Thinking to move to Bulgaria

We are seriously considering moving from the uk to Bulgaria and doing research and looking Yambol looks suitable for us. I am from a farming background along with being a Shotblaster/painter and very handy with my hands as far as woodwork goes. Basically very practical! My partner is a head and neck cancer specialist. We live rural in Scotland with a population of 22k for the whole island. But we live in the countryside of the island with a community of around 6-800. We have around 20-30k savings and looking to move mortgage free but be able to do up a house. We’d want plenty of land to live off the land and maybe grow surplus. Anyone help us - @james1992main

Welcome James,

We have a couple of experts here who will be able to go through things like, in order to have property with land, you need to set up a company and visas etc...

But in the meantime, have a look through the forum, as there is a lot of information to be found. If you have anything in particular you want to know, just ask away.

SimCityAT

Expat Team

@SimCityAT

Hi, I’ve just found this website so I’ll get a look through. Yeah I’ve done my research on that aspect which appears to be quite simple and it would cost around £1000? A few points we are looking to ask is .

1. cost of living for a family of 3 plus 2 dogs and a cat
2. we really like Yambol and want to be rural ish but not to far from a populated village to integrate.
3. what is there to do work wise?
4. what’s the schools like around there as our child is about to be born any day so he’s be brought up there
5. building materials prices?

id love to engage with everyone and get the ball rolling

Hi James!

I'm not one of the "experts", I don't have school age kids, and I don't know the Yambol area so unfortunately I'm no help at all for those aspects.

Things I do know a little bit about:

1. The company set up to buy land is straightforward, but getting a D visa, the first step to residency, is more complex. Have you looked into that and decided which category you might qualify under? If not, this immigration lawyer's site lays it out a little more helpfully than the Bulgarian Embassy site does: https://visaforbulgaria.com/bulgarian-d-visa ;
2. Unfortunately finding work in Bulgaria is not easy for non-Bulgarians and local rates of pay are far lower than the UK. If possible, setting up remote work paid at UK rates will give you the best income;
3. Numbeo https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/c … y=Bulgaria gives some idea of the cost of living, though it's more city-lifestyle focused so rural/village living is likely to be lower cost. You can also check prices online for groceries on sites like lidl.bg;
4. Building material costs have risen a lot. Sites like Praktiker.bg or masterhause.bg will give an idea of building material prices. Local builder's merchants will be cheaper but it may be challenging to get what you want there until you learn to speak Bulgarian!
5. How much land are you looking for? Half an acre in a village edge location with a house on it should be easy to find, up to an acre of two with a house is doable but may take more looking depending on the region, larger pieces of land with a house or permission to build can be harder to find. There seems to be a jump from 1/2 acre village house blocks to larger pieces of agricultural land which don't have building permission.

I hope you fond what you are looking for.

@janemulberry

Thank you so much for your reply. Yes the visa would be a d visa, set up a company to purchase land. If I’m being honest we’d love to get a minimum of 5-10 acres and slowly expand from there as we earned. Is this possible or is it almost impossible? We probably could raise our budget if required

thanks

James

@james1992main

From what I have seen on here, most people, when they want some land they are after a couple of acres. So you are unique in wanting more than the normal.

Have you searched for any property yet?

I've just had a random look on the net, for €21,000 and you get a property that needs major renovation and 5,5 decare of land. So just over an acre.

as I’m from the farming world I’d like to slow build up things to build up a business aspect of farming. It’s my vision. Also would like to start up a renovation of machinery etc with shotblasting and painting as from my research(maybe not right though) it’s something that isn’t done too often but it could open up some revenue for me! Preferably I’d like my girlfriend to stay at home and be a mum and I’d go out and work. Let her enjoy the new country where I go out and support the family. . I’ve searched but not sure the best sites to check. Yambol so far seems the place for us.

Thanks James

James, what class of D visa? If you have your own registered company in good standing, Trade Representative Overseas is usually the easiest option for working age people. The company to buy land is a  completely different thing and doesn't assist in getting a visa.

As a working age couple, bear in mind that when you move you may need to pay the Bulgarian equivalent of national insurance to be able to access health care etc.  @GywnJ will hopefully comment as he knows more about that aspect of things.

From a business point of view what you're considering could be viable, if you find an area to specialise in. There's one expat Brit on FB with a thriving business finding old and wrecked ornate wood burners and renovating them to sell on. Renovated vintage agricultural equipment like tractors would probably find a good market.

What you may need to do if you want more land, as I expected you might, is look for somewhere smaller, say a village edge acre with a house on it to be your homestead, and then add on extra pieces of land zoned agricultural or more abandoned village blocks. Good agricultural land has skyrocketed in price, though grazing land will be less expensive than arable land, and certainly in our region in the Northeast  (very agricultural, huge broadacre fields of wheat and sunflowers) smaller acreages are hard to find. There are 1/2 acre village house blocks (generally considered enough to be self-sufficient in fruit, vegetables, eggs, etc), communal grazing land at the village outskirts, and then huge broadacre fields. Nothing in between!

Other areas are different and what you want may be easier to find in the south, so keep looking! The English language property sites like RightMove and Bulgarian Properties are obviously are more geared toward smaller land areas with residential properties, but still worth checking. Trying the Bulgarian language sites like imot.bg (there are others people have mentioned that may be better, but I can't recall the names!) may bring up more helpful results for agricultural property.

I do have a feeling other European countries may be more likely to provide what you're after. I notice when flying to Bulgaria how the field sizes change. Serbia and Romania have far more smaller acreages, then as soon as we cross into Bg, it's all village or broadacre. But again, that's the north. The south may offer different property sizes.

@janemulberry

Thank you again for your reply. I actually looking into it more and maybe the north would be better for us? Yambol seems great but I for one is terrified of snakes(crazy as I lived in aus for 2 years  and had an encounter and lucky escape from an eastern brown). With bringing up a young family want to be away from as many potential hazards as possible as I want my children to be able to experience the great outdoors as much as I have in my life. I would happily start off with lesser acres and build up over time as long as I had outbuildings to start my business as I feel it would be good going. From furniture to agricultural equipment to cars and trucks and everything inbetween! Where abouts do you live? I also see they are bringing in the euro as currency, is that going to push prices up? I was thinking to open a business there in the new year to buy property and land then take it from with the visa. Is that a good approach?

sorry just adding this. I’ve very handy on a digger to so the possibility of buying an older machine I could tow around with my van and clean peoples gardens etc would also be an option. I’m open to do any work that will earn us a decent income to have a good standard of living and escape the uk. wed love to be able to earn enough to save and get a trip or two back to the uk to visit our families every year. I know I’m asking so many questions but my partner has told me we must find out as much as possible before taking the plunge.

@james1992main

I would not worry too much about snakes, Bulgaria isn't anything like Aus. In fact, having a young family is good because you can teach them from the start. There is a thread somewhere on the forum about snakes and insect bites. You can use the search function to find them.

James, I am an Aussie and truly, even there snake bites are extremely rare! I had a number of close encounters with very venomous snakes but given the chance they would much rather escape than bite. There are far fewer venomous snakes in Bg than Australia, but nowhere is risk free, unfortunately. I'm more concerned about ticks and Lyme disease than snakes, our area has quite a high rate.

Every region of Bulgaria is different. We're in the far north east, near General Toshevo, a small town in Dobrich region. The region is very rural and agricultural, big wide plains very like rural Australia. Dobrich city looks like a post-apocalyptic/ post-industrial wasteland as you go into it but is actually a nice little city with everything needed. Our neighbours' grandchildren at in high school there, very bright kids and seem to be getting an excellent education. The villages are full of abandoned houses as after the fall of communism people moved to the cities, but development is happening and we're seeing more evidence of people moving back. We first looked at the north central area, VT region, which is popular with expats and has a lot to offer. It's more hilly in the south part of the region and gets flatter as you go north nearer the Danube.

There's a lot of talk about the changeover to the euro putting prices up, but property has been listed in euros for years so I really don't see why it will cause a big difference. There's sure to be some inflationary effects on prices for everything, but I am hopeful it won't be extreme.  Property prices are rising for sure, that started about five years ago and there's been a dramatic increase in prices.

I think you are very wise to find out as much as possible in advance. Visiting Bulgaria a few times, maybe even spending the 90 days there Brits are permitted without needing a long-stay visa, will help you both get a better feel for the place.

I am strongly getting the feeling you need to research the visa issue before anything else, as you haven't mentioned what category of D visa you want to apply for. It's probably easier to move to Bulgaria than some other EU countries, but far from actually easy!

I am strongly getting the feeling you need to research the visa issue before anything else, as you haven't mentioned what category of D visa you want to apply for. It's probably easier to move to Bulgaria than some other EU countries, but far from actually easy! - @janemulberry

Yes, quite a few require you to take a test in the local language (A1) as part of the visa application process.

I think for most of the work visa related categories, it's B1 proficiency, not A1. A1 is just getting by level. A2 is getting by reasonably okay. B1 is intermediate, a person can manage almost all everyday situations. Which isn't easy. I most likely could pass A1, but probably not A2 (the level I'm currently studying). I would certainly fail B1!

The Trade Representative Overseas should be the simplest option for someone in James's situation, provided he has or knows someone with a suitable business he can represent. I don't think they changed the law to require the non-Bulgarian company to have a certain level of turnover yet, did they?

@janemulberry

Would they look into a turn over for a company as I could just set up a uk company for that visa? Is that possible or kinda not? Yes after reading more on the visas it definitely appears harder than I thought but how are so many YouTubers making it look so easy?

There are quite a few that moved before Brexit, so they are protected by the WA.

Yambol city is the best.

@Zooldrool

Why? Can you give me your reasons

@SimCityAT

Looking into the visas it does look difficult to get a visa but where there’s a will there is a way

James, the company needs to have submitted tax returns to Companies House for at least two years, but as far as I know there's not any requirement at present that the company show any turnover. There was talk earlier in the year about a new law applying to TROs which required the company to have a turnover of at least 500,000 leva a year, which put us off trying that route when I don't have to wait much longer to get in on a pensioner visa. But as far as I know that law hasn't been passed.

It doesn't have to be your company and it doesn't need to be UK based. Just not Bulgarian, and the company owner needs to be willing to sign the paperwork for you.

The YTers (and all those Daily mail stories) who make it look easy most probably either got in before the Brexit cutoff, have a pension, have Irish grandparentage so can get an EU passport, or had an existing company (or a friend or family member) with a company that had been going a while so they could be a TRO.

@janemulberry

  I have been using chat gpt and it seems to say it might not be as difficult as I think but I know how wrong it can be. I’ll copy and paste what it says but maybe it’s just being optimistic! I’m not giving up on my Bulgarian dream! No way in hell.

Overview

This guide explains how to establish a Bulgarian company (EOOD) as the legal basis for a Type D

visa and residence permit, enabling you and your family to relocate lawfully to Bulgaria.

Phase 1 – Preparation in the UK (4–6 weeks)

Step Action / Notes

1 Gather passports, birth & marriage certificates (apostilled & translated).

2 Obtain ACRO Police Certificate (<6 months old) – apostille & translate.

3 Get health insurance covering €30,000+ for Bulgaria.

4 Prepare bank statement showing ~11,000 BGN (~£4,800) per adult.

5 Define business activity: agriculture & renovation.

6 Hire Bulgarian lawyer/accountant for registration (€250–€350).

7 Sign company documents and registered address agreement.

Phase 2 – Company Setup in Bulgaria (1 week)

Register 'company Agro EOOD' and open a bank account for ~10–12k BGN (£4.5–5k). Obtain

Bulstat and tax numbers, lease or use your farm address, and hire an accountant for filings.

Phase 3 – Apply for Type D Visa (London Consulate)

Submit documents including passport, health insurance, proof of funds, company certificate, police

record, and translated accommodation proof. Visa fee ~£100. Processing ~35 business days.

Phase 4 – Residence Permit in Bulgaria

Within 14 days of arrival, apply at the Migration Directorate with your visa, passport, insurance, and

company proof. Residence card valid 1 year, renewable annually.

Phase 5 – Family Reunification

After you receive residence, your partner and baby apply under family reunification using apostilled

marriage certificate, proof of funds, and insurance. Processing ~30 days.

Cost Summary (Approx £)

Item Cost (£)

Apostilles & Translations 350

Company Registration 300

Accountant (12 months) 700

Visa D Fees 120

Health Insurance 250

Total (excluding bank deposit) 1,500 – 1,700

Timeline Snapshot

Month Action

1 Collect and apostille UK documents

2 Register company in Bulgaria

3 Apply for Visa D (London)

4–5 Wait for decision

6 Move to Bulgaria & apply for residence

7–12 Operate business & renew documents

Pro Tips

Translate documents with an accredited Bulgarian translator. Keep all invoices and receipts for

proof of activity. Ensure your accountant files VAT and annual reports on time. Maintain continuous health insurance coverage

Well, I hope for your sake it is that easy!  The numbers look correct, but as far as I knew, for the business start up one needs to employ ten Bulgarians full time to be approved, or there's an innovator/ entrepreneur category which is very complicated.

But it's very possible that there's a gap between what the law requires and what actually happens. You may find it's worth having a discussion with an immigration lawyer to clarify what's needed.

seems About right, welcome to Bulgaria!

seems About right, welcome to Bulgaria! - @Myroslav mokhammad abdeljawwad

What does?

@Myroslav mokhammad abdeljawwad

honestly?

@james1992main

The steps outlined by you (ChatGPT) seem about right. HOWEVER, I think it has fudged over HOW you qualify by virtue of your Bulgarian EOOD, as simply having a Bulgarian EOOD is not enough on its own. You can have the EOOD be a proper working business, BUT it must employ 10 Bulgarians... so that's out. If you want to be a farmer, then you need your farm AND you'd justify the visa on the basis of being self-employed. This requires a business plan, approval, AND Bulgarian language proficiency. So, again, this is out too, at least in the short term.

If you have money, you can get the D visa by investing 300k euros in your farm purchase. Also out, based on your budget. Or you can do it by TRO (open a UK company first, AND keep it active for 2 years). Again out, at least in the short term (unless you can find an immigration attorney who has a ready one you can pay to get a "seat"). Finally (also out in the short term) you wait until you're old and grey and your arthritic knees/hips stop you from farming... but you finally start getting your UK state pension. :-)

If that's not depressing enough, the spec of 5-10 acres farm for 20k is pretty far-fetched, unfortunately. You need a basically livable house and a lot of land. I like BulgarianProperties as they're a big, reliable agent with listings all over Bulgaria - and their website is in English and searchable across ALL of Bulgaria. I asked for 10,000 m2 minimum (2.5 acres) for less than 150k euros (much more than your budget). They have 3 or 4 plausible properties but more like 100k than 20k.

https://www.bulgarianproperties.com/Sea … p;c=Search

However, My Bulgarian House has some very interesting cheap properties. Here's the search for 10,000 m2 min. at ANY price. This has 5 or 6 possibles. One has a huge land (25 acres), but it's in multiple plots nearby (within 2-3km). The house is more of a ruin, but I doubt there are many properties like this left.

https://www.constanta-properties.com/en … ttype=DESC

Having the house + the land narrows it down a lot. You might search for the big land (as agricultural/forest) that you like, and then cast around for a fixer-upper (with a standard 1,000 m2 or so) in the nearest village, maybe 2k-5km away.

If you're really determined, you do a couple of intensive Bulgarian courses, and you probably can get the necessary Bulgarian level within a couple of months. And if you actually have more like 50-100k for the farm purchase, then the dream is still alive. Good luck!

@gwynj

Yes, agreed. The requirement to employ ten Bulgarians full-time in the business is the important step ChatGPT left out. The rest of the process it outlined seems correct. But unfortunately what it's suggested is unlikely to be enough to get the D visa.

@gwynj

Thank you so much for such an informative response. It paints a picture much clearer for me. If I’m being honest if I could find 5 acres to begin with then progress from there I’d bite someone’s hand off. We have a maximum budget for £40k but that’s everything probably by the next of next year maybe £50k but with the cost of living in the uk now it’s not as easy to save.

i certainly don’t plan on being in the uk for another 35-40 years 😅

as far as a house, I’m happy to do a lot of work but It wouldn’t be possible to buy a ruin and do it up. As work, family and a full house rebuild. Don’t get me wrong i absolutely love working and graft but I wanna see my children grow up . I know I’d have to sacrifice some of that time but don’t want to miss out on it all. We did speak of buying a caravan and taken it with us so if we do buy a house, we have somewhere to live whilst renovations are on going.

if you were in my shoes what would you do in the way of getting a visa?

many thanks

@janemulberry

I feel like my Bulgarian dream is slipping away from my finger tips but I’m determined to grab with and make it come true!

I hope you can find a way! If you can locate a suitable property, it may be worth contacting immigration lawyers for help with the visa. It might be possible that they know of companies with TRO seats available. Worst case would be to set up your own UK company and wait two years.

It's tricky, you need to know you can get a visa before buying a property, but otoh, no point investing money and time in getting the visa if you can't find a property.

If a patchwork farm,  like a home acre, another acre here, another couple of acres there, purchased as finances allow, would work for you, it could be doable. Taking a caravan so you have somewhere clean, warm, and dry to stay while renovating the house is wise, especially with a child to consider. Almost certainly any property in the lower price range will need some work doing.

@james1992main

Well it's not really the "best" but it's a very cool city for its size.

1. Large pedestrian area with independent shops leading to a beautiful park.

2. Has a lot to do for a 60k ish city and feels like infrastructure is being upgraded all the time. Lots of free events as well, currently a craft beer festival in the center (although the beer isn't free ).

3. Has lots of restaurants including a couple of high quality ones (it's even now has an Indian).

4. Its well connected, just off motorway junction so about 1 hour to Burgas. Also train station, so when the network is finally upgraded and faster timetable enabled it should be great (also new train line to Turkey is being built from Yambol).

As you are serious about moving then it might be worth at least getting the advice from an immigration lawyer.

I think most of us here are or have done the retirement visa.

I have wondered how some YouTubers survive and possibly they work in the black and say it’s favours?  Others seem to be able to work online as teachers. Their subscription numbers indicate they wouldn’t earn sufficient income from YT.

@jeanmandredeix

The ones that I've watched seem to have got D visas (via trade representative). Not sure if this then allows them to work as you say.

Sure they are not raking it in either way.