Citizens from countries belonging to the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA), in addition to Switzerland, have the right to stay in Bulgaria for any number of visits lasting up to 3 months, only displaying their passport or identity document when crossing the border. If such a citizens wishes to stay for more than the 3 months, a certificate permitting this can be obtained from the police immigration office in your district. It is called “lichna karta”.

For persons outside the EU and EEA, there are other rules for entering Bulgaria as a tourist or stay and you should investigate in your home country.

A tourist from the EU or the EEA need not register his stay with the local police.

Working
An EU and EEA citizen has the right to right to work and stay indefinitely in Bulgaria, as employed with a labour contract or as self-employed. If you are employed, the company who has hired you will arrange the necessary papers. If you are self employed you will need information from a Bulgarian lawyer on how to proceed.

It is very easy to form a Bulgarian company and you can be the only shareholder. The company will be formed before a notary public and registered with the courts in the provincial capital. You must make sure it is also registered with “Bulstat”, the registration office that will issue you with a plastic card for identification.

Retirement
You can also stay for a prolonged period in Bulgaria as a retired person if you come from an EU or EEA country. An application must be directed to the Migration Directorate in the Ministry of the Interior within 3 months of your arrival in the country. You must prove that you are covered by an international agreement on health or have a private health insurance, and sufficient means to stay in Bulgaria on your own costs. The government decides at any time what is “sufficient means”.

You must at any time carry the documents proving who you are and your right to stay.