Guidance

Living in Bulgaria

Information about moving to, living or retiring in Bulgaria – including visas, working, healthcare and driving.

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published
22 March 2013
Last updated
13 November 2025 — See all updates

Getting help with living in Bulgaria

Help from the Bulgarian government

For any questions about moving to or living in Bulgaria, you may be able to get help from the:

The UK government and the British Embassy in Sofia cannot give personalised advice on moving to, living or retiring in Bulgaria.

Professional help in Bulgaria

You can also get help from English-speaking professionals in Bulgaria, including:

  • lawyers
  • translators
  • notaries
  • funeral directors

Help from the UK government

Read the travel advice for Bulgaria to understand the risks you may face if you live in or visit Bulgaria. This includes the latest information on:

  • visas and entry requirements
  • laws and cultural differences
  • safety and security

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad.

Get help from the UK government abroad, including in an emergency.

Visas, residency and citizenship 

Make sure you meet the entry requirements for Bulgaria before you travel.

Visas and residence permits

Check which visa or residence permit you need to live in Bulgaria.

You can get a visa to:

  • work
  • study
  • retire
  • join family members

Read guidance on residence permits in Bulgaria.

Extending or replacing your visa or residence permit

Contact the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for information on how to:

  • extend your visa or residence permit
  • replace a lost, damaged or stolen visa or residence permit

Permanent residency

You may be able to apply for permanent residency in Bulgaria if you have been resident in Bulgaria for 5 consecutive years.

To find out if you’re eligible and how to apply, read guidance on residence permits in Bulgaria.  

Citizenship

You may have to give up (renounce) your British citizenship to become a Bulgarian citizen, depending on your personal circumstances – for example, if you are not married to a Bulgarian citizen. Bulgaria only recognises dual citizenship with the UK in certain circumstances.     

To find out if you’re eligible for Bulgarian citizenship, contact the:

Help with visa, residency and citizenship applications

The British Embassy in Sofia cannot help with Bulgarian visa, residency or citizenship applications.

For any questions or issues, contact:

Residency if you moved to Bulgaria before 1 January 2021

If you moved to Bulgaria before 1 January 2021, and have been legally living there since then, you and your family members have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.

Residence cards if you moved to Bulgaria before 1 January 2021

If you moved to Bulgaria before 1 January 2021, make sure you have a new residence card (‘документ за пребиваване’). This shows that you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.

Under the new digital Entry/Exit System (EES), you’ll need your residence card when entering or leaving Bulgaria. If you have one, you will not have to register with the EES when entering, leaving or travelling within the Schengen area. Without it, you may be wrongly identified as overstaying in the Schengen area and denied entry to Bulgaria or other Schengen countries.

If you do not have a residence card

If you were living in Bulgaria before 1 January 2021, but do not have a new residence card, read guidance on residence permits in Bulgaria and apply for a new card. You’ll need to submit evidence to prove that you met the residency criteria at the time.

The deadline for applying for the new residence card was 31 December 2021. You may need to pay a fine for applying late.

If your application is successful, you’ll get a biometric residence card.

If your application is unsuccessful, you may be able to appeal. Consider getting legal advice from an English-speaking lawyer in Bulgaria.

Renewing your residence permit if you moved to Bulgaria before 1 January 2021

You’ll need to renew your residence permit before it expires.

Contact the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior for information on how to renew your residence permit.

Bringing family members to Bulgaria if you moved there before 1 January 2021

The Living in Europe guide explains which family members can join you in Bulgaria. They must travel to Bulgaria and then apply as your family member.

The Migration Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior’s residence permits in Bulgaria guidance explains:

  • how and when they should apply for their residence document
  • fees and processing times

Passports and travel

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:

  • apply for a British passport from abroad
  • travel urgently without your British passport

If you have a Bulgarian residence permit or long-stay visa, the time you spend in Bulgaria does not count towards the 90-day visa-free period you can spend in the Schengen area.

Always carry your passport and residence card when entering, leaving or travelling within the Schengen area. If you’re asked to show your passport at border control, make sure you also show your residence card or other evidence of residence status. Your passport may be stamped if you do not.

If you have dual citizenship with an EU or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) country, you should enter and leave Bulgaria using your EU or EFTA passport.

European Entry/Exit System (EES)

Under the new digital Entry/Exit System (EES) there are new rules for entering, leaving or travelling within the Schengen area. Non-EU nationals will need to have their photo and fingerprints taken or verified at the border. This data will be stored in a digital record and used to monitor how long visitors have spent in the Schengen area.

British nationals legally resident in Bulgaria, and who have a new residence card (‘документ за пребиваване’), do not need to register with the EES.

If you’re legally resident in Bulgaria but do not have a new residence card, contact the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior for information on how to get one.

For more information about how the EES will work and when it will come into force, read:

Healthcare in Bulgaria  

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:

  • plan your healthcare
  • take medicine abroad

To find out how to get medical treatment:

Planning for later life

The level of support from social services in Bulgaria varies. There is a limited number of state and municipal care homes.

Private care homes and hospices offer a range of services. The quality and conditions can differ depending on the provider.

People often need to pay for private care for:

  • aftercare and rehabilitation following health events like strokes or heart attacks
  • dementia or Alzheimer’s disease

Working in Bulgaria

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers working abroad, including documents you may need from the UK government.

To work in Bulgaria, you may need a work permit or work visa. Our guidance on travelling to Bulgaria for work explains the different work permits and visas available to you.

You do not need a work permit or visa if you have been living in Bulgaria legally since before 1 January 2021, as you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.

To apply for a job, you may need to provide a:

If you live in Bulgaria and were regularly commuting to work in another EU or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) country before 1 January 2021, read guidance for frontier workers.

Recognition of qualifications

If you want to work in Bulgaria, you may need to get your foreign qualifications recognised.

Driving in Bulgaria

Read our guidance on moving, living and retiring abroad. This covers how to:

  • drive abroad legally
  • take your UK vehicle abroad
  • get driving licence letters

The Bulgarian Traffic Police (in Bulgarian) provides information on driving in Bulgaria.

For more information read guidance on:

Driving in Bulgaria using a foreign driving licence

If you live in Bulgaria with a residence permit, you must exchange your licence within one year. You can do this without taking a test unless you have an Isle of Man licence.

You cannot replace or renew a UK, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man licence if you live in Bulgaria. 

Exchanging your driving licence

Read Bulgarian Traffic Police guidance on exchanging your driving licence.

You should go to the Traffic Police office at your nearest Regional Police station (in Bulgarian)

You’ll need to  bring:

  • a medical certificate from a GP
  • your residence permit
  • your UK licence – you will need to hand this over when you get your Bulgarian licence

The application for exchanging your driving licence will be in Bulgarian. Consider hiring a translator or interpreter.

If you are exchanging a licence to drive a minibus, lorry, or heavy goods vehicle, or some vehicles with trailers, you’ll need to provide additional physical and psychological fitness certificates. Read guidance on exchanging your driving licence.

Disabled drivers

Apply for a Bulgarian disabled parking card at your local municipality. You will need a certificate from your local Territorial Expert Medical Commission (in Bulgarian).

You may be able to apply for an EU parking card for people with disabilities.

If you have a UK Blue Badge and live in Bulgaria, you must return it to the original UK issuing authority.

Tax

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers tax, including paying UK tax and National Insurance.

The UK has a double taxation agreement with Bulgaria so that you do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.

Contact the National Revenue Agency (in Bulgarian) or HM Revenue and Customs for any questions about paying tax or double taxation relief.

Consider getting professional advice on paying tax in Bulgaria (in Bulgarian). To do this, find an English-speaking lawyer in Bulgaria.

National Insurance

Check if you need to pay National Insurance if you’re going to work in the EU, Gibraltar, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland.

Pensions

Claiming your UK pension

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers:

  • how to claim your UK State Pension
  • where the UK government pays an annual increase in the State Pension

Your UK State Pension is calculated differently if you’ve previously lived in Australia, Canada or New Zealand and now live in the EU.

Claiming a Bulgarian pension

Contact the Bulgarian National Social Security Institute (NSSI) to find out whether you can claim a pension in Bulgaria. Check the NSSI Bulgarian pensions guidance.

Benefits

Claiming UK benefits

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to claim UK benefits abroad, including Child Benefit.

You can also read guidance on benefits and pensions for UK nationals in the EU, EEA or Switzerland.

Claiming Bulgarian benefits

You may be entitled to some Bulgarian benefits.

To find out if you’re eligible and how to claim, contact the Bulgarian National Social Security Institute. Check their Bulgarian short-term benefits guidance.

Buying and renting property in Bulgaria

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers buying and renting property abroad.  

You can purchase buildings, apartments and real estate in Bulgaria. However, you can only purchase agricultural land if you’ve lived in Bulgaria for more than 5 years. You can still inherit agricultural land.

Contact an English-speaking lawyer if you’re considering buying property or land in Bulgaria.

Voting in Bulgaria

UK elections

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:

  • vote in UK elections from abroad
  • register as an overseas voter

Bulgarian elections

You cannot vote in Bulgarian elections unless you hold Bulgarian or EU citizenship. EU citizens can only vote in municipal elections if they meet residency requirements.

You cannot vote in European elections unless you hold citizenship of an EU country.

Studying in Bulgaria

If you plan to study in Bulgaria, you must meet all visa requirements before you travel.

You do not need a student visa if you have been living in Bulgaria legally since before 1 January 2021, as you have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.

For more information, read guidance on:

You can also contact:

Children

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers moving abroad with children, including:

  • getting permission to take your child abroad
  • claiming UK Child Benefit abroad
  • child maintenance payments if a parent lives abroad

Schools and education

The European Commission provides information about the school system in Bulgaria.

All children aged 4 to 16 must attend school in Bulgaria.

For more information, check the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science (in Bulgarian) website.

Childcare

The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy’s Social Assistance Agency (in Bulgarian) is responsible for early years childcare services in Bulgaria.

Births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships

Births

If your child is born in Bulgaria, you must register the birth at your local Civil Registration Office. If your child is born in a hospital, the hospital usually does this for you.

You should collect the birth certificate from your local municipality. You can ask for a multi-language international certificate.

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:

  • register the birth with the UK authorities to get a UK birth certificate
  • apply for your child’s first British passport

Deaths

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers:

  • what to do after someone dies abroad
  • how to register the death with the UK authorities

If someone dies in Bulgaria, read guidance on:

Marriages and civil partnerships

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to get married or get a civil partnership abroad.  

For information on getting married in Bulgaria, contact the town hall in the municipality (община) where you live.

Divorce and separation

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to get a divorce or end a civil partnership.   

The European Justice Portal offers guidance on divorce in Bulgaria.

Consider taking legal advice from an English-speaking lawyer.  

Documents for British people in Bulgaria

Read our guidance on documents for British people abroad. This covers: 

  • legalising and certifying UK documents
  • marriage and civil partnership documents
  • affirmations and affidavits
  • witnessing signatures

Lawyers, translators and notaries

To find an English-speaking lawyer, translator or notary in Bulgaria, read guidance on professional services if you’re abroad.

Pets

If you want to bring your pet with you to Bulgaria, read guidance on:

Returning to the UK

Read returning to the UK permanently. This includes information on bringing family members back to the UK, tax and access to services.

If the NHS funds your healthcare in Bulgaria through the S1 form, contact the NHS Overseas Healthcare Team to cancel it.   

Disclaimer

We provide this information as a guide only.  For definitive information, contact the Bulgarian authorities.

Read our consular information disclaimer.

Updates to this page

Published 22 March 2013
Last updated 13 November 2025 show all updates

  1. Rewrote guide to make it easier to read and understand.

  2. The EU has delayed the introduction of its new Entry Exit Scheme (EES) with no new introduced date yet confirmed.

  3. Information on EES travel was added

  4. Information on travel documents for UK citizens in light of Bulgaria's accession to Schengen.

  5. Changes made to the 'Exchanging your UK, Gibraltar, Jersey or Guernsey driving licence' section. Due to changes in Bulgarian legislation, UK nationals can now exchange their driving licences without providing a Certificate of Secondary Education.

  6. Information reviewed and updated. July 2023.

  7. Visas and residency guidance updated, following the 31 December 2021 residency deadline for people with rights under the Withdrawal Agreement.

  8. Guidance reviewed for Passports and travel, Healthcare, Working in Bulgaria, Studying in Bulgaria, Money, tax and banking, Benefits, Births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships, Emergencies, Returning to the UK and Useful information sections.

  9. Updated information on professional qualifications and pensions.

  10. Professional qualifications section updated for British citizens who are moving or moved to Bulgaria after 1 January 2021 and those living there since before 1 January 2021.

  11. Working in Bulgaria section updated: new guidance for frontier workers

  12. Additional support section updated with link to guidance on UK Nationals Support Fund, healthcare section updated including guidance on the S1 form and applying for EHIC and GHIC cards; education section updated with information on funding eligibility for students, and link to Department for International Trade (DIT) guidance on recognition of professional qualifications; working in Bulgaria section updated with link to DIT guidance on working or providing services.

  13. Coronavirus section updated with a link to guidance on vaccines

  14. Information added on driving licence validity and rules on buying property

  15. Updated as the transition period ends with new information on pet travel and moving to Bulgaria.

  16. Passports and travel section updated on carrying proof of residence when travelling.

  17. Residency section updated with new information on registration.

  18. Healthcare section updated on how to apply for a new UK EHIC as a student or S1 holder. Working section updated with information on frontier workers.

  19. Visas and residency section updated to include information about how to access the UK Nationals Support Fund for those who may find it harder to complete their residency applications.

  20. Passports and travel section updated to include information on passport validity and entry requirements when travelling to other European countries from January 2021.

  21. Brexit update: includes further details on passport validity, healthcare rights and State Pension updating if the UK leaves the EU with a deal.

  22. Brexit update: healthcare section updated to reflect transitional arrangements announcement

  23. Brexit update: Pensions section updated to include further details on State Pension uprating.

  24. EU Exit updates: new information added to the following sections: "Passports and travel after the UK leaves the EU"; "Pensions after the UK leaves the EU" and "Returning to the UK"

  25. EU Exit update: Updated information in visas and residency, working, passports and travel, driving, healthcare and voting.

  26. Updated "Applying for Bulgarian citizenship" section: permanent residence required for 5 years in order to apply.

  27. We have updated the contact details you need to apply for an S1 form.

  28. EU Exit update: updated information in the visas and residency section

  29. EU Exit update: updated information on access to healthcare

  30. EU Exit update: updated information on pensions and driving

  31. EU Exit update: Added further information to residency, healthcare and driving sections, including links to external websites.

  32. Information about citizens outreach meetings added.

  33. EU Exit update: New information in residency and visa section on draft withdrawal agreement in principle between the UK and EU. Plus information on travelling with pets in Europe in pet section

  34. Updated March 2018

  35. Updated in March 2018.

  36. Updated January 2018

  37. The article now contains further detailed information on living in Bulgaria and reflects developments in light of the EU referendum.

  38. Information added on changes to EHIC rules and health cover for early retirees.

  39. First published.

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