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Golden Visa – Investment Permanent Residence (Златна виза)
VisasBulgariaGolden Visa – Investment Permanent Residence (Златна виза)
BulgariaBulgaria•Europe
Open

Golden Visa – Investment Permanent Residence (Златна виза)

Investment PR PathwayThis visa can lead to permanent residency, the right to live and work here indefinitely without renewing your visa. Dependents Allowed

At a Glance

Processing Time

Varies

Application Fee

100 EUR

Stay Duration

5 years

Renewable

Yes

Job Offer

Not Required

Dependents

Allowed

PR Pathway

Available

Remote Work

Not Required

Official Information

Overview

Permanent residence on arrival for non-EU investors placing BGN 1,000,000 (~EUR 512,000) in Bulgarian regulated-market shares or government debt for 5+ years.

Bulgaria's investor PR route under Article 25(1)6 of the Foreigners Act grants immediate permanent residence to non-EU nationals holding at least BGN 1,000,000 (~EUR 512,000) in Bulgarian regulated-market shares or government/municipal debt securities with 6+ months maturity.

Applicants enter on a Visa D (EUR 100 under Art. 15(1)), then file at the Migration Directorate. No minimum physical-stay applies and status is indefinite; the ID card renews every 5 years. The investment must be held 5+ years. Naturalisation is then via the standard route — the fast-track citizenship-by-investment regime was repealed on 2 March 2022.

This visa is ideal for high-net-worth non-EU investors seeking an EU residency anchor with Schengen mobility and minimal presence requirements, able to hold the capital in Bulgarian securities for 5+ years and clear DANS source-of-funds checks.

Stay & Extensions

Status typePermanent / indefinite

Conversion Paths

Visas you can typically switch to from this status.

Permanent Residence Permit (Разрешение за постоянно пребиваване)
Bulgaria flagBulgaria

Permanent Residence Permit (Разрешение за постоянно пребиваване)

ValidityVaries (Renewable for up to 5 years total)
ProcessingVaries
View Visa Details

Requirements

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Must be a non-EU/EEA citizen.

Must be at least 18 years old.

Must pass a pre-approval due diligence process with the Bulgarian Investment Agency.

Must make a minimum investment of €512,000 in a government-regulated Bulgarian Investment Fund (AIF or ETF).

Investment must be held for at least 5 years.

Must have a clean criminal record.

Must prove the legal source of investment funds.

Must not be a Politically Exposed Person (PEP) in a way that violates compliance standards.

KEY CRITERIA

Education

none or higher

Investment

512,000 EUR

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Valid passport.

Criminal record certificate from home country and country of residence.

Proof of legal source of funds.

Bank reference letter showing a balance of at least €512,000 in an FATF-compliant jurisdiction.

Investment confirmation certificate from the Bulgarian fund.

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) declaration.

Politically Exposed Person (PEP) declaration.

Power of Attorney (if using legal representation).

Advantages & Considerations

Key Benefits

  • Immediate permanent residency granted on arrival — no temporary status period
  • No minimum physical-stay or language requirement to maintain status
  • Schengen-area visa-free travel for short stays once permit is issued
  • Path to Bulgarian citizenship after 5 years of permanent residence
  • Spouse and dependent children can join with full Bulgarian labour-market access
  • Investment in liquid, regulated instruments (shares or government bonds), not real estate

Worth Knowing

  • Investment of BGN 1,000,000 (~EUR 512,000) must be maintained for at least 5 years
  • Funds must be placed in regulated-market shares or sovereign/municipal debt — not real estate or AIFs
  • Rigorous DANS background, AML, and source-of-funds review at application stage
  • Citizenship-by-investment fast-track was repealed in March 2022; naturalisation now takes 5 years
  • Not available to EU/EEA citizens (they use freedom-of-movement rules instead)
  • Insufficient capital to hold BGN 1,000,000 (~EUR 512,000) in qualifying Bulgarian instruments
  • Cannot demonstrate lawful source of funds or fails DANS security screening

Application Process

1

Pass due diligence: Clear background check and PEP screening with Bulgarian Investment Agency

2

Transfer investment funds: Deposit EUR 512,000 in approved Bulgarian fund

3

Apply for D visa: Submit Type D visa application at Bulgarian embassy

4

Obtain D visa: Receive approval within 30 working days

5

Enter Bulgaria: Travel to Bulgaria on approved D visa

6

Apply for permanent residence: Submit permanent residence application at Migration Office

7

Receive permanent card: Issued within 3 working days

Application Forms

Investor Visa Application—

Verified Claims (11)

Last verified Jun 18, 2026
Fee BreakdownLong-stay visa D (Art. 15(1)): 100 EURmfa.bg
FeesEUR 100 long-stay visa D fee under Art. 15(1) of the Foreigners Act, plus state fees for the permane…mfa.bg
Forms · Investor Visa Application · optionalfalsemvr.bg
Official Infohttps://mvr.bg/migration/en/administrative-services/administrative-servces/issue-of-residence-permit…mvr.bg
Max StayIndefinite permanent residence; physical ID card renewed every 5 years (10 years from age 58).mvr.bg
Max Stay Estimatetype: indefinite, notes: Permanent residence permit; Bulgarian ID document for foreigners is renewed…mvr.bg
Required Docs · 3Proof of qualifying investment of at least BGN 1,000,000 (approx. EUR 512,000) — e.g. depository sta…mvr.bg
Required Docs · 4Depository / settlement statement confirming holding of qualifying Bulgarian regulated-market shares…mvr.bg

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