Bulgaria offers a residence permit for remote workers from outside the EU. The route works in two stages, a Type D visa from a consulate and then a residence permit inside Bulgaria. This guide covers who qualifies, the income rule, documents, costs, and each step of the application. All details were checked on 26 October 2026.
Is the Bulgaria Digital Nomad Visa Open?
Yes, the route is open under Bulgarian law as of 26 October 2026. Parliament added it to the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act in June 2025, and the change appeared in State Gazette No. 52 on 27 June 2025. Implementing rules with the document list came into force on 20 December 2025.
- Official name: Long-term residence permit for digital nomads, under Article 24(1), item 23 of the Act.
- Entry visa: Type D long-stay visa, valid for up to 6 months, with a stay of up to 180 days and multiple entries.
- Permit: 1 year, renewable once.
- Where the permit is filed: the Migration Directorate or a regional Ministry of Interior directorate.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes general Type D visa guidance and a consular fee tariff. The Type D guidance does not name digital nomads. The State Gazette website blocked automated access during research, so the legal details here come from published summaries of the law. A consulate can confirm how it accepts applications under this route.
Who Can Apply?
Applicants need to be citizens of a country outside the EU, the EEA, and Switzerland. The law describes three groups of remote workers.
- Remote employees: Staff of an employer based outside the EU, EEA, and Switzerland who work through information technology. A fixed-term contract needs to run at least as long as the permit requested.
- Company owners: Legal representatives, board members, owners, or partners who hold more than 25% of a company based outside the EU, EEA, and Switzerland. The work must be done remotely.
- Independent providers: Freelancers who have provided remote services for at least one year before applying.
The permit covers work for people and companies abroad. Work for a Bulgarian employer or Bulgarian clients falls outside the route. Sources disagree on one detail for freelancers. Some guides say clients must be outside the EU, while summaries of the law only bar Bulgarian clients. A freelancer with EU clients may want to ask the consulate before paying for documents.
How Much Income Do You Need?
The law asks for average gross annual income of at least 50 monthly minimum wages from the calendar year before the application. Sources disagree on which wage applies in 2026, so here are the readings side by side.
- 2025 wage: BGN 1,077 a month, about €550.66. Fifty wages come to about €27,500 (BGN 53,850), or roughly $31,100.
- 2026 wage: €620.20 a month (BGN 1,213). Fifty wages come to €31,010, or roughly $35,000. Many guides quote this figure.
- Draft 2027 wage: €660 a month. Fifty wages would be €33,000, but the figure is a budget projection and has not been adopted.
The law points to the previous calendar year, so the 2025 wage is the natural reading for an application filed in 2026. The same formula would use the 2026 wage for applications filed in 2027. A remote worker who earns at least €31,010 should clear either reading. Dollar amounts use the European Central Bank rate of $1.1298 per euro on 1 October 2026.
Other countries set income rules in different ways, and a comparison of income requirements shows how Bulgaria sits among them. Applicants should keep payslips or invoices and bank records that show the gross amount and payment history.
Which Documents Are Required?
The Type D guidance and the December 2025 rules together list the following papers. Lists can differ by consulate, so the local mission has the final word.
- Basics: application form, valid passport, passport copies, and a recent color photo.
- Proof of category: for employees, a contract and a commercial register extract of the employer, no older than six months. Owners need a company registry extract. Freelancers need a client contract and a client reference.
- Proof of income: records that show the annual threshold is met.
- Housing: a rental agreement, property deed, or booking in Bulgaria.
- Criminal record certificate: from the country of citizenship or usual residence, needed on the first application.
- Health insurance: valid in Bulgaria.
- Foreign documents: an apostille or other legalization, followed by a certified translation into Bulgarian.
The Type D stage also needs a personal interview. The law asks for health cover valid in Bulgaria, and guides quote different minimums. Some say €30,000, and one says €60,000 with Schengen-wide cover. A policy with €60,000 of Schengen cover would meet the higher figure. A comparison of health insurance plans for digital nomads can help narrow the choice.
How Do You Apply, Step by Step?
- Choose the category and check income. Match your situation to one of the three groups and compare your income with the threshold above.
- Prepare the papers. Order the criminal record certificate, add apostilles, and get certified Bulgarian translations.
- Apply for the Type D visa. Apply and attend the interview at the Bulgarian embassy or consulate for your country of residence. The fee is €100.
- Enter Bulgaria on the visa. The visa allows a stay of up to 180 days.
- File for the residence permit. Apply in person at the Migration Directorate or a regional Ministry of Interior directorate.
- Wait for the decision. One guide reports a decision within 14 days, extendable by one month. If officials ask for more papers, the same guide says applicants have 14 days to send them.
- Collect the residence card. Bulgaria issues a plastic ID card for permit holders.
Sources disagree on the filing deadline in step 5. Several outlets, including Euronews, say to file within 14 days of arrival. One guide says to file at least 14 days before the allowed stay ends. Filing within the first 14 days after arrival fits both readings.
What Does It Cost?
Official figures cover the visa only. The permit and card fees below come from guides that cite the Ministry of Interior tariff, and the posted tariff was not checked directly.
- Type D visa: €100, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs fee tariff.
- Residence permit (reported): BGN 500, about €256, plus a BGN 10 application fee.
- Residence card (reported): about €18 in one guide and BGN 45, about €23, in another.
- State fees in total (reported): roughly €375 to €385.
Apostilles, certified translations, insurance, and travel add to the total. Processing times also come from guides rather than official sources. They report one to two months for the Type D visa and two to four weeks for the permit. One guide estimates three to five months from start to finish.
How Long Does the Permit Last?
The first permit runs for 1 year. The permit can be renewed once for another year, so the maximum is 2 years. Anyone who wants to stay longer needs a different residence route. Family members apply separately, and each application has its own conditions.
Renewal steps and rules differ across countries, and an explainer on renewal and extension rules covers the common patterns. Under this track, no Bulgarian work permit is required, and the permit does not allow local work.
Tax Note
The notes below are general information and not tax advice. According to PwC Tax Summaries (last reviewed 2 August 2026), a person can become a Bulgarian tax resident through several tests. Three of them apply here.
- Time spent: more than 183 days in any 12-month period.
- Permanent address: a home address in Bulgaria, when the center of vital interests is also there.
- Center of vital interests: personal and economic ties that sit mainly in Bulgaria.
A tax treaty can override these rules. The permit neither creates nor removes tax residency. A holder who lives in Bulgaria full time will probably pass 183 days. Guides report a flat personal income tax rate of 10%. Home-country rules may also apply, including for US citizens, so a qualified tax professional is the right person to ask about a personal situation.
Who Is This Visa For, and Who Should Skip It?
The permit suits non-EU remote employees, company owners, and established freelancers who earn above the threshold from clients abroad. The route also fits people who want a base in the EU for one to two years. Some remote workers choose Bansko, which has an established nomad community.
- Skip it if income falls short: the threshold is about €27,500 to €31,010 a year.
- Skip it as a new freelancer: the independent route needs one year of remote service history.
- Skip it with Bulgarian clients: the route bars work for Bulgarian persons.
- Skip it for a short stay: Bulgaria joined the Schengen area on 1 January 2025. Visa-free visitors from many countries get 90 days in any 180-day period. A comparison of the digital nomad visa and a tourist visa helps with choosing.
- Skip it as an EU citizen: EU citizens have their own residence route and do not need this permit.
Readers still weighing countries can look at the top countries with official digital nomad visa programs.
Ready to Plan the Move?
Bulgaria gives qualifying remote workers a clear two-step route to one or two years in an EU country. Once the Type D visa is approved, the next job is arriving on time. Search flights to Sofia on FlyBibe and pick a landing date that leaves room to file the permit application within the first 14 days. A flexible ticket can also help if the visa decision takes longer than expected.
Immigration and tax rules change. Confirm current requirements with the Bulgarian embassy or consulate that serves your country, or with a qualified immigration or tax professional, before making plans. This article reflects information as of 26 October 2026 and is general information only.