Bulgaria•EuropeGolden Visa - Investment Permanent Residence (Златна виза)
At a Glance
Varies
EUR €100
5 years
Renewable
Renewal
Renewable
Family
Dependents allowed
PR Pathway
Yes
Sponsor
No job offer needed
Work
Remote not required
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 Naturalisation is then via the standard route — the fast-track citizenship-by-investment regime was repealed on 2 March 2022.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 type | Permanent / indefinite |
Conversion Paths
Visas you can typically switch to from this status.
BulgariaPermanent Residence Permit (Разрешение за постоянно пребиваване)
Requirements
PUBLISHED 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
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
Pass due diligence
Clear background check and PEP screening with Bulgarian Investment Agency
Transfer investment funds
Deposit EUR 512,000 in approved Bulgarian fund
Apply for D visa
Submit Type D visa application at Bulgarian embassy
Obtain D visa
Receive approval within 30 working days
Enter Bulgaria
Travel to Bulgaria on approved D visa
Apply for permanent residence
Submit permanent residence application at Migration Office
Receive permanent card
Issued within 3 working days
Application Forms
| Investor Visa Application | — |
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