Bulgaria

Bulgaria Investment Immigration Programs Overview

Bulgaria is one of the European Union countries that still offer a relatively easy path to full EU citizenship and the option to obtain an EU permanent residence card immediately. The country joined the Schengen Area on January 1, 2025, and adopted the euro in 2026.

Currently, foreign investors can obtain Bulgarian citizenship through the semi-fast-track option, also known as the New Bulgarian Golden Visa program.

The New Bulgarian Golden Visa program offers permanent residency in exchange for an investment of 512,000 euros (approximately $600,000) in Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), among other investment options. They provide the opportunity to obtain a Bulgarian permanent residence permit immediately. Holders of a Bulgarian residence permit may move freely within all EU and Schengen countries. 

Investors will become eligible for Bulgarian citizenship 5 years after obtaining a Bulgarian permanent residence permit.

How To Apply

The first step in the application process is to assign a professional to perform preliminary due diligence and ensure legal compliance. This is an essential step that some candidates often neglect, and they later encounter serious compliance problems.

The next step is to obtain preliminary approval to proceed with the chosen investment. This is a new condition introduced by the 2021 legal amendments. To be approved, the investor must demonstrate that the required capital is in their bank account. The next step is making the required investment. While it could be helpful to obtain professional advice in making arrangements, the investment itself should always remain in the applicant’s name and under their direct and sole control.

Applicants should be wary of agents who ask them to transfer funds from their own accounts, as this could be a scam that allows agents to pocket the interest that accumulates on an investor’s capital. Also, be cautious about plans that involve financing the capital used for the CBI investment. Following the latest amendments, these practices are no longer acceptable.

Once the investment is made, applicants must submit their paperwork to proceed. This requires a trip to Bulgaria to obtain the permanent residence permit card. However, the trip doesn’t need to last more than a few days. 

Mobility

Bulgarian passport holders, however, enjoy visa-free access to 179 countries, including the E.U., making the Bulgarian passport the 20th-strongest in the world.

Country

As an industrialized Eastern Bloc country, Bulgaria's economy has diversified and grown steadily in recent years. Bulgaria is now a stable parliamentary democracy. Bulgaria’s coastal and mountain resorts are popular with international tourists, and locals take pride in their country’s architecture, long history, and rich culture.

Updated by Alexander Dobrinov and Uglobal Staff

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