Two routes — passive or with job creation
The programme offers a choice between a purely financial investment with no operational obligations and a cheaper entry threshold with an employment requirement.
What the process consists of
Beyond the investment, there are administrative fees for processing permanent residence.
How the process runs
A good fit if
A poor fit if
Who runs this programme
Your request goes to two or three firms from this list. You see exactly which ones before it is sent, and you can exclude any of them.
This is an independent list of firms in the market, not our partners — we do not forward requests to them or receive payment for referrals. Contact them directly via the link.
Frequent questions
Why isn’t currency risk flagged, given the amounts were originally in leva?
Because the Bulgarian lev (BGN) was rigidly pegged to the euro for decades before Bulgaria fully adopted the euro on 1 January 2026 — the fixed rate of 1.95583 BGN/€ applied throughout without change. Official amounts in the law are now recalculated in euros at that same rate, so there is no currency risk in the conversion.
How does this differ from most similar programmes?
Permanent-residence status is granted immediately, rather than after an intermediate temporary-residence period — many similar European schemes first grant temporary status that must be renewed for several years before transitioning to permanent.
Does the programme grant citizenship directly?
No — citizenship by investment in Bulgaria has been officially closed since 2022. Only naturalisation after permanent residence is available, no earlier than 5 years of residence.
Which route is cheaper — the fund or the company?
The company-capital route formally has a lower entry threshold (€255,646 vs €511,292), but it requires creating 10 jobs — the real cost may end up higher depending on the salary structure.
What is the requirement on the fund’s own assets?
Beyond the applicant’s investment of €511,292+, the fund itself must have total assets from €1,534K — this is a requirement on the fund, not on the applicant’s personal investment.
Is continuous residence in Bulgaria required to keep the status?
This page does not state a formal residence requirement — no direct data on this aspect exists in the available research; check separately before deciding.
Sources
Figures are for reference only. Verified against official sources on 27 August 2026. A precise quote is issued by the appointed firm after document review. This material is not legal advice, a public offer or investment advice.