Thinking to move to Bulgaria

@SimCityAT

It's seems inevitable.

I left to the UK for the middle east just after the Brexit vote and been moving around the globe since.

@janemulberry

Hindsight is a wonderfully accurate thing, and constantly beating yourself up about your missed opportunities is probably not the most constructive option! Especially as you will pretty soon (I think) qualify by the tried-and-tested TCN pensioner option (and a few short years after that, your Bulgarian PR). You already have a home here, and you have a plan, so that seems pretty positive to me. :-)

Thanks, Gwyn! Really, I am 99% positive. It's all going to work out, just slower than I'd like.

I do get a little irritated when people say "What's the problem? It won't affect me!" when the issue under discussion is affecting or going to affect a lot of other people.

Getting back on topic, I do hope that James, the original poster, is able to find a practical and workable route into moving to Bulgaria (without having to wait till he's 70!

I completely understand where you're coming from – and honestly, you're not alone in feeling this way.

A lot of people were in similar situations: COVID, health issues, family problems… and before you knew it, the window closed. It’s easy to look back now and think “I should have done it,” but at the time, you were dealing with real constraints, not just hesitation.

That said, I wouldn’t say you’re “stuck” – just that the path is now more structured than it used to be.

Bulgaria is still accessible for UK citizens, just under a different framework. The most common route now is through a Type D visa, often combined with either:

setting up a company, or

having a clear basis for residence (business activity, representation, etc.)

It’s not as simple as pre-Brexit residency, but it’s still very much doable with the right preparation.

Also, regarding travel concerns – that’s a completely valid factor. Many people underestimate how much that alone can delay decisions, especially when combined with everything else you mentioned.

If Bulgaria is still your chosen destination, it might be worth revisiting the idea with the current rules in mind rather than writing it off completely. The door isn’t closed – it’s just no longer wide open.

Hope that helps a bit, and you’re definitely not the only one feeling like this.

Thanks, Daniel! Thankfully I'll be eligible to claim my old age pension next March, so can move under the retirement visa.

The other routes to residency here are unfortunately significantly more complicated.

@Daniel Malbasic

You are correct, but I'd say it's a teeny bit frustrating that Bulgaria doesn't have an equivalent to Spain's NLV (No Lucrativa Visa). While this is very similar to a pensioner visa, and is the option chosen by almost all pensioners, it is, very helpfully, much broader. That's because it doesn't insist on the income being a pension, it can be any kind of passive income, and you can meet the annual income requirement with savings instead. As a consequence, Brits who are too young for their pensions, can still relocate easily to an EU country.

@james1992main

I am close to retirement, in practice I already am, but some years ago I created an Hungarian Kft and was very easy and much cheaper, there might be a significant diffence in bureacracy because I am Dutch (ie part of the EU). The account dealt with everthing, the total incorporation cost was perhaps EUR 3.000, the ongoing cost of the accountant (dealt with authorities, annual statements, registration maintenance, ...) EUR 50 pm. But having a company (apart from the income) has many advantages. In practice it meant that revenues was close to net, depreciation of car, health insurance, our salaries. Clearly helped by a low flat tax.

@james1992main

I am close to retirement, in practice I already am, but some years ago I created an Hungarian Kft and was very easy and much cheaper, there might be a significant diffence in bureacracy because I am Dutch (ie part of the EU). The account dealt with everthing, the total incorporation cost was perhaps EUR 3.000, the ongoing cost of the accountant (dealt with authorities, annual statements, registration maintenance, ...) EUR 50 pm. But having a company (apart from the income) has many advantages. In practice it meant that revenues was close to net, depreciation of car, health insurance, our salaries. Clearly helped by a low flat tax.