Bulgaria

Bulgaria Citizenship Investor Program

In order to be considered a qualified investor under the Bulgaria-EU Immigrant Investor Program, an applicant should invest €511,292 into a five-year government bond. The applicant can chose between the following investment options:

• Full Investment: €511,292 is invested into a Government bond portfolio over a five-year period. After the five-year period, €511,292 is returned to the investor without interest. The investment is guaranteed by the Bulgaria Government.
• Financing Option: A convenient financing option is readily available in which the investor will pay a one-time fee of €180,000. This is remitted to a Bulgaria Chartered Bank which will grant a loan for the full amount. At the end of the five-year period, no funds are returned to the applicant. Applicants who chose this option must demonstrate the ownership of worldwide net assets of €1,000,000.

General Benefits

• Invest in Bulgaria, become resident of EU member country
• Permanent residence issued four to six months after application is submitted
• Government-approved investment and available financing options from banks
• Special exemption from physical residency enforced with legislation
• Opportunity to apply for citizenship after 5 years as a permanent resident
• Highly-skilled labor force at Europe’s lowest operational cost
• Strategic geographic location, linking Europe to Asia, Middle East and Africa
• Favorable tax rates and free trade environment within EU

Benefits of Permanent Residence

• Access to free healthcare in Bulgaria and EU
• Access to free education in Bulgaria
• Free movement within Schengen countries
• Tax exemption on worldwide income
• Easier to obtain visa to non-EU countries

Benefits of Citizenship

• Visa-free travel/visa on arrivals to up to 150 countries (estimate)
• Unrestricted rights to live/work/study in the EU
• Access to free education within the EU

Life in Bulgaria

Location
Bulgaria is a Balkan country in southeastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, and the Black Sea to the east.

Population
Population is around 7 million.

Language
Bulgarian is the official language.

Climate
Bulgaria has a temperate-continental climate with moderate features, which is characteristic for Central Europe, with hot summers, long, cold winters, and very distinct seasons. Abundant snowfalls may occur throughout the country from December to mid-March, especially in the mountainous areas.

Capital
Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria.

Time
Eastern European Time UTC+2:00.

Economy
Bulgaria has an emerging market economy in the upper-middle income range. The economy of Bulgaria functions on the principles of the free market, where the private sector accounts for more than 80% of GDP. The currency is the Bulgarian lev (BGN).

Do I have to live in Bulgaria to maintain my permanent resident status?
No. The uniqueness of the program is that the applicant and his qualifying family members are exempted from having to live in Bulgaria during their 5-year residence period, unless they want to.

Do I need a physical address in Bulgaria?
Yes. The main applicant must have a physical address when he applies for a Bulgarian visa D and other statutory stages within the program. Once I obtain the permanent residence permit, do I have to pay taxes in Bulgaria? No, unless you decide to conduct business in Bulgaria or to physically reside in Bulgaria for more than 183 days within 12 consecutive months.