Bulgaria Golden Visa: Residency by Investment
Step by step
How to apply for permanent residence by investment in Bulgaria
Check the investment, get preliminary approval, invest, get a Type D visa and apply to the Migration Directorate in Bulgaria.
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Check the investment
For the fund routes, check on the Financial Supervision Commission register that the fund and its manager qualify.
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Get preliminary approval
The Bulgarian Investment Agency checks the documents before you invest and decides within 40 days. The approval is free and valid for six months.
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Invest
Make the investment and get the certificate of the investment, from the fund manager for the fund routes.
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Apply for a Type D visa
Apply at a Bulgarian embassy or consulate. About 30 working days is typical.
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Apply in Bulgaria
Apply in person to the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior. The decision takes two months, or four in complex cases.
What the golden visa is
- Permanent residence straight away: qualifying investors get permanent residence without first living in Bulgaria on a temporary permit.
- For non-EU nationals: EU, EEA and Swiss citizens staying more than three months register for an EU certificate instead.
- No stay requirement under the current law: status can be withdrawn after 12 consecutive months outside the EU, with an exception for permanent residence under Article 25g.
- A route to citizenship, not a passport: naturalisation follows the ordinary rules of the Bulgarian Citizenship Act.
Source: Oikonomakis Law: Bulgaria golden visa in 2026, permanent residence by investment (August 2026); Ministry of Interior: Long-term residence for EU citizens (leaflet, PDF); New Balkans Law Office: Changes to the Bulgarian permanent residence presence requirement (21 August 2026); Ministry of Interior: Granting permanent residence to foreigners (DOCX)4,12,5,3
The investment routes
| Investment | Minimum | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgarian collective investment schemes with net assets of at least BGN 5 million | BGN 1,000,000 (€511,292) | Permanent |
| Bulgarian alternative investment funds with assets of at least BGN 3 million | BGN 1,000,000 (€511,292) | Permanent |
| Rights under concession contracts in Bulgaria | BGN 1,000,000 (€511,292) | Permanent |
| Shares or bonds of Bulgarian companies traded on a Bulgarian regulated market or trading system | BGN 2,000,000 (€1,022,584) | Permanent |
| Capital of a company running a certified priority investment project | BGN 2,000,000 (€1,022,584) | Permanent |
| Capital of an unlisted Bulgarian company | BGN 6,000,000 (€3,067,751) | Permanent |
| Capital of a company you control at least 50%, with new assets of the same value and 10 jobs for Bulgarians | BGN 500,000 (€255,646) | Permanent |
| Property in Bulgaria, per person, directly or through a Bulgarian company more than 50% owned | BGN 600,000 (€306,775) | Prolonged, then permanent after 5 years |
Source: State Gazette No. 109/2025: Application form for permanent residence, Annex 4 (Bulgarian, PDF); Ministry of Interior: Prolonged residence permit for foreigners (DOCX)1,2
The law sets the amounts in leva; euro figures are at BGN 1.95583.1
Residence through property
Buying property worth at least BGN 600,000 (€306,775) gives prolonged residence, usually renewed a year at a time, not permanent residence. Holding the property investment for five years after prolonged residence then qualifies for permanent residence.2,1
Applicants on a prolonged permit also show accommodation, health insurance and means of at least the Bulgarian minimum wage or pension for the period of stay. How foreigners can buy, and the costs of a purchase, are on Buying Property in Bulgaria.2
Who checks the application
- Financial Supervision Commission: its register shows whether an investment fund and its manager qualify.
- Bulgarian Investment Agency: gives preliminary approval before you invest, with opinions from the State Agency for National Security and the Ministry of Interior.
- Bulgarian embassy or consulate: issues the Type D visa.
- Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior: decides on permanent residence, with your fingerprints taken in person.
Source: Financial Supervision Commission; Oikonomakis Law: Bulgaria golden visa in 2026, permanent residence by investment (August 2026); Ministry of Interior: Granting permanent residence to foreigners (DOCX)6,4,3
The Bulgarian Investment Agency is the state agency also known as the InvestBulgaria Agency. This site is an independent publication and is not connected with it.
Keeping the status
- The investment must be kept for five years on the fund route. Selling or redeeming it during that time removes the basis of the permit, and of any family members’ permits that depend on it.
- Under the current law, permanent residence can be withdrawn after 12 consecutive months outside the EU, with an exception for a declared state of emergency and for permanent residence under Article 25g.
- Family members can get status linked to the investor, each through the same visa and residence steps.
Source: Oikonomakis Law: Bulgaria golden visa in 2026, permanent residence by investment (August 2026); New Balkans Law Office: Changes to the Bulgarian permanent residence presence requirement (21 August 2026)4,5
Citizenship by investment ended in 2022
On 24 March 2022 the National Assembly repealed the provisions that gave Bulgarian citizenship for investments, mainly in government securities or bank deposits of more than BGN 1 million, and stopped pending applications. The European Parliament’s research service notes that previous naturalisations were also to be reviewed.7,8
Investors can still apply for naturalisation under the ordinary rules: five years after getting permanent residence, with a Bulgarian language test at A1 level and, as a rule, giving up their current citizenship. Naturalisation is decided case by case and is not guaranteed.4
The 2026 bill on a six-month stay rule
A government bill filed on 28 July 2026 would let the authorities withdraw permanent residence from holders who spent less than six months and one day in Bulgaria in the previous calendar year. As filed, the new rule has no exemption for investors.5,4
Parliament adopted the bill at first reading on 16 September 2026, and proposals closed on 23 September. A draft committee report for second reading keeps the six-month rule with exceptions for some categories of permanent residents; the second reading was still pending on 15 October 2026. Investors should check the final text before investing.9,10
State fees
| Permanent residence | €511.29 (BGN 1,000), plus €5.11 |
|---|---|
| Prolonged residence, up to 1 year | €255.65 (BGN 500), plus €5.11 for the application |
| Residence card | €23.01 (BGN 45); double for issue in 3 working days |
Source: Ministry of Interior: Fees for foreigners under Tariff No. 4 (DOC)11
Lawyers’ and fund managers’ fees come on top. Immigration lawyers in Bulgaria handle applications for foreign investors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bulgaria have a golden visa?
Not as a separate scheme. The term is used for permanent residence that Bulgaria grants to non-EU nationals for a qualifying investment under Article 25 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, without first living in the country on a temporary permit.
How much is the Bulgaria golden visa?
The lowest investments for permanent residence are BGN 1,000,000 (€511,292) in a qualifying Bulgarian investment fund or in concession rights. Shares or bonds traded in Bulgaria need BGN 2,000,000 (€1,022,584), and the state fee for permanent residence is €511.29 plus €5.11.
Can I get residency in Bulgaria by buying property?
Yes, but not permanent residence at first. Property worth at least BGN 600,000 (€306,775) per person gives prolonged residence, usually renewed yearly; holding the investment for five years then qualifies for permanent residence.
Does Bulgaria still offer citizenship by investment?
No. The National Assembly abolished citizenship by investment on 24 March 2022 and stopped pending applications. Investors with permanent residence can apply for naturalisation under the ordinary rules five years later, with a Bulgarian language test at A1 level.
Do I have to live in Bulgaria to keep golden visa residence?
Under the current law there is no minimum stay, but status can be withdrawn after 12 consecutive months outside the EU. A bill adopted at first reading on 16 September 2026 would require at least six months and one day in Bulgaria each year; its second reading was still pending on 15 October 2026.
How long does the Bulgaria golden visa take?
Lawyers give about six to eight months from the start to the permanent residence card. That covers preliminary approval by the Bulgarian Investment Agency within 40 days, the investment, a Type D visa and a decision by the Migration Directorate within two months, or four in complex cases.
Sources
- State Gazette No. 109/2025: Application form for permanent residence, Annex 4 (Bulgarian, PDF)
- Ministry of Interior: Prolonged residence permit for foreigners (DOCX)
- Ministry of Interior: Granting permanent residence to foreigners (DOCX)
- Oikonomakis Law: Bulgaria golden visa in 2026, permanent residence by investment (August 2026)
- New Balkans Law Office: Changes to the Bulgarian permanent residence presence requirement (21 August 2026)
- Financial Supervision Commission
- National Assembly: Parliament finally abolished citizenship for investment (24 March 2022)
- European Parliamentary Research Service: Aspects of golden passport and visa schemes in the EU (2024, PDF)
- National Assembly: Bill amending the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, 52-602-01-29
- News.bg: Citizens’ petition against new limits on permanent residents (8 October 2026, Bulgarian)
- Ministry of Interior: Fees for foreigners under Tariff No. 4 (DOC)
- Ministry of Interior: Long-term residence for EU citizens (leaflet, PDF)
Figures checked 15 October 2026. Prepared by InvestBulgaria for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.
