Bulgaria Digital Nomad Visa: Requirements And How To Apply

What this permit is

Bulgaria added a digital nomad category to its Law on Foreigners in June 2025. The Migration Directorate started accepting applications on December 20, 2025, and the permit has been running since the start of 2026. It is not a separate visa type. You apply for it through the existing Type D long-stay visa, then convert that into a long-term residence permit once you are in Bulgaria.

The legal basis is Article 24c of the Law on Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria (ЗЧРБ), published in State Gazette issue 52 of June 27, 2025. “Digital nomad” is defined in the law’s additional provisions as a foreigner who either works under a labor contract for an employer registered outside the EU, or who provides remote services through information technology as a freelancer or business owner.

Who qualifies

You need to fall into one of three groups:

• Employees. You hold a labor contract with an employer registered or established outside the EU, and you can work from anywhere.
• Business owners. You own more than 25% of a company registered outside the EU, and that company serves clients outside Bulgaria.
• Freelancers. You have worked remotely for at least one year, with contracts and client references to show for it.

The category is aimed at non-EU, non-EEA, non-Swiss citizens. EU, EEA, and Swiss nationals already have the right to live and work in Bulgaria without a residence permit, so they don’t need this route.

Income requirement

The law sets the threshold as average annual income of at least 50 minimum monthly wages for the previous calendar year, not a flat monthly figure. Bulgaria’s minimum monthly wage for 2026 is EUR 620.20 (BGN 1,213), set by the Council of Ministers and confirmed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. Fifty times that works out to EUR 31,010 a year, or about EUR 2,584 a month averaged over twelve months.

That number moves each year with the minimum wage, so check the current minimum wage before you calculate your own threshold. You’ll need to document that your income over the past calendar year met the bar, not just that you’re currently earning at that rate.

Required documents

• Valid passport with blank pages
• Proof of income meeting the 50x minimum wage threshold for the prior calendar year
• Labor contract (employees), company ownership and registration records (business owners), or client contracts and references covering at least one year of remote work (freelancers)
• Proof of secured accommodation in Bulgaria
• Health insurance valid in Bulgaria for the full stay
• Certificate of good conduct or criminal record check, required only on your first application
• Payment confirmation for the state fee

Documents issued outside Bulgaria generally need an apostille and a certified Bulgarian translation.

How to apply

Step 1: Apply for a Type D visa at a Bulgarian embassy or consulate. Do this in your country of nationality or legal residence. Submit the documents above along with the visa application. Embassy processing typically takes one to two months.

Step 2: Enter Bulgaria and apply for the residence permit. Once you’re in the country on your Type D visa, take your documents to the Migration Directorate or the migration sector of your regional Interior Ministry office. The Directorate has up to 14 days to decide from the date you submit, and it can extend that by one month if your case needs more documentation or turns out to be legally complex.

Step 3: Get your Bulgarian ID card. Once your residence permit is approved, you apply for the physical biometric residence card, which takes roughly three to 30 days depending on the office.

Costs and fees

The Migration Directorate charges a 10 BGN service fee plus a permit issuance fee: 200 BGN for a permit valid up to six months, or 500 BGN for a permit valid up to a year. At the fixed BGN-EUR conversion rate, that’s roughly EUR 5 for the service fee and EUR 102 to EUR 256 for issuance, depending on the permit length you’re granted. The embassy stage carries its own separate consular visa fee, which varies by location, so confirm the current amount with the specific Bulgarian embassy or consulate where you apply.

Permit duration and renewal

The permit is issued for one year. You can renew it once for a further year, which caps this specific category at two years total. After that, you need to switch to a different residence category if you want to stay longer.

Taxes

The digital nomad law itself doesn’t set out special tax treatment for permit holders. General Bulgarian tax residency rules apply based on how much time you spend in the country and where your center of vital interests is. Talk to a Bulgarian tax adviser before you commit to a long stay, since this affects how your foreign income gets taxed.

FAQ

What is the income threshold for Bulgaria’s digital nomad visa? Average annual income of at least 50 times Bulgaria’s minimum monthly wage for the previous calendar year. For 2026, that’s EUR 31,010 a year, based on a minimum wage of EUR 620.20 a month.

Does the income threshold change every year? Yes. It’s pegged to the minimum monthly wage, which the Bulgarian government resets annually. Check the current minimum wage before you apply.

How long can I live in Bulgaria on this permit? One year initially, with one renewal for another year. Two years is the maximum under this category.

Do I apply for a special “digital nomad visa,” or something else? You apply for a standard Type D long-stay visa at a Bulgarian embassy or consulate, then convert it into a residence permit under the digital nomad ground once you’re in Bulgaria.

Can EU citizens use this permit? No. EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens already have the right to live and work in Bulgaria and don’t need a residence permit for this.

Who counts as a freelancer under this rule? Someone who has worked remotely for at least one year and can show contracts and client references covering that work.

How long does the Migration Directorate take to decide? Up to 14 days from submission, extendable by one month if your file is complex or incomplete.

See if this fits your situation

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