Pros and cons of the "digital nomad" status in Bulgaria: how the new ground for a long-term residence permit works

Thus, Bulgaria has officially recognised a category of foreigners who work remotely and live in the country on income earned abroad. That said, the detailed procedure for applying this norm is still taking shape, since the secondary legislation is at the implementation stage and there is not yet enough practice.

In Bulgarian law, a “digital nomad” means a foreigner who carries out professional activity remotely, does not work for the Bulgarian market and receives income exclusively from foreign sources. In essence, this legalises a model of residence that previously had to be arranged through alternative and not always obvious grounds, such as a trade representative office or other constructions.

One of the key criteria is the financial requirement. The law provides that the applicant must document income of no less than 50 minimum wages for the previous calendar year. In current terms this amounts to roughly 50 000 euros per year, or about 4 000–4 200 euros per month. This level makes the Bulgarian model one of the most demanding in Europe and effectively targets it at professionals with stable, above-average income.

In addition to income, the applicant must provide documentary proof of professional status. The law and the draft secondary rules provide for three possible categories: an employee of a foreign company, an owner of a business abroad, or a self-employed person (freelancer). In the first case, an employment contract and confirmation of the employer’s existence through an official register will be required. In the second — the company’s registration documents, as well as current client contracts and evidence that the activity is carried out remotely. For freelancers the requirements are also quite strict: at least one active contract with a foreign client is needed, plus additional confirmation (a reference), with the counterparty’s full identification details. All foreign documents are subject to legalisation and mandatory translation into Bulgarian.

Despite the fairly stringent conditions, the new status has obvious advantages. First and foremost, transparency and legality. Whereas remote professionals previously had to use indirect grounds, they now have a direct and logical route to a long-term residence permit. Moreover, there is no longer any need to register a company in Bulgaria or to seek formal employment, which simplifies the process for those already working with foreign clients or employers. The reputational factor also matters: such a status is more readily accepted by banks and government bodies, since it clearly explains the source of income.

In practice, however, this ground also has substantial limitations. The main one remains the high financial threshold, which automatically excludes a significant share of freelancers and professionals with unstable income. In addition, the absence of established administrative practice means that at the first stage refusals and inconsistent decisions by the migration authorities are possible. The documentation requirements add further complexity: this is not merely formal confirmation, but a full review of contracts, clients and sources of income. That makes it impossible to use “nominal” or artificially constructed arrangements.

Restrictions on activity should be considered separately. Having obtained such a long-term residence permit, a foreigner will not be able to work for the Bulgarian market or provide services to local clients. Moreover, if the person actually resides in the country for more than 183 days, the question of tax residency arises, which requires advance planning and a well-structured income arrangement. For freelancers, especially those working through international platforms without direct contracts, meeting all the requirements may prove difficult.

Compared with existing solutions, such as obtaining a long-term residence permit through a trade representative office or company registration, the new status looks “cleaner” from a legal standpoint, but less flexible. It requires a high level of transparency and income, as well as readiness for closer scrutiny by the state. At the same time, the traditional options remain more adaptable and more predictable in application.

In the end, one can say that Bulgaria has taken a step towards modern migration instruments, but has implemented it fairly conservatively. The new digital nomad status is not a universal solution, but rather a niche instrument for a particular category of applicants with high and stable income. That is why, before applying, it is important not only to meet the formal requirements, but also to assess in advance the tax consequences, the income structure and the possible risks, in order to choose the optimal legalisation strategy in the country.