Bulgaria began accepting applications for its new digital nomad residence permit on December 20, 2025, opening a one-year path to residence for remote workers from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

The permit is valid for 12 months and can be extended for up to one additional year. Bulgaria, long overshadowed by neighbours Greece and Türkiye as a destination, joins the growing list of countries competing for location-independent workers with lower living costs and Black Sea coastline.

Who can apply?

The scheme sets out three eligible categories of applicants, each with its own requirements:

• Foreign nationals employed by a company registered outside Switzerland, the EU or the EEA;
• Foreign nationals who are part of the management, or own at least 25 percent, of a company registered outside these regions;
• Foreign nationals who have provided remote services for at least one year before applying, do not serve Bulgarian entities, and do not freelance in Bulgaria.

What are the income and document requirements?

Applicants must show proof of income equal to 50 times the Bulgarian monthly minimum wage — roughly €27,550 per year, according to visa guidance platform Citizen Remote. Required documentation also includes:

• Private medical insurance;
• Proof of accommodation in Bulgaria;
• A clean criminal record.

Dependants can join the main applicant through a family reunification process, meaning spouses and children can relocate under the same permit.

What steps does the application involve?

The process runs in three stages, each with its own timeline:

1. Visa D application — filed in the applicant's home country; processing can take up to two months.
2. Post-arrival documentation — after approval and arrival in Bulgaria, applicants file further documents with the government; this stage takes between two and four weeks.
3. ID card application — the final step, which should be completed within one month.

In total, applicants should budget several months from first filing to holding a residence card, with the two-month Visa D processing window the longest single stage.

Why it matters

The launch gives remote workers a new European option at a significantly lower cost of living than established nomad hubs such as Lisbon, alongside access to Black Sea beaches and some of Europe's oldest cities.

Applicants should verify current requirements and file through official Bulgarian diplomatic and government channels, as criteria and processing times may change.