Bulgaria golden visa: residence permit by property or business — total cost
Updated
What is the minimum investment for a Bulgarian golden visa?
Real estate worth at least €306,775.13 (BGN 600,000) gives a one-year residence permit, renewed every year, for about €318,620 all in. A business route costs less: €127,822.97 (BGN 250,000) into a company you own at least half of in an economically disadvantaged region, with 5 jobs for Bulgarian citizens, gives the same renewable permit, while €511,291.88 (BGN 1,000,000) in licensed fund units gives permanent residence at once.
| Route | Minimum | What you get | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real estate | €306,775.13 | Permit up to 1 year, renewed yearly; at most 25% borrowed | EMN official answer |
| Company in a less-developed region, 5 jobs | €127,822.97 | Permit up to 1 year at a time; new fixed assets of the same amount | Foreigners Act art. 24(1)(20) |
| Company with 10 jobs | €255,645.94 | Permanent residence | Foreigners Act art. 25 |
| Licensed fund units | €511,291.88 | Permanent residence | Foreigners Act art. 25 |
Official rule: Bulgaria: BGN 250,000 (EUR 127,822.97) into a company you own at least 50% of in an economically disadvantaged region, new fixed assets of at least BGN 250,000 and at least 5 jobs for Bulgarian citizens (Foreigners Act art. 24(1)(20)): a renewable permit of up to 1 year at a time; permanent residence after keeping the investment 5 years (art. 25(1)(17)). (source, checked 2026-10-19)
Real estate worth at least €306,775 (BGN 600,000) costs about €318,620 all in in Sofia — the lowest all-in cost of the four (Greece's €250,000 tier is only for converted or listed buildings), including about €284 of permit and card fees. It buys a one-year residence permit, renewed each year while you keep the investment, in a Schengen country.
Not a valid document. Estimate for information only — not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change often and errors are possible. Confirm every figure with a licensed lawyer in the country before you pay anything.
The rules at a glance
| Minimum investment | €306,775 (BGN 600,000) in Bulgarian real estate, directly or through a company you own more than 50% of. Residential or commercial, one or several properties verify. |
|---|---|
| Borrowing | At most 25% of the investment may be borrowed. |
| Other conditions | A long-stay (type D) visa first; accommodation, health insurance and means of at least the Bulgarian minimum monthly wage. |
| Minimum stay | Investors are exempt from the 30-month presence rule that applies to other long-stay residents verify. A July 2026 draft law would require six months a year from permanent residents; the one-year property permit is outside it, and it is still a draft verify. |
| Permit | Prolonged residence permit for up to 1 year, renewed every year while the investment is kept. Permanent residence needs five years of continuous lawful residence; whether an investor who stays abroad qualifies is not confirmed — ask a lawyer. |
| Family | Not stated in any source we found — ask a lawyer. |
| Renting the home out | Not stated in any source we found. |
| Holding period | As long as you want the permit renewed. |
| Citizenship | Ordinary naturalisation after permanent residence; not sourced here. Fast-track citizenship by investment was abolished in 2022. |
| Schengen | Yes — full member since 1 January 2025. Bulgaria has used the euro since 1 January 2026; the threshold did not change. |
| Last change | Euro adoption on 1 January 2026 (threshold unchanged); draft Foreigners Act amendments of July 2026 pending. |
Every cost, and who sets it
- Municipal acquisition tax 0.1–3% depending on the municipality (Sofia 3%).
- Registration fee 0.1%.
- Notary about €375 plus VAT on a €100,000 purchase, scaled to your price (about €1,150 plus VAT at the threshold) verify — check the notarial tariff.
- Lawyer €300–1,500 verify.
- Residence permit fee BGN 500 + BGN 10 (about €261) for a permit of up to one year, and BGN 45 (about €23) for the card (Ministry of Interior, Tariff No. 4 — still quoted in leva); paid again at each renewal.
- VAT on new builds: standard rate 20% — not confirmed for property in our sources; ask the developer whether it is in the price.
- A house with land: a non-EU citizen cannot own land, so you buy through a Bulgarian company (EOOD: €1 minimum capital, about €500–1,500 a year to run). Apartments can be bought in your own name.
What takes longer than expected
On paper Bulgaria is quick: the law gives the Migration Directorate 14 days to decide (a month more if documents are missing) verify, and practitioners report 2–4 months after the purchase from the visa application to the card, plus the time to find, buy and register the property verify. The application is filed in person in Bulgaria after you enter on a type D visa.
Family paperwork
Foreign documents need an Apostille or legalisation and a Bulgarian translation by a translator authorised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; if family members are included, their marriage and birth papers must be recognised in Bulgaria verify. No official text we found says how recent they must be — ask the Migration Directorate.
Where are your documents from? Documents from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, India, Pakistan, China, Russia, the UK, the US, Canada, South Africa, the Philippines and the other countries in the Apostille Convention need an Apostille from the issuing country. The UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Lebanon and Nigeria are not in the Convention: their documents need full legalisation — first the issuing country's foreign ministry, then the Bulgarian consulate or embassy. Allow weeks for each stamp, per document and per family member. Pakistan joined the Convention in 2023 and Bulgaria has not objected, so an Apostille from Pakistan works here (Greece is different — see its page).
The bank account
The purchase money must pass through a licensed Bulgarian bank, which issues the certificate that goes with the application verify — so the local account is part of the route, not an option. Expect an appointment in person and source-of-funds questions.
Advice from someone who is not selling you the home
Estate agents in Bulgaria are not licensed verify, and no law we found requires a lawyer. Independent checks on the seller, the title and any charges on the property matter more here — by a lawyer you choose and pay yourself.
How to apply, step by step
- Ask a Bulgarian lawyer to confirm the family rules and which documents your nationality needs.
- Choose real estate worth at least €306,775.13 (BGN 600,000) in total. For a house with land, set up a Bulgarian company (EOOD) first.
- Pay through a Bulgarian bank account; borrow no more than 25% of the investment.
- Sign the notarial deed and register it; pay the municipal tax and the registration fee.
- Apply for a long-stay (type D) visa at a Bulgarian consulate with proof of the investment.
- In Bulgaria, apply to the Migration Directorate for the prolonged residence permit with proof of accommodation, health insurance and means.
- Renew every year while you keep the investment; permanent residence needs five years of continuous lawful residence — ask a lawyer whether time abroad counts.
Official sources
- EMN 2026 compilation — Bulgaria's official answer (one-year permit, 25% loan limit)
- ELRA — Bulgaria: limits on foreign buyers (land vs buildings)
Other countries: all four countries compared · can a non-EU citizen buy a home in each EU country? · routes that need no property
Before you rely on this: what to confirm
These points rest on a law firm, a commercial source or a single source, or the official page could not be read. Ask a licensed lawyer to confirm them against the official tariff or law before you pay anything.
- Who in your family can be included, and on what income.
- Whether you may let the property.
- The exact legal provision for the property route.
- The notarial fee for your price, and VAT on new builds.
- The fate of the July 2026 Foreigners Act bill.
Questions people ask
How much does Bulgarian residency by property cost in total?
In Bulgaria, about €318,620 for one person at the minimum in Sofia: the €306,776 property (the minimum rounded up to a whole euro), 3% municipal tax, 0.1% registration, notary and lawyer, and about €284 of permit and card fees (BGN 500 + 10 and BGN 45), which are paid again at each yearly renewal.
How long is the Bulgarian permit valid?
The Bulgarian permit runs up to one year, renewed each year while you keep the investment. Permanent residence needs five years of continuous lawful residence.
Can a foreigner buy land in Bulgaria?
Not in their own name if they are not an EU citizen. Apartments and buildings can be bought directly; a house with its plot is bought through a Bulgarian company.
Is Bulgaria in Schengen?
Yes — in Bulgaria, fully since 1 January 2025.
Can I get Bulgarian citizenship by investing in Bulgaria?
No — Bulgaria abolished its fast-track citizenship by investment in 2022. An investment now gives a residence permit (permanent residence for the BGN 1,000,000 fund route); citizenship is a separate, ordinary naturalisation.