Bulgaria has entered 2026 with a powerful trifecta of policy shifts that could redefine its place on the map for remote workers: the country has officially completed its accession to the borderless Schengen Area and opened applications for a new digital nomad residence permit.

Together, these moves create one of Europe’s most frictionless entry points for non-EU remote professionals seeking a base inside both the eurozone and Schengen.

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A new digital nomad visa with a euro-denominated income bar

After several years of discussion and legislative work, Bulgaria’s long-awaited digital nomad visa is now live.

The government adopted the legal framework through amendments to the Foreigners in Bulgaria Act in mid 2025 and followed up in December with detailed procedures for issuing a dedicated “digital nomad” residence permit.

The new rules clarify what documents applicants must provide, which authorities handle the process and how long non-EU nationals can stay in the country while working remotely.

Applications opened on December 20, 2025, giving remote workers a formal channel to secure one-year residence, renewable once for an additional year.

The permit is explicitly designed for people who carry out their work entirely online, using digital tools from anywhere in the country, while maintaining clients or employers abroad.

It does not create a route to permanent settlement by itself, but it does allow digital professionals to test Bulgaria as a longer-term base.

One of the most eye-catching features of the new scheme is its income threshold. Nomads must prove an average annual income of at least 50 times Bulgaria’s statutory minimum monthly wage for the previous calendar year.

With the minimum set at about 620 euros per month as of early 2025, this translates into a required annual income in the region of 31,000 euros, placing Bulgaria among the more affordable digital nomad options in the European Union while still targeting mid to high-earning professionals.

Who qualifies and how the rules are framed

The residence permit is open exclusively to non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals, since EU citizens already enjoy freedom of movement and do not need a special visa to live and work in Bulgaria.

Within that group, the law recognises three main categories of potential applicants, all tied to remote work that remains structurally outside the Bulgarian economy.

The first category covers remote employees who hold a valid employment contract with a company registered outside the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland.

These workers must provide services online and maintain an ongoing contract for at least as long as the residence permit is valid.

The second category includes business owners, directors or shareholders with at least a 25 percent stake in a foreign-registered company that delivers its services abroad using digital technologies.

The third category focuses on freelancers and independent contractors who have been providing online services to foreign clients for at least one year before submitting their application.

They must demonstrate a consistent record of contracts and income from outside Bulgaria. In all cases, the legislation draws a clear red line: digital nomads under this scheme cannot work for Bulgarian employers, cannot provide services to Bulgarian clients and cannot freelance inside the local market while holding this permit.

Authorities also require applicants to show comprehensive health insurance valid for the entire planned stay, proof of accommodation and a clean criminal record from their home country or recent country of residence.

Processing is handled through Bulgarian consulates and regional migration offices, with officials and local law firms indicating that the target is to make decisions within a few months, especially as procedures become more familiar.

Schengen membership turns Bulgaria into a free-movement hub

The debut of the digital nomad visa comes on the heels of a historic change in how travellers move in and out of Bulgaria. After more than a decade of waiting, the country has now joined the European Union’s Schengen free-travel zone in full.

Passport checks at air and sea borders with other Schengen states were lifted on March 31, 2024, followed by the removal of checks at land borders on January 1, 2025.

This two-step process means that, today, travellers arriving from most of continental Europe can enter Bulgaria without systematic passport controls, whether they come by plane, car, bus or ship.

For digital nomads and other long-stay visitors who secure residency, this status brings an immediate practical benefit: once they hold a valid Bulgarian residence permit and the appropriate visa, they can move around the wider Schengen Area for short stays without facing routine border checks.

For tourism and trade, the impact is already visible in rising cross-border flows and simplified logistics. Major airports such as Sofia and Varna now handle Schengen flights in the same way as domestic routes inside the zone, simplifying transfers for travellers who may be combining Bulgaria with other European bases.

For remote workers, the ability to establish a home in Bulgaria while treating the rest of Schengen as an easy weekend or work-trip destination is a major part of the country’s new pitch.

Euro adoption removes currency friction for remote workers

The final piece of the puzzle fell into place on January 1, 2026, when Bulgaria officially adopted the euro as its national currency and became the 21st member of the eurozone. Euro banknotes and coins entered circulation that day, with a one-month dual period in which both the euro and the Bulgarian lev can be used for cash payments. From February 1, the euro will become the sole legal tender.

The conversion rate was set at 1.95583 lev to 1 euro, reflecting the long-standing peg that had linked the lev to the single currency since 1999. For many Bulgarians, the immediate change is more psychological than economic, since prices and wages have effectively been aligned with the euro for years.

For foreign remote workers, however, the switch dramatically simplifies everyday life, from opening bank accounts and paying rent to tracking budgets and managing savings.

Using the same currency as most of the European Union eliminates exchange-rate costs between Bulgaria and popular nomad destinations such as Portugal, Spain, Germany or Greece.

It also reassures some international professionals who prefer to hold their income and capital in euros rather than in a smaller national currency.

Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone gives it a seat at the European Central Bank’s Governing Council, reinforcing the message that the country is anchoring itself firmly in the EU’s core economic structures.

Euro adoption arrives against a backdrop of mixed public opinion at home, with many Bulgarians expressing concern about potential price rises. Consumer groups and authorities have responded with strict price monitoring and dual display of prices in both lev and euro during the transition period.

For visiting professionals accustomed to western European price levels, however, Bulgaria remains relatively affordable, even as it converges closer to eurozone standards.

A competitive new contender in Europe’s digital nomad race

With its visa now active, Bulgaria joins a widening field of European countries competing for location-independent workers. Nations such as Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Estonia and Greece have all launched tailored schemes in recent years, targeting a globally mobile class of professionals who can bring foreign income into local economies without displacing domestic jobs.

Bulgaria’s proposition hinges on a combination of low living costs, strategic geography and its new institutional status inside both Schengen and the eurozone.

Major cities including Sofia and Plovdiv already host communities of freelancers and tech workers attracted by fast internet, a growing co-working ecosystem and a relatively laid-back urban culture.

Until now, many stayed under short-term tourist rules or more conventional work permits. The digital nomad residence permit gives this population a clearer legal footing and could encourage more remote workers to commit to year-long stays.

The income threshold of around 31,000 euros per year is lower than in some rival programmes, making Bulgaria accessible to mid-career professionals, solo entrepreneurs and contractors priced out of more expensive hubs.

Combined with euro-denominated salaries from abroad and lower local costs for rent, food and services, the country is positioning itself as a place where digital nomads can stretch their budgets while enjoying EU-level connectivity and access.

Officials have framed the move as part of a broader push to attract talent to sectors such as innovation, high technology and the creative industries.

By focusing the permit strictly on foreign-sourced income and barring work for Bulgarian clients, the government aims to capture spending power without fuelling local labour market tensions, a balance that other destinations have also tried to strike.

Opportunities and challenges for Bulgaria’s travel economy

For Bulgaria’s tourism and hospitality industry, the convergence of Schengen membership, euro adoption and a digital nomad visa points to a shift from seasonal tourism to more year-round, residency-based travel.

Remote workers tend to stay longer than vacationers, rent apartments instead of hotel rooms and spend money in neighbourhood businesses that do not always benefit from short-stay tourism.

Destinations such as Bansko, already known in nomad circles for its co-working and co-living spaces near the ski slopes, are poised to gain from the new rules. So are coastal cities like Burgas and Varna, where nomads can combine Black Sea living with relatively easy access to other parts of Europe.

Regional towns offering a lower cost of living and quieter lifestyle may also see new interest as workers look beyond capital-city hubs.

At the same time, the authorities must manage potential side effects. International examples show that sudden inflows of higher-earning remote workers can add pressure to local housing markets and reshape neighbourhoods.

Bulgaria’s approach of setting a clear but moderate income bar and limiting the visa’s duration reflects a desire to attract mobile talent while maintaining room to adjust policies if needed.

Local businesses are watching closely to see whether the new visa will translate into more long-stay visitors and increased demand for co-working, language courses and professional services.

Travel operators are likewise exploring new products, from slow-travel packages built around month-long stays to combined work-and-ski or work-and-wine experiences that capitalise on the country’s varied landscapes.

What digital nomads need to know on the ground

Practical considerations for would-be applicants start with timing and documentation. Because the income test is based on the previous calendar year, digital nomads need to plan at least a year ahead to ensure they can demonstrate the required level of earnings, whether through payslips, contracts or tax returns.

For freelancers, a documented track record of at least one year of remote work for foreign clients is essential.

Most applicants will begin the process at a Bulgarian consulate in their country of residence, applying for the appropriate long-stay visa that then allows them to enter Bulgaria and finalise their residence permit at a regional migration office.

With the euro now fully in place, associated fees and proof-of-funds requirements will be stated in euros, simplifying financial planning for those already earning or saving in the currency.

Once in the country, digital nomads will find a digital infrastructure that has been expanding in step with Bulgaria’s tech sector. High-speed broadband is widely available in major cities and increasingly present in smaller towns and mountain resorts.

Co-working and co-living spaces have multiplied in the past decade, often run by international teams that are accustomed to hosting global remote workers.

Schengen membership means that, after securing Bulgarian residency, digital nomads can rely on passport-free travel within most of the European Union for short trips, though they must still comply with time limits for stays in other Schengen countries.

Bulgaria’s airports offer growing connectivity to European capitals, and land borders with neighbouring Romania and Greece now function as internal Schengen crossings, easing regional travel.

FAQ

Q1. What exactly is Bulgaria’s new digital nomad visa?
The digital nomad visa is a long-term residence permit that allows non-EU, non-EEA and non-Swiss nationals who work remotely for foreign employers or clients to live in Bulgaria for up to one year, with the option to renew once for another year, while continuing to earn income from abroad.

Q2. When did Bulgaria start accepting applications for the digital nomad permit?
Bulgarian authorities opened applications on December 20, 2025, following cabinet approval of detailed procedures tied to earlier amendments in the Foreigners in Bulgaria Act.

Q3. How much do I need to earn to qualify as a digital nomad in Bulgaria?
Applicants must prove an average annual income of at least 50 times Bulgaria’s statutory minimum monthly wage for the previous calendar year, which currently equates to roughly 31,000 euros per year, though the exact figure can shift as the minimum wage is updated.

Q4. Can I work for Bulgarian companies or take local freelance clients on this visa?
No. The rules explicitly prohibit digital nomad permit holders from working for Bulgarian employers or providing services to clients in Bulgaria. All income must come from foreign companies or overseas clients.

Q5. Does this visa lead to permanent residency or citizenship?
Not directly. The digital nomad residence permit is limited to a maximum of two years and does not itself create a path to permanent residency or citizenship, although some holders may later switch to other residence categories if they meet separate criteria.

Q6. Is Bulgaria now fully part of the Schengen free-travel zone?
Yes. Bulgaria lifted air and sea border checks with Schengen countries in March 2024 and removed checks at land borders on January 1, 2025, making it a full Schengen member and eliminating routine passport controls at its internal borders.

Q7. When did Bulgaria adopt the euro and what happened to the lev?
Bulgaria adopted the euro on January 1, 2026, becoming the 21st member of the eurozone. The lev is being phased out during a one-month dual-circulation period in January, after which the euro becomes the sole legal tender, with the conversion rate fixed at 1.95583 lev per euro.

Q8. How do Schengen membership and euro adoption benefit digital nomads?
Schengen membership allows easier short-term travel around most of Europe without routine internal border checks, while euro adoption removes currency exchange friction, making it simpler to manage income, savings and everyday expenses across multiple EU countries.

Q9. How long can I stay in Bulgaria on the digital nomad visa?
The residence permit tied to the digital nomad scheme is initially valid for one year and can typically be renewed once for an additional year, giving most remote workers up to two years of legally resident time in the country under this specific status.

Q10. What are the first practical steps if I want to apply?
Prospective applicants should first check that their income and work structure fit the rules, gather documentation proving at least a year of remote work for foreign entities, arrange comprehensive health insurance and then contact a Bulgarian consulate to start the long-stay visa process that precedes issuance of the residence permit inside Bulgaria.