Digital Nomad Visa in Bulgaria

For a long time, remote workers from outside the EU could stay in Bulgaria only as tourists, 90 days in every 180. Since December 2025 this has changed. Bulgaria now has a residence permit made for digital nomads, people who live here but work online for an employer or clients abroad. You get a one year permit, you can extend it once, and your family can join you. You don’t need to register a company in Bulgaria for it.

Who can apply

The permit is for citizens of countries outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland who work remotely, and who fit into one of three groups:
Employees working remotely for a company registered outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland
Owners or managers of their own company registered outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, working through it remotely
Freelancers and self-employed people with at least one year of remote work before applying
In all cases, the work must be done for employers or clients outside Bulgaria. You cannot work for Bulgarian clients or take a job in Bulgaria on this permit. If you want to do business in Bulgaria, there are other routes, and we explain them on our residence permits page.

Main requirements

An income of at least 50 Bulgarian minimum salaries per year, which is about €31,000 in 2026
Proof of your remote work, for example an employment contract, company documents or client contracts
Accommodation in Bulgaria, for example a rental contract
Health insurance that covers Bulgaria
Enough funds to support yourself while you live here
Extra documents for family members, if they come with you
Most documents need to be translated into Bulgarian, and many also need an apostille and legalisation. This is the part where applications most often get delayed.

How the process works

The process has two steps.
First, you apply for a long-stay visa, type D, at a Bulgarian embassy or consulate in your country of citizenship or where you live legally. This is needed for everybody, also for citizens of countries that normally travel to Bulgaria without a visa. The visa usually takes one to two months.
Second, you come to Bulgaria with the D visa and apply for the residence permit at the migration office. After approval you receive your residence card, valid for one year. Before it expires you can extend it once, for one more year.
After these two years, the digital nomad permit can’t be extended again. If you want to stay longer, you need to move to another type of residence, and it’s good to plan this in time.

What is included

A first call to check if you qualify and if this is the best route for you
A complete document list for your situation and your family
Review of all documents before you apply
Help with translations, apostilles and legalisations
Guidance through the D visa application at the embassy
Help finding accommodation or checking your rental contract, if needed
Preparing the residence permit application in Bulgaria
Coming with you to the migration office
Support with the extension after the first year

How long it takes

Plan for around two to four months in total, from the start of preparing documents until you have your residence card. The biggest factor is usually how fast your documents, translations and apostilles are ready, and how busy the embassy is where you apply.

Taxes as a digital nomad

The digital nomad permit is a residence permit, not a tax status. If you live in Bulgaria for most of the year, you will usually become tax resident here, and Bulgaria has a flat 10% personal income tax. At the same time, your home country may have its own rules for when you stop being tax resident there. Please check this with a tax advisor in your home country before you move. We can explain the Bulgarian side and connect you with an accountant for your personal tax return.

What we can’t promise

The decision on the visa and the permit is made by the Bulgarian authorities, and no one can guarantee it. The rules are also new, so practice is still developing. What we make sure is that your application is complete and fits the requirements, so it doesn’t fail because of a missing document or a wrong translation.

Who is this for

Remote employees, freelancers, consultants, developers, designers, and owners of online businesses from outside the EU who want to live in Bulgaria for a year or two, alone or with family. If you are an EU citizen, you don’t need this permit at all, a simple registration is enough.

Let’s talk

Tell us your citizenship, how you work and earn your income, and if your family will come with you. We will tell you if you qualify and what the next steps are.