A detailed guide for freelancers, digital nomads and Ukrainians under temporary protection
Temporary protection in Bulgaria gives Ukrainians stability here and now, but many are already thinking about the future. EU directives are not permanent, and the most sensible step is to prepare reliable ground for long-term legalisation in advance.
Among all the lawful ways to obtain a long-term residence permit in Bulgaria, “freelance practice” (Свободна професия) stands out as the most independent, honest and prestigious route for qualified specialists. Bulgaria has fully switched to the euro, which makes integration into the local and European market even more transparent.
Most foreigners obtain a long-term residence permit through a “trade representative office” or by setting up a company (EOOD, single-member LLC). Today, however, the migration authorities scrutinise representative offices with particular rigour, and for an EOOD to operate fully the law requires hiring 10 Bulgarian citizens, which is financially out of reach for a freelancer.
Freelance practice is a fundamentally different level of independence:
This ground is designed for people engaged in intellectual, creative and digital work who are used to working for themselves and selling their services to clients in Bulgaria, the EU or around the world:
The process is governed by Art. 24, para. 1, item 15 of the Law on Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria (ЗЧРБ). The main stage is obtaining the “green light” from the Employment Agency (Агенция по заетостта).
■ Step 1. Preparation and approval at the Agency
You submit a package of documents to the Employment Agency: your diploma with a legalised translation, proof of work experience (portfolio, contracts), a detailed business plan with a financial forecast in euro, and a certificate of Bulgarian language proficiency at level B1.
■ Step 2. Obtaining a type D visa
Once the Agency has approved your application, you submit documents for a long-term type D visa. Ukrainians under temporary protection can submit documents at Bulgarian consulates in nearby countries (for example, in Romania, Moldova or Turkey), having arranged in advance for permission to file in this way from the Directorate of Consular Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
■ Step 3. Registration in the BULSTAT register
On arrival you register as a private individual carrying out freelance practice and receive an EIK code in the national BULSTAT register. You are now officially a self-employed entity.
■ Step 4. Filing documents for a long-term residence permit with the Migration Directorate
You provide the Migration Directorate with the Agency’s permit, BULSTAT registration, a housing rental contract, insurance and a statement from a Bulgarian bank. The account must hold an amount equal to at least 12 minimum salaries. Given a minimum salary of 620,20 euro, the total amount in the account should be around 7 450 euro.
The law is uncompromising: to obtain a freelance practice permit, a foreigner must have Bulgarian language proficiency of no less than level B1.
While temporary protection status is in force, you have an ideal head start in terms of time. You are inside the language environment, you can work legally and study calmly. Do not put this off until protection ends and you have to look for options urgently. Start learning the language right now.
Official certified exams are administered by the Department of Language Teaching (ИЧС) at Sofia University, as well as by some other accredited universities. The exam is paid, takes place several times a year and consists of four standard sections:
To pass, you need to score more than 60-65% correct answers. The ИЧС certificate is an official state document and is valid indefinitely.
| Please note: Under the law, only foreigners with a permanent residence permit or EU long-term resident status can register an ET in Bulgaria. You cannot open an ET with an ordinary long-term residence permit or temporary protection. That is why, at the start, a long-term residence permit based on freelance practice is the only available way to work for yourself as an individual, and the tax terms here are extremely attractive. |
| Criterion | Freelance practice | Едноличен търговец (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Available for a long-term residence permit | Yes, it is a direct ground. | No (permanent residence permit / EU long-term resident status required). |
| Recognised expenses | 25% is deducted from income automatically. There is no need to collect receipts and invoices. | Expenses are recognised only as actually incurred, on the basis of real primary documents and invoices. |
| Tax rate | 10% (personal income tax). Paid on the net amount after deducting the automatic 25% of expenses and the social contributions paid. | 15% tax on net profit (income minus documented expenses). |
| Effective rate | About 7.5% — one of the lowest tax burdens on freelancing in the European Union. | Depends on the volume of documented expenses, but the base rate is higher. |
| Social contributions | Paid monthly as a самоосигуряващо се лице on the minimum threshold (in 2026 from 550,66 euro). | Paid in the same way. |
You earned 3 000 euro in a month.
Freelance practice in Bulgaria in the euro era is the cleanest way to legalise your status. You do not depend on employers, you do not maintain a bloated company payroll and you do not risk a sudden closure or strict inspections by the Trade Representative Offices. Learn Bulgarian, prove your professionalism, pass the B1 exam — and you will obtain a stable European status for many years to come.
Read: How to legalise diplomas and prepare a portfolio for a Freelance Practice application in Bulgaria
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