Bulgaria Golden Visa
A five-year renewable EU residence permit through a regulated fund investment, with no minimum physical stay requirement.
Bulgaria Golden Visa Overview
Bulgaria's Golden Visa grants a residence permit to non-EU nationals who invest in regulated Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) or Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), under Article 25, Paragraph 1, Points 6 and 7 of Bulgaria's Foreigners Act. The programme is administered by the Bulgarian Investment Agency, which conducts mandatory pre-approval and due-diligence review, alongside the Financial Supervision Commission (FSC), which regulates the qualifying investment funds themselves.
Since Bulgaria adopted the euro as its official currency at the start of 2026, the qualifying investment can now be made directly in euros rather than through a Bulgarian-lev conversion.
Benefits of Bulgaria Golden Visa
- A five-year residence permit, renewable, granting the right to live, work, and study in Bulgaria
- No minimum physical stay requirement to maintain permanent residence status, provided the qualifying investment and legal conditions are maintained
- Spouse and children under 18 can apply for family reunification residence permits once the main holder's permit is granted
- The investment sits in a regulated fund vehicle rather than a non-refundable government contribution
Requirements
The main applicant, a non-EU citizen, invests in one of two regulated fund categories under FSC oversight:
1. Regulated Fund Investment
A minimum of €512,000 invested in Bulgarian Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) or Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), regulated by the Financial Supervision Commission (FSC), retained for the validity of the residence permit.
Procedure
The applicant's investment plan undergoes mandatory pre-approval and due-diligence review by the Bulgarian Investment Agency, with the underlying fund vehicle itself regulated by the FSC. Once the investment is completed and verified, the residence permit is issued for five years and is renewable, provided the investment and other legal conditions remain in place.
Fees & Costs
Beyond the €512,000 fund investment itself, applicants pay Bulgarian Investment Agency processing fees, FSC-related compliance costs, and separate legal and fund-selection advisory fees. Indohill discloses the full statutory and legal fee breakdown for this programme, and every other programme we track, in the Global Matrix Marketplace fee breakdown tool before you commit to a specific fund.
Bulgaria Now Prices This Program in Euros
Since Bulgaria's adoption of the euro at the start of 2026, the €512,000 threshold is a direct euro figure rather than a lev-equivalent conversion. Indohill confirms the current, post-euro-adoption terms before every client engagement, given how recently this changed.
Background & Legal Considerations
Bulgaria's Golden Visa operates under Article 25, Paragraph 1, Points 6 and 7 of the Foreigners Act, with the Bulgarian Investment Agency conducting mandatory pre-approval and due diligence, and the Financial Supervision Commission (FSC) regulating the qualifying AIF/ETF investment vehicles.
Why Indohill Advises This Program
- A private, advisor-reviewed intake — every application is scoped by a person, with the target fund's FSC regulatory status confirmed before any recommendation
- Coordination with independently licensed Bulgarian fund managers and immigration counsel, vetted against Indohill's Certified Partner Network standards before any introduction is made
- Full statutory and legal fee disclosure through the Global Matrix Marketplace before you commit to a specific fund
- The same 5-phase advisory methodology Indohill applies across every program, from initial audit through lifelong governance and renewal support
Bulgaria Golden Visa FAQ
Related European Programs
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