Bulgarian residency through business, work, study or family

If you have no pension and are not planning a large investment, you can move to Bulgaria on one of the classic grounds. They all start the same way, with a D visa at the consulate, and then the permit is issued by the Migration Directorate.

Your own business

A trade representative office of a foreign company is the most popular choice among entrepreneurs:

• the parent company must be at least two years old, with turnover of 100,000 leva (about €51,000) over two years;
• the office is registered with the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
• you need a real office with a one-year lease; a virtual office will not do;
• since June 2025, no more than two representatives per company can get permits.

Your own Bulgarian company also gives a right to residency, but the conditions are stricter: the law requires the company to create jobs for Bulgarian citizens, at least 10. For a small business this is usually the hardest part.

A business permit is issued for a year and renewed as long as the company is genuinely trading.

Employment

• The EU Blue Card is for specialists with a degree (in IT experience is sometimes enough) and a salary of at least 1.5 times the national average, about €2,000 gross a month in 2026. It is issued for up to 5 years.
• The single work permit covers other cases. The employer shows it could not find a worker locally and applies for a permit of up to 3 years.

Study

An acceptance letter from an accredited university, money to live on, an address and insurance. The permit is renewed every year while you study.

Family

• A spouse and children can join a relative already living legally in Bulgaria.
• Spouses of Bulgarian citizens get residency more easily, and citizenship after 3 years of marriage instead of the usual 5 years.

You need apostilled and translated marriage and birth certificates.

What comes next

After 5 years of legal residence you can get permanent residence.

After another 5 years you can apply for citizenship, with a Bulgarian language exam.

My advice

Choose a basis you can comfortably prove every year, not the fastest one. Every permit needs an address in Bulgaria: I can help you find a flat to rent or buy, and for business matters I can recommend a lawyer I trust.