Bulgaria digital nomad visa & residency (2026)

Article 24p was inserted into the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act by a National Assembly amendment adopted 18 June 2025; implementing Council of Ministers regulations entered into force 11 December 2025 and applications have been accepted since 20 December 2025.

Three qualifying groups: (1) remote employees of companies registered outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland; (2) owners or shareholders holding at least 25% of a foreign-registered company who perform management or work duties remotely; (3) freelancers who have continuously provided digital services to non-Bulgarian clients for at least one year prior to applying.

Applicants must demonstrate average annual gross income of at least EUR 31,000 for the preceding calendar year — set at 50 times Bulgaria's monthly minimum wage (EUR 620 as of January 2025); proof of ongoing income and health insurance valid across the EU/Schengen area is also required.

The residence permit is issued for one year and may be renewed once for a further year (maximum two years total under this category). Holders are expressly barred from working for Bulgarian employers, providing services to clients based in Bulgaria, or accessing the local labour market; all income must derive exclusively from non-EU/EEA/Swiss sources.

Step 1: obtain a Type D long-stay visa from a Bulgarian embassy or consulate in the applicant's home country (typical processing 4–8 weeks). Step 2: within 14 days of entering Bulgaria, submit a residence-card application to the local Migration Directorate office (local processing 2–4 weeks). Documents must be submitted in both stages.

Bulgaria separately operates a Golden Visa programme granting immediate permanent residency to non-EU nationals who invest EUR 512,000 in regulated Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) or ETFs; no minimum physical stay is required, and citizenship may be sought after five years. The programme gained added value when Bulgaria joined the Schengen Area on 1 January 2025.