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BULGARIARESIDENCY AND CITIZENSHIP

Overview

The Bulgaria Investor Program for Residence and Citizenship is offered in accordance with the Foreigners in the Art. 25, para 1, items 6 or 7, of Foreigners in Republic of Bulgaria, allowing a holder of Bulgarian permanent residence permit to enter and leave Bulgaria freely, as well as the right to travel across all European countries visa-free.

  • icon Processing time

    Average of 6 to 9 months

  • icon Time to citizenship

    5 years (2 years fast tracked)

  • icon Visa free travel

    Visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 171 destinations including Schengen area countries, the UK, Japan and UAE.

  • icon Investment type

    Full Investment on Government Bonds or Financed Investment

  • icon Investment cost

    Government Bonds of EUR 512,000 or Financed (non-refundable) Investment of EUR 180,000

  • icon Family dependents

    Spouse and dependent children below 18 years old

  • icon Passport validity

    Five (5) years

Citizenship law or Residency Law

Country Info

Bulgaria is a country occupying the eastern portion of the Balkan Peninsula in Southeastern Europe. A beautiful country, with majestic
mountains, sandy beaches, picturesque villages, good food, and hospitable people. Considered as the oldest country in Europe, Bulgaria is rich in culture with its world-famous folklore and Opera singers and its several UNESCO world heritage sites. Bulgaria is a member of the European Union, NATO, and the Council of Europe; it is a founding state of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Many investors consider Bulgaria because of its strategic location and taxes are one of the lowest in Europe.

As one of the youngest EU member states, this beautiful country boasts a rich and diverse culture, temperate climate and ideal location in Southeast Europe. The ideal gateway into the European economy and way of life, Bulgaria is diverse, culturally rich and perfectly placed for working and travelling in and around the continent.

The country is a leading European producer of copper and zinc. Other major industries include electronics, chemicals, mining, machinery, steel, vehicle components, and firearms.

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CAPITAL

Sofia

POPULATION

7.144 million

LANGUAGE

Bulgarian (official), Turkish & Romani

GOVERNMENT TYPE

Parliamentary republic

CURRENCY

Bulgarian lev (BGN), tied to the euro

EXCHANGE RATE

1 USD = 1.655 BGN

Benefits

Costs

To be eligible for Bulgaria Investor Program for Residence and Citizenship Program, the applicant is required to make a non-refundable financial contribution to the Government of Bulgaria.

1. FULL INVESTMENT

Applicants choosing this option must deposit BGN 1 million (€511,292) in a Governmental Bond Portfolio for an investment period of five years with no further payment required. At the end of the five-year period, the full amount will be returned to the investor without any accrued interest. The investment is fully guaranteed by the government bonds.

FULL INVESTMENT Government Bond Portfolio
EUR 512,000

2. FINANCED INVESTMENT

Clients can leverage their capital by choosing to finance the required investment amount through a European bank. The applicant must demonstrate a net worldwide asset of EUR 1 million to avail this option.

DOUBLING INVESTMENT TO FAST TRACK CITIZENSHIP

The fast-track option allows investors to apply for citizenship faster by doubling their investment. The applicant must have at least one-year permanent residency status and make a further investment. Government Bond Portfolio or in the Capital of a Bulgarian company carrying out a priority Investment Project, the additional investment must be held for a period of 2 years.

Investment
EUR 512,000
GOVERNMENT FEES

In addition to the investment, there are Government fees to be paid (inclusive of Due Diligence Fees)

Main Applicant and Spouse
EUR 35,000
Each qualifying dependent below 18 years
EUR 2,500

Citizenship Invest professional fees, official application forms, certification of citizenship and passport, courier & other disbursements are the only other costs associated. A detailed quotation with no hidden costs is provided for the specific case.

Required Documents

Citizenship Invest appoints a Document Collection Specialist for each case. The firm offers a bespoke service that simplifies the application process, requesting from clients the bear minimum. Our job is to simplify the document collection as much as possible and when required we obtain the documents for the client without their involvement. Please note the below list is to be used as a guideline only, after assessing the particular case Citizenship Invest prepares a personalized checklist.

Documents required from each applicant including children:
• Certified valid passport
• Proof of accommodation in Bulgaria
• Proof of self-sufficiency
• Copy of insurance policy
• Full details about the applicant’s marital status and members of the family”

The application must be submitted in Bulgarian. For applicants under the Investment Promotion Act, there are additional requirements among which the amount to be invested in Bulgaria.

For a personalized document checklist please contact us.

Timeline

MONTH 1

Client signs CI Retainer Agreement and pays the retainer invoice

The applicant then makes an appointment at a Bulgarian Consulate for document signing. The Investment is then transferred by the applicant.

MONTH 2-3

The Investment Certificate is issued. A second appointment is made at a Bulgarian Consulate for the application of Schengen Visa, type D (long stay visa).

Once the Schengen Visa, type D is granted, the applicant makes the first trip to Bulgaria for the submission of Application for Permanent Residence (PR).

MONTH 4-6

Once the Permanent residence is approved, the applicant will then make a second trip to Bulgaria for the submission of Application for Bulgarian PR card. The applicant will receive the receipt of Bulgarian PR Card (three days after application). Then, the family reunification process can be started. Family members will obtain permanent residence in 3 months.

MONTH 16-18

Increasing the invested amount to approximately EUR 1,024,000 by purchasing new government bonds for EUR 511 292 followed by application for a Bulgarian citizenship and passport with the Ministry of Justice. The investor may apply for Bulgarian citizenship & passport at the nearest Bulgarian embassy or general consulate.

MONTH 19-20

Citizenship Certificates and passports are issued. The balance of CI professional fee is paid.

The estimated time to receive residence permit/citizenship approval depends on the due diligence processing time and the specific case.

BULGARIA VISA FREE countries

* Visa on arrival

171Countries

Asia
  • Bangladesh *
    Brunei
    Cambodia *
    Hong Kong (SAR China)
    Indonesia
    Japan
    Kazakhstan
    Kyrgyzstan *
    Laos *
    Macao (SAR China)
    Malaysia
    Maldives *
    Nepal *
    Philippines
    Singapore
    South Korea
    Sri Lanka **
    Taiwan
    Tajikistan *
    Thailand *
    Timor-Leste
    Uzbekistan
Europe
  • Albania
    Andorra
    Austria
    Belarus
    Belgium
    Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Croatia
    Cyprus
    Czech Republic
    Denmark
    Estonia
    Faroe Islands
    Finland
    France
    Germany
    Gibraltar
    Greece
    Greenland
    Hungary
    Iceland
    Ireland
    Italy
    Kosovo
    Latvia
    Liechtenstein
    Lithuania
    Luxembourg
    Malta
    Moldova
    Monaco
    Montenegro
    Netherlands
    North Macedonia
    Norway
    Poland
    Portugal
    Romania
    San Marino
    Serbia
    Slovakia
    Slovenia
    Spain
    Sweden
    Switzerland
    Ukraine
    United Kingdom
    Vatican City
Africa
  • Botswana
    Cape Verde Islands
    Comores Islands *
    Egypt *
    Gabon *
    Gambia
    Guinea-Bissau *
    Kenya *
    Madagascar *
    Malawi *
    Mauritania *
    Mauritius
    Mayotte
    Morocco
    Mozambique *
    Namibia *
    Reunion
    Rwanda *
    Sao Tome and Principe
    Senegal
    Seychelles *
    Sierra Leone *
    Somalia *
    St. Helena *
    Tanzania *
    Togo *
    Tunisia
    Uganda *
    Zambia *
    Zimbabwe *
Oceania
  • Cook Islands
    Fiji
    French Polynesia
    Kiribati
    Marshall Islands
    Micronesia
    New Caledonia
    New Zealand **
    Niue
    Palau Islands
    Papua New Guinea *
    Samoa
    Solomon Islands
    Tonga
    Tuvalu
    Vanuatu
Caribbean
  • Antigua and Barbuda
    Aruba
    Bahamas
    Barbados
    Bonaire; St. Eustatius and Saba
    British Virgin Islands
    Cayman Islands
    Curacao
    Dominica
    Dominican Republic
    French West Indies
    Grenada
    Haiti
    Jamaica *
    Montserrat
    St. Kitts and Nevis
    St. Lucia
    St. Maarten
    St. Vincent and the Grenadines
    Trinidad and Tobago
    Turks and Caicos Islands
Americas
  • Argentina
    Belize
    Bermuda
    Bolivia *
    Brazil
    Canada **
    Chile
    Colombia
    Costa Rica
    Ecuador
    El Salvador
    Falkland Islands
    French Guiana
    Guatemala
    Honduras
    Mexico
    Nicaragua
    Panama
    Paraguay
    Peru
    Uruguay
    Venezuela
Middle East
  • Armenia
    Bahrain *
    Georgia
    Iran *
    Israel
    Jordan *
    Kuwait *
    Lebanon *
    Palestinian Territory
    Qatar
    Saudi Arabia *
    Turkey
    United Arab Emirates

*The list of countries is subject to variations depending on each government's policy and so is access to these countries.

brochure

Content
  • Program Overview
  • Citizenship Law
  • Country profile
  • Benefits of the program
  • Applicants Qualifications
  • Investment requirements
  • Application Fees
  • Document Checklist
  • List of countries Visa free and on arrival
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10 pages3.84 MB
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