After years of hosting the largest digital nomad festival in the world, Bansko Nomad Fest, Bulgaria has finally launched their Digital Nomad Visa.
Thanks to low living costs, a relatively robust Wi-Fi network and an ongoing uptick in coworking infrastructure, Bulgaria has seen increasing nomad interest in some of their more popular cities such as Sofia, Varna, Plovdiv and Bansko.
This also follows the country’s recent switch to the euro as well as its introduction into the Schengen zone, positioning it as a great potential base for nomads looking to explore Europe.
What Bulgaria’s Digital Nomad Visa offers
- Long-term, renewable stay: Digital Nomads in Bulgaria are entitled to a one-year stay, renewable up to two years.
- Stay with the family: Workers can reside alongside their families.
- Accessible costs: Bulgaria offers a low cost of living.
- Minimal taxation: Digital Nomads will be subject to a low, flat 10% tax rate.
- Access to travel: The visa offers access to travel within the Schengen Area.
The visa’s exact conditions are expected to evolve and adjust as time goes on and Bulgaria’s government gets a better idea of how it is received and the economic impact it is having.
Who can apply?
Bulgaria’s Digital Nomad Visa covers three categories of remote workers.
- Remote workers employed by companies registered outside of the EU, EEA and Switzerland.
- Business owners, shareholders and members of management bodies who own 25% or more
- Freelance/self-employed workers who remotely provide digital services to foreign clients, and have been doing so for at least a year before applying.
While there are conflicting reports of an exact figure, applicants must also have a minimum annual income of approximately 50 times the Bulgarian gross minimum monthly wage (which normally puts the figure between €23,000-€30,000). They cannot begin any work for Bulgarian companies/clients during their stay. All income must come from non-EU/EEA/Swiss entities.
You must also hold a valid, non-EU passport and a clean criminal record.
How to apply
In order to apply, applicants must begin by filing for a long-stay Type D visa at a Bulgarian embassy or consulate.
They will then need to enter the country on their Type D visa before resubmitting their documents to local migration authorities and receiving their residence card under the Digital Nomad Visa programme. Typical Type D visas require that this be done with 90 days of arrival, but reporting around the Digital Nomad Visa specifically cite a 14-day limit.
To get their Digital Nomad Visa, individuals will need to provide:
- Their approved Type D visa
- Passport from their home country, valid for at least 18 months
- Proof of Bulgarian accommodation
- A clean criminal record from their country of residence, apostilled
- Proof of health insurance with a minimum coverage of €30,000 valid in Bulgaria
- Proof of remote work (via a document such as an employment contract, business documents, client contracts, etc.)
- Proof of income via 12 months of bank statements
- A passport colour photo
Documents must be translated into Bulgarian, and any official documents must be apostilled.
Once individuals have a residence card, they can apply for an identification card.
Once they have their local identification card, then they can apply for family members to join them.
It’s worth keeping in mind that the Type D visa application can take one to two months to process after being filed, and must be done so from abroad.
Why Bulgaria?
The new visa is seen as a mutually beneficial offering, with the Bulgarian government looking to attract foreign professionals who can stimulate the economy without entering the local labour market, whilst providing a beautiful and accessible base for nomads.
In terms of Bulgarian tax laws, individuals are subject to tax after 183 days in the country during the year. After that point, their income (worldwide) would be subject to Bulgaria’s standard 10% income tax.
Between the impressively low tax rate and lower income requirement, Bulgaria may offer an attractive option for digital nomads. On the other hand, the shorter maximum stay of two years, and the fact that the Digial Nomad Visa is not a path to permanent residency, may put a damper on it for some travellers.
Other Digital Nomad Visas to consider
- Portugal – Their D8 Digital Nomad Visa allows non-EU/EEA remote workers, freelancers and entrepeneurs to reside in Portugal for up to one year on a temporary stay visa (renewable up to five times) and up to two years on a long-term residency visa (renewable up to 3 years),
- Spain – Offers the Visado para teletrabajadores, launched in 2023, which can lead to multi-year residency and even has a favourable tax scheme for select high-earning nomads.
- Croatia – Lasting up to 18-months, Croatia’s Digital Nomad Visa is one of the most popular in Europe thanks to its convenient location, low cost of living and tax-free structure.
- Estonia – One of the first Digital Nomad Visas in Europe, Estonia offers a 1-year DNV provided you earn around €4,500/mo.
- Greece – Offers a nomad visa with a €3,500/mo requirement and a 50% income tax break for the first few years, provided that you become a tax resident.
- Romania – Requiring a minimum monthly income of approximately €3,634, Romania’s Digital Nomad Visa lets you stay for up to 6 months, but can be continually renewed as long as you continue to meet requirements.
- Slovenia – Offering a 12-month, multiple-entry residency with a high quality of life and low costs.
- Moldova – Requiring a lower income than many other European alternatives (approximately €1,290-1,700), Moldova’s Digital Nomad Visa allows digital nomads to live in the country for up to two years (with the potential to extend up to five).
With more and more countries introducing Digital Nomad Visas, the list goes on. If you’re ready to take the leap but aren’t quite sure where to head first, keep an open mind—the list of possible countries is ever-lengthening, and you might find an unexpected gem amongst them.
