 year, renewable
Path to PR
No
Family
Included

Requirements (4)

04
  1. 01Displaced persons from Ukraine covered by the EU Temporary Protection Directive
  2. 02Register for temporary protection (регистрация за временна закрила) and receive the status document
  3. 03Right to work, including self-employment, without a separate work permit
  4. 04Access to accommodation support and public services during protection

Bulgaria

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