Bulgarian citizenship program

A decisive amendment in the Bulgarian legislation as of May 2009 related to the Bulgarian citizenship program is one of the significant government measures for the encouragement of foreign investments providing considerable advantages for foreigners in Bulgaria. Under this investor Bulgarian citizenship program, foreigners and their families can receive Permanent Residence Permit and have the unique benefit to be exempted from physical residency as per Art. 40, para 1, sub-para 6 of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act (FRBA). This law provision is tailored especially to foreign investors who have made a significant investment in the local economy and allows them to reside freely in Bulgaria for an indefinite term. To that effect, they obtain Permanent Residence Permit, issued by the Ministry of Interior on the grounds of a certificate of the Ministry of Finance proving the amount and type of investment made.

Bulgarian citizenship by investment

Permanent Residence Permit for Bulgarian citizenship by investment may be provided to a foreign investor who has a Certificate for Investment in Bulgaria issued by the Ministry of Finance. To obtain such Certificate, the foreign person must invest at least 1,000,000 BGN (€511,292) in a qualified governmental bond portfolio or under trust management agreement with chartered local credit institution for a period of five years.

The required documents by the Ministry of Finance regulating the Bulgarian citizenship by investment in order to issue such Certificate include but are not limited to Investment Agreement, Proof of Incoming Foreign Funds (SWIFT), Bank Investment Confirmation, Declaration for Source of Funds, Power of Attorney, etc.

Bulgarian citizenship requirements

  • Passport with validity of no less than 12 months.
  • Two recent photographs of the applicant.
  • Original of the investment certificate issued by the Bulgarian Ministry of Finance.
  • Notarized lease agreement for residence in Bulgaria.
  • Proof of the non-criminal record in the country of residence.
  • An insurance policy issued by an insurance company licensed to conduct insurance business within the territory of the European Union, with a minimum cover of €30,000.
  • Proof of possession of sufficient funds to cover the accommodation costs, to the minimum amount of EUR 50 for each day of the stay as requested by the visa application or the equivalent of this amount in another freely convertible currency.

The statutory term for the issuance of a Visa D is 60 days after submission of all required documents.

Bulgaria permanent residence

According to the Bulgarian Citizenship Act (BCA), a foreign investor may apply for Bulgarian citizenship at least five years after acquiring of Bulgaria Permanent Residence Permit provided that it has not been interrupted. To that affect, the foreign person must, as of the date of filing the application for naturalization and as per Art. 12 of BCA: have reached the age of majority (18 years); maintain a current valid status of Permanent Residency, have never been sentenced by a Bulgarian court for criminal offense nor accused of committing such a crime in criminal proceedings unless he has been rehabilitated.

To get more details about the Bulgarian citizenship – fill up your information in the related online immigration assessment forms