Retiring in Bulgaria

Non-EU pensioners

Foreigners who have been granted a pension under Bulgarian law, or the law of their own or another country, and have sufficient means can get prolonged residence. They apply first for a Type D visa at a Bulgarian embassy or consulate, then for the permit in Bulgaria, no later than 14 days before the visa expires.¹

• A document from the competent authority of the paying country certifying that you are a pensioner.
• A certificate from a bank in Bulgaria that you have an account to receive the pension.
• Evidence of stable, regular means of at least the Bulgarian minimum monthly wage or minimum pension for the period of stay.
• Mandatory health insurance valid in Bulgaria, unless you are insured under the Health Insurance Act.
• Proof of accommodation, your passport with the Type D visa, and the fee.

Source: Ministry of Interior: Prolonged residence permit for foreigners (DOCX)¹

The decision takes up to 14 days, or a month longer if documents are missing. The fee is €255.65 (BGN 500) for up to a year, plus €5.11 for the application and €23.01 (BGN 45) for the residence card. The permit is renewed each year on the same conditions.^1,2

The minimum pension rose to €347.51 a month from 1 July 2026, when pensions granted until the end of 2025 were raised by 7.8%.⁵

EU, EEA and Swiss pensioners

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need no visa. To stay longer than three months they register with the Migration Directorate, showing health insurance and sufficient means, and receive a certificate on the day of application. See Moving to Bulgaria for the documents and fees.⁴

How pensions are taxed

• State pensions: the Personal Income Tax Act exempts income from compulsory insurance in Bulgaria or abroad, so a state pension from a compulsory scheme is not taxed in Bulgaria, even for a tax resident.
• Voluntary pensions: income from supplementary voluntary insurance received after acquiring the right to a supplementary pension is also exempt. Amounts redeemed early are taxed at 10%.
• Other income of a tax resident, such as rent, interest or a part-time job, is taxed at the flat 10%; see Income Tax.

Source: The Bulgarian tax law: Taxation of other income in Bulgaria; Melssa: Foreign pensions in Bulgaria, tax, healthcare and getting paid (October 2026); PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Bulgaria, individual, income determination; New Balkans Law Office: Bulgarian personal income tax^6,7,8,9

Tax treaties decide which country may tax a pension. Some, such as government service pensions, can remain taxable only in the paying country, so check the treaty with your country.¹⁰

Healthcare

• Pensioners from the EU, EEA, Switzerland or the UK who are not insured in Bulgaria on another ground are covered by the country that pays their pension, through an S1 form registered with the National Health Insurance Fund. They then get care on the same basis as Bulgarian citizens.
• Being awarded a Bulgarian state pension as well ends a UK S1, and Bulgaria becomes responsible for your healthcare.
• Non-EU pensioners on prolonged residence owe no health contribution and pay for their own care, so the private insurance required for the permit matters. Contributions to the Fund become due with long-term or permanent residence.
• Emergency care is free; most other state care costs a small patient fee once you are insured.

Source: NHS: Planning your healthcare when living abroad; GOV.UK: Healthcare for UK nationals living in Bulgaria; National Revenue Agency: Health-insured persons (Bulgarian); National Health Insurance Fund: International affairs^11,12,13,14

UK pensioners

UK nationals who lived in Bulgaria before the end of 2020 are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and keep an uprated UK State Pension and S1 healthcare. The UK State Pension is also uprated each April for residents of the EEA, including Bulgaria, who moved later.^15,16

Long-term residence

After five years of legal, uninterrupted residence a pensioner can apply for long-term residence status, which is then permanent unless grounds for withdrawal arise. Permanent residence and naturalisation are on Residence Permits.³

A monthly budget is on Cost of Living in Bulgaria, and buying a home on Buying Property in Bulgaria. Immigration lawyers in Bulgaria can handle the application.