Bulgaria Investor Program for Residence & Citizenship
As one of the youngest EU member states, Bulgaria boasts a rich and diverse culture, temperate climate, and ideal location in Southeast Europe – and the Investor Program for Residence and Citizenship in Bulgaria helps get you there faster. The investor upon investing in Bulgaria gets all the benefits of a Citizen and instantaneously becomes a European resident. The ideal gateway into the European economy and way of life, Bulgaria is diverse, culturally rich, and perfectly placed for working and travelling in and around the continent.
Benefits of the program:
- Fast track processing to get the Permanent Residency
- Fast-track option leading to citizenship within 2 years
- Residing in Bulgaria is not mandatory
- Government-approved investment and available financing options from banks
- No language requirement
- No obligation to leave current nationality
- Lowest tax rates and free trade environment within the EU
Benefits for permanent residents:
- Free movement within the Schengen zone
- Access to high quality healthcare in Bulgaria and the EU
- Conditional tax exemption on world income
Benefits for citizens:
- Unrestricted right to live, work and study in Europe;
- Right to own land in a EU country.
Qualifications:
Investment criteria
The Investor Program for Residence and Citizenship includes a fast-track citizenship option. It is also one of the fastest programs to lead to Permanent Residence (citizenship**). To qualify for application, an applicant will need to meet one of the requirements outlined in the Investment Options section.
Application criteria
In addition to making a financial investment, applicants must also meet the following requirements. The applicant should
- be a non-EU citizen
- have net worth of €511,292 for the full investment option (net worth of 1M euros)
- furnish documents supporting the source and origin of the declared and invested funds
- prove that he/ she holds high character and has no criminal past
- attest the Power of Attorneys and the Investment Agreement
- make the minimum statutory trips to Bulgaria
- hold a valid Visa D to be able to travel to Bulgaria
NB: Under the fast track process only the main applicant and children and grand children will get the passports. Spouse will have for 5 years before applying for the passports.
INVESTMENT OPTIONS
Full Investment
Applicants choosing this option must deposit BGN 1 million (€511,292) in a Governmental Bond Portfolio for an investment period of 5 years. At the end of the five-year period, the full amount of BGN 1 million (€511,292) will be returned to the investor without any accrued interest. The investment is fully guaranteed by the government bonds.
Applicant can leverage his/ her capital by choosing to finance the required investment amount through a European Bank.
FAST – TRACK CITIZENSHIP
The fast-track option allows investors to apply for citizenship faster by doubling their investment. The requirements for this category are:
- Have at least 1 year of permanent resident status
- Double the investment by investing €512,000 in government bonds or in the capital of a Bulgaria company, which is carrying out a Priority Investment Project
- Hold second additional investment for a period of 2 years.
Financing options are available to qualified applicants. Citizenship applications for participants in the fast-track citizenship program are examined under express procedure.
CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENTS
Foreign investors who hold a Permanent Residency Visa for at least 5 years are eligible to apply for Bulgarian citizenship. The requirements for those who opt for the regular program are that the applicant
- Must be over 18 years of age
- Must have maintained Permanent Resident status and a valid residential address for the past 5 years;
Must have never been sentenced by a Bulgaria court for a capital offence or accused in criminal proceedings for such a crime (unless he/she has been rehabilitated).
