Bulgaria

01The country in 30 seconds

Bulgaria is a cheap EU country with a coast, mountains, and a new visa for remote workers. But Russians can't enter without a visa, and getting one is harder now than before 2022.

• You need a visa. There's no visa-free entry for Russians — only a Schengen or national type D visa.
• Since November 2025, visas are almost always single-entry, not multiple-entry.
• The digital nomad permit launched in December 2025. The income floor is about $2,800 a month.
• Living costs run $950-1,700 a month per person. Bansko can be cheaper.

02Who it's for

Bulgaria works if you have steady income from foreign clients or a foreign employer, and you're ready to deal with paperwork and wait.

• Remote workers and freelancers earning $2,800+ a month
• People who want to live in the EU and Schengen, but pay less than in Western Europe
• Mountain and ski fans — look at Bansko
• Sea lovers — look at Varna
• People okay with a Schengen visa process and some bureaucracy
• People whose income doesn't come from a sanctioned Russian company or the state sector

Not for you if:

• Your income is under $2,800 a month — you won't qualify for the digital nomad permit
• You need a guaranteed multiple-entry visa or fast, simple entry
• You work in the state sector, state media, or a company under EU sanctions — refusal risk under "point 7" is higher
• You need a clear path to permanent residency or citizenship — this permit doesn't offer one yet

03Entry & visa

There is no visa-free entry to Bulgaria for Russian citizens. You need a Schengen visa or a national type D visa, depending on why you're traveling.

Bulgaria's consulate in Moscow reopened for visa processing in 2024, after a pause in 2022. But since November 7, 2025, the European Commission has limited visa policy for Russians almost EU-wide, and Bulgaria follows the same rule: applicants now get single-entry visas almost only, not multiple-entry ones. The exceptions are narrow — close family of EU residents or citizens, and transport workers.

In practice, Russians on forums and through agencies report a shortage of appointment slots — waits of weeks or months, or paying for priority "VIP" booking. Quotas at the Moscow visa centre have reportedly been cut. Refusal numbers are unclear: some sources cite 10-12% for 2025-2026, others say most refusals come from paperwork mistakes, not nationality. There's no single clear answer.

People working for EU-sanctioned Russian companies, or in the state sector or state media, get refused more often — under so-called "point 7" (a public-order or security concern).

Bulgaria's consulate general in St. Petersburg has been suspended since December 2025. Applicants from northwest Russia now also need to go through Moscow.

These visa facts are checked as of September 2026. EU rules for Russians change fast — check the consulate's website for current conditions before you apply.

04Residency & legalization

You can't just live in Bulgaria and end up with a residence permit — you need a specific legal basis. For remote workers, Bulgaria launched a dedicated digital nomad permit at the end of 2025.

This came from a 2025 amendment to the Law on Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria. Applications opened on December 20, 2025. You get it through a standard type D visa first, then apply for the residence permit itself once you're in the country.

Who can apply:

• Remote employees of a foreign company (outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland)
• Owners or partners holding more than 25% of a foreign company
• Freelance professionals with at least 1 year of experience

The income floor is written as "50 times Bulgaria's minimum monthly wage." That rule stays fixed, but the euro amount is recalculated every January. As of January 2026, that's about €31,000 a year (about €2,585 a month, roughly $2,800). The number will change again next year.

The permit is issued for 1 year, and you can renew it once, for a maximum of 2 years total. After that, it doesn't lead to permanent residency — if you want to stay, you need to switch to another status: work, business, marriage, and so on. For comparison, the normal path to permanent residency in Bulgaria is 5 years of continuous legal residence.

You cannot work for a Bulgarian employer on this permit. Your income has to come only from foreign clients or a foreign employer.

05Work & taxes

You become a Bulgarian tax resident if you spend 183+ days a year in the country, or if your "center of vital interests" — family, permanent home, main income — is here.

Bulgaria's personal income tax is a flat 10%, with no tax-free minimum. If you register as a freelancer under "svobodna profesiya" (free profession) status, the law automatically deducts 25% of your income as recognized expenses. Tax is then calculated on the remaining 75%. In practice, this works out to an effective rate of about 7.5%.

On top of that, you pay social security contributions of about 31.3%. These are calculated not on your whole income, but on an insurance base you choose yourself (in 2026, roughly €550-2,112 a month). You can deduct these contributions from your taxable income, which lowers your final tax bill.

On the digital nomad permit, you can't work for a Bulgarian employer or Bulgarian clients — your income has to come only from foreign clients or a foreign employer.

06Banks, cards & money

Mir cards, and ordinary Russian-issued Visa or Mastercard, do not work in Bulgaria. Sanctions pushed foreign banks to cut ties with Russia's card network, so don't count on these cards at all — even where someone claims they still work.

Opening a personal account as a foreigner without a residence permit is very hard. Most banks want at least a national residence permit and an LNCH (a foreigner's personal number, printed on your residence card). Without these, banks usually just say no — and not only to Russians.

Banks charge a KYC fee for foreign applicants — about €100 to €500 — and it's non-refundable if they reject you.

Once you have a residence permit and an LNCH, the process is simple: bring your residence card and passport, sign the forms, and get an account in about 2-5 business days.

Before you have that status, options include Revolut (including a business account, which opens in 1-3 days with fewer requirements) or a company account, set up through a local lawyer.

07Renting a place

People find housing through local sites — imot.bg and imoti.net for long-term rentals, Bazar.bg (Bulgaria's version of Craigslist/OLX), and expat Facebook groups. In Bansko, most housing goes through word of mouth in the nomad community, via places like Coworking Bansko and Nestwork.

Rough price guide for 2026:

• Sofia, city centre — 1-bedroom flat: €600-750; a studio: around €430
• Sofia, outside centre — 1-bedroom flat: €450-550
• Varna, city centre — €500-750 (average around €554)
• Varna, outside centre — €307-511 (average around €418)
• Bansko, furnished 1-bedroom in the centre — €250-400

A deposit is usually 1-2 months' rent. Contracts usually run 12 months. Short, month-to-month rentals exist too, but they cost more and less often come with a written contract.

08SIM card & internet

Three main carriers: A1, Vivacom (seen as the leader in 4G/5G coverage), and Yettel. You can get a physical SIM at any carrier's shop, or an eSIM — from local carriers or international providers.

Rough price guide for 2026 (converted from Bulgarian lev — the euro became Bulgaria's sole currency in February 2026):

• Yettel starter plan, 6GB + 400 minutes, 14 days — about €4 (about $4.50)
• Yettel plan, 15GB + 1,000 minutes, 30 days — about €7.70 (about $8.50)
• A1 top-up, 5GB — €5-15 (about $5.50-16)
• A1 top-up, 20GB or more — from €15 (about $16)

Home fiber internet in Bulgaria is fast and cheap by European standards. A typical 100+ Mbps plan runs about €10-20 a month, depending on the provider and building. Sofia and Varna have more provider choice; Bansko has fewer options, but coverage in the town itself is generally fine.

09Healthcare & insurance

Public healthcare (NHIF) is tied to contributions paid through official work or self-employment in Bulgaria. Without a residence permit and registration, you don't have access — plan on private insurance and paying out of pocket.

The digital nomad permit requires private health insurance on paper, with coverage of at least about €30,000.

Rough price guide:

• Basic private insurance — €200-800 a year (about $18-75 a month)
• Mid-tier plan — €30-80 a month (about $33-90)
• Full plan with international coverage — €1,200-1,500 a year (about $110-140 a month)
• Private GP visit — €25-50
• Private specialist visit — €40-80

The best private clinics and hospitals are in Sofia (like Acibadem City Clinic and Tokuda Hospital), where English-speaking doctors are also easiest to find. Bansko and Varna have fewer options — serious cases usually get sent to Sofia.

The single emergency number across the whole EU, including Bulgaria, is 112.

10Transport

Sofia has a metro — three lines, 47 stations. A ride from the airport to the centre costs about €0.80. A single ticket for the metro, bus, or tram costs about €0.82, and contactless card payment works across the network. Sofia's public transport is fully mapped in Google Maps, so you can plan any route in advance.

For taxis in Sofia, use an app — TaxiMe, Yellow Taxi, or Volt. These use a meter with a standard rate (about €0.55-0.62/km). Street taxis without an app are more likely to overcharge tourists.

Varna has its own local transport and taxi rates, separate from Sofia — a 5km ride at the minimum daytime rate costs at least about €3.95, plus a start fee and any waiting time.

Bansko is a small town with no metro and little regular public transport. Most people walk, rent a car, or use local minibuses and taxis to get to the ski resort or nearby towns.

11Safety & important laws

The US State Department rates Bulgaria Level 1 — "exercise normal precautions" — as of January 2026, one of the lowest risk levels. Violent crime is rare, and crime rates are among the lowest in Europe.

The real risks for foreigners are smaller things:

• Pickpocketing in crowded places and on public transport
• Card skimming at ATMs, and online card fraud
• Unofficial or unlicensed taxis that overcharge tourists
• Theft from hotel rooms or short-term rental apartments — lock your door, windows, and balcony

Black Sea resort towns like Sunny Beach and Golden Sands are a bit different — less street crime, but more pushy sales tactics and inflated prices than in Sofia.

While driving, some travelers report police at traffic stops hinting at a small "on-the-spot fine." This isn't official practice — you don't have to pay it, and you can ask for an official receipt instead.

The single emergency number, working nationwide 24/7, is 112.

Check current travel advisories from your own country, the US, or the UK before you go — the picture can change.

12How much money you need per month

Total: $950-1,700 a month per person (Bansko can be cheaper, around $700-1,000)

13Step-by-step moving plan

1. Get your documents ready: proof of income of at least $2,800/month, a contract with a foreign employer or clients, health insurance covering at least €30,000, and a clean criminal record certificate.
2. Book a type D visa appointment at the Bulgarian consulate in Moscow early — slots are limited, so expect to wait weeks or months.
3. Submit your visa application and wait for a decision — this can take over a month, so keep your paperwork error-free.
4. Get your type D visa and travel to Bulgaria.
5. Apply for the digital nomad residence permit at the local Migration Directorate within the required deadline.
6. Find housing through imot.bg, imoti.net, or expat Facebook groups. See the flat and meet the landlord in person before paying anything.
7. Get a local SIM or eSIM from A1, Vivacom, or Yettel.
8. Once you have your residence permit and LNCH, open a local bank account.
9. Set up or renew private health insurance that meets the EU coverage requirement.
10. Plan your renewal early — you can renew the permit only once, for 2 years total, then you'll need another legal status.

14Useful links & Telegram

• Citizen Remote — Bulgaria Digital Nomad Visa guide
• Council of the EU — Bulgaria ready to use the euro from 1 January 2026
• Numbeo — Cost of Living in Sofia
• Numbeo — Cost of Living in Varna
• Sofia Metro — tickets and fares
• The Sofia Globe — Bulgaria's digital nomad residence permit procedure