Lessons I've learnt since buying in Bulgaria

Nice going kaththomas2017

Village centre is the way to go. Never got why Brits want to lurk on the village edges. Dam creepy if you ask me.

Best avoiding Brit cowboy builders. Always always always go local

if you can.

Thank you GB 2BG I think that people used to buy , before Brexit , online tempted by the cheap prices you could buy a home for in Bulgaria and I've lost count of the number of people who bought there as a result of watching "A Place in the Sun".  I know if people who bought expected their family and children to move over here and be grateful only to find that their children where ok as long as it was seen as a holiday but wouldn't move there full-time so have walked away.  I've heard of people buying on eBay only to find that they've bought a wattle and daub house in a dying village.  I once looked at such a house did a bit of digging online and found that the whole village only had eight residents, all of whom if I'd bought I'd have felt obligated to invite for Sunday dinner, no shops, no buses nothing , now I don't drive so a village on a bus route was a must for me . Yes in these times people are thinking of moving here but unfortunately due to Brexit their route here has been closed unless they gave family members who were born into the EU, like Boris Johnson's dad getting a French passport.

What do you mean their route has been closed?

We managed to get residency cards before Brexit and the 90 days stay rules that came in afterwards. Prior to that I know if people having to set up a company before Bulgaria joined the EU but as far as I know there was no rule about how long you could stay. But now it's back ( to the best if my knowledge) that new buyers who are from the UK which is now no longer in the EU will have to form a company and do tax returns but will be subject to the 90 day here 100+ away rule.

Hello kaththomas2017,

It's always a delight to read your discussions.

They are always so informative and they might be helpful for future expats as well.

Cheers,

Yoginee

Expat.com team

Thank you Yoginee but I'm no expert and I'm sure that someone else on here may no better.

Brexit hasn't stopped people from moving to the EU, it has just made it more of a challenge because it ended the freedom of movement.

Depending on which country you wish to move to you have to choose which visa you need then on which visa you do take you may need the basic language.

But it isn't impossible, its just means you are treated like any other 3CN.

3CN? SimcityAT remember your talking to an old biddie here who's " still banging the rocks together" as far as techs concerned.

Meanwhile back on topic I'm just so glad that we got our residency  cards so can settle into our new life here , well at least when my knees sorted.   Village life here is peaceful  and quiet  yet the sk called " bright lights" of the coast are close by if we fancy a change.

You are wonderful and I am happy for you.

Retiring in Bulgaria after brexit is almost the same as before.

Still easy street for old diddies

Yes hopefully GB 2BG

But since Veexit the residency rules have changed for everyone old buddies are not exempt.

@kaththomas2017 retirement in Bulgaria is the same.

What changed for old diddies

Old buddies wanting to settle in Bulgaria before Brexit had to apply for and get a residency card. Post Brexit this option is no longer available.

The retirement visa is the same?

Lesson

5. Learn the language, I've tried and it's not going to be easy, a lot of the villagers are being helpful but this coming winter I'm going to the village school to enquire about language lessons.

6. Remember the garden is a long term responsibility, again this autumn and winter I'll continue to clean up the garden fell the dead fruit trees and get it ready for the coming season. I've heard that  I could employ a local person to help so I'll ask my neighbour.

One note on learning the language is that young people are being taught English at school so they strike up conversation s with me to practise , which doesn't help me.

GB2BG how did you learn the language?

7. Quote from an expat " builder" . " You don't get immigrants here like you do in the UK". I had to point out to him that we were the immigrants, which threw him a bit. I told him that he was behaving just like immigrants in the UK. He lived in a village surrounded by Brits, he wasn't bothering to learn the language and he was taking work away from locals.  I could tell he didn't understand what I was saying but since then I've never used expat builders. So use local, spend local and shop local.

Kath, your number 7 cracks me up! So true! I am glad you have found your place.

You are so right about Brexit making things harder for Brits as Third Country Nationals (not Bulgarian, and not EU)!  We have to wait five years till I am retired to move here, as it's so difficult to meet the criteria for any of the other visas. Yes, we could have gotten somewhere before Brexit, and been eligible for residency, but for various reasons including Covid intervening, that didn't work out. Anyone who say it's still easy to get residency here is having a laugh!

I am sitting here after a week in my new little house (bought on ebay sight unseen) in the centre of a little Bulgarian village that thankfully still has a shop and a bus service. I am ready to cry that I have to return to the UK tomorrow. This feels like my place. Just gotta hope my husband thinks so too, as he han't seen it yet! If he likes it too, the five year wait will be hard.

Though to be honest, it might take five years of regular work-on-the-house holidays to get it more livable. I love it, and for the price I'm paying, I wasn't expecting too much. But it needs far more repairs than I anticipated. Still, in time, we'll have a  nice little home at a relatively low cost, in a quiet peaceful place, with wonderful neighbours, on more land than we could imagine ever having in the UK.

Thank you Jane yes number seven is true, so all the reasons why he was and maybe still is racist about immigrants in the UK he was doing exactly the same here in Bulgaria.

I am grateful that we've got oyr residency cards because as you say getting any other sort of residency is going to be a lot more difficult.

I'm glad that your enjoying your new home in the  centre of your village with a shop and a bus service and I'm sure that you're husband will like it when he gets to see it. You're a lot braver than me taking a risk like that but in many ways we maybe alike. I'm not afraid of my own company just like you. Safe journey back to the UK tomorrow. And many many happy returns.

What makes it difficult to retire in Bulgaria? What exactly changed?

Cannot see the big difference?

Brexit

Anyway GB2BG you've not answered my question , how or where did you learn Bulgarian? It's an honest question because I need to learn ASAP

? From my parents and school ?

No facts can back your statements.

Process for pensioners moving to BG are almost EXACTLY the same as they were before Brexit.

No Its now easier because now they can apply in the UK.

So can I ask you why are you so negative towards other people on this forum rather than being helpful considering your language skills and knowledge.

I don't need the information above because I have residency. But if you started a thread on this subject which you know so much about it would be helpful to others who may have bought a home here and haven't got leave to stay year round.

Information on visas is here already?

Correcting a false statement is not negative. The forum should help people.

Please be honest and post only facts.

The views and opinions expressed above RE RETIREMENT IN BULGARIA are those of kaththomas2017 and do not reflect official policy in Bulgaria. Any content provided by kaththomas2017 are of their opinion.

Forum members are encouraged to read real information provided by Republic of Bulgaria MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

I've never said otherwise but thank you for reminding other members.

Hello everyone,

I need to "temporarily" close this topic for review.

I have some research to do on the retirement visa/process etc before and after brexit.

If anyone has any official info/links, would you be kind to send it to me through private message (click on my photo > send a message)

Thank you in advance

Sorry for the confusion that's developing about post-Brexit immigration for Brits. I've tried to clarify some of the issues raised above, and I hope it's a useful contribution to the discussion.

The formal position is that pre-Brexit us British folks were EU citizens, and post-Brexit (during the transition period only) we were treated as if we were still EU citizens. Now, post-Brexit (and post-transition period), we are treated as non-EU citizens or "third country nationals".

The EU regime for EU citizens is actually a "registration" requirement, while non-EU citizens must apply for a residence permit/visa. Although some countries (like Spain) issued paper registration certificates, some countries (such as Bulgaria) issued a plastic "Certificate for EU Citizen" that looks like a residence permit. These certificates are typically issued for 5 years, at the end of which you can (usually) qualify for permanent residence.

EU citizens enjoy "freedom of movement" by virtue of their EU passport, and can freely enter any EU country and stay as long as they like (in practice). So registration is merely a formality, requiring only proof of residence, proof of adequate finances, and proof of health insurance. And it can be done quickly and easily at your local immigration office in Bulgaria. Typically, any EU citizen can easily relocate to Bulgaria for any reason (employee, self-employed, business owner, unemployed/ "economically inactive", student, retired, partying at Sunny Beach).

For non-EU citizens, there are more significant barriers to immigration to the EU. Some will require visas to enter Bulgaria, while some passports (e.g. UK) give visa-free entry (but only for 90 days, in 180 days). And we must follow the immigration requirements for the particular EU country, and our particular status (e.g. student, pensioner, employee).

Bulgaria makes this a two-step process with an application for a D visa (long-term residence visa) at the Bulgarian Embassy in your home country (e.g. London). With the D visa granted, you can travel to Bulgaria and then make an application for a residence permit at your local immigration office. Even if you're already in Bulgaria (as we don't need a visa to get in), you have to go back to UK and make the D visa application, just because that's the new rules. For non-EU citizens, such residence permits are typically issued for only 1 or 2 years. Hence, you must maintain your status appropriately in order to be able to renew, and you must renew 2 or 3 times to get to the magic 5 years mark when you can also apply for permanent residence.

The D visa and the residence permit application in Bulgaria also require the standard 3 proofs listed above (address, finances, health insurance). But, in this case, they are necessary, but not sufficient. You also need to provide the appropriate proof that you meet the requirements for your desired status. So a student provides proof of enrollment at a university / payment of fees, and a retiree provides proof of their pension entitlement. Employees and the self-employed can also qualify, with conditions. As a business owner of a Bulgarian entity you don't qualify unless you have 10 (Bulgarian, I think) employees. The unemployed / economically inactive / Sunny Beach party people don't have a qualifying category (unlike, say, Spain which has the no lucrativa visa for the financially-independent migrant). This is why many Brits (financially self-sufficient, but not yet officially retired) could easily come here pre-Brexit, but post-Brexit find it very much more difficult. Similarly, buying a property here gets you a Notary Act (= proof of address), but there's no residence category for "property owner".

In summary:

Before: unlimited entries, easy (one step, Bulgarian) registration process with 3 proofs required. Issued for 5 years, direct to permanent residence.

After: visa/entry restrictions, more difficult (2 step, UK/Bulgaria) process with 3 proofs required PLUS supporting evidence related to the category you are applying for. Issued for 1 or 2 years only, multiple renewals necessary before you can qualify for permanent residence.

Having said all that, for the specific cases of student and pensioner, they are the easiest options, and the before/after doesn't look terribly different. Before, a British retiree might have shown proof of their pension as this was a good way to show you have sufficient finances to live here. After, a British retiree might show the same pension letter which now acts as their proof of finances AND as their proof of being a retiree.

You should note that Bulgaria has no qualifying category for property owner (as per Serbia), or financially independent but not yet retired (as per Spain), or just hanging out in your beautiful country (as per Turkey).

As a separate point, the 5 years of legal residence is a major milestone. At this point (subject to some conditions) you should be able to qualify for permanent residence. This status has more rights, and is more durable. So I encourage you to apply for it. There is some confusion because there are two different options (with slightly different conditions) for Bulgarian permanent residence, and EU permanent residence (issued by Bulgaria). The latter is more useful (so get it if you can) as it gives us more EU mobility, similar to the freedom of movement enjoyed by EU passport holders.

Excellent explaination

Hi guys n gals..i applied for a residence visa which lasted for 5 yrs.

Then renewed it for another 5 yrs

And the next one was permanent

But not forever...it has to be renewed after around 10 yrs.

owning a property does help and have to show the deeds.

Another benefit of having a permanent residence permit is NO STAMP at the border..but they do need reassurance

And must show the permit with your passport but remind them not to stamp the passport...which they have obliged..its an EU ruling.

Thank you gwnyj for the clear and comprehensive answer to the diversion on the subject of lessons learnt. So as I said in the first place these are my opinions and may not tally with your experience or knowledge.

8. When your a woman on your own don't be surprised if men usuall smelling of drink turn up in the early morning offering to do heaven knows what.  Thankfully this stopped when my husband came to stay so news that I was married or at least in a relationship got around the village.

9. Expect " master builders" to turn up at your gate warning you about this that or the other and offering their services. I think that the hire car outside the gate attracted them rather than my looks😜.

@gwynj

Well said..yes i as a long term permanent resident of bg is entitled to

Travel through the eu as an eu citizen even though i am only a resident of an eu country.

Its also not required to stamp my passport for the 190 day rule.

I have had to stop them stamping when they havnt looked at my residence card tucked into my passport

so now show it as a secondary card on entry. Just to make sure they have seen it and recorded me.

@gwynj
Well said..yes i as a long term permanent resident of bg is entitled to
Travel through the eu as an eu citizen even though i am only a resident of an eu country.
Its also not required to stamp my passport for the 190 day rule.
I have had to stop them stamping when they havnt looked at my residence card tucked into my passport
so now show it as a secondary card on entry. Just to make sure they have seen it and recorded me.
-@wtruckyboy

They shouldn't stamp the passport as you are protected by WA, but it makes no difference if they do stamp it. The only thing is if you are a frequent traveller your passport could fill up with stamps.

This will all end next year anyway as it will be done digitally by scanning the passport.

I as a resident of bg is entitled to
Travel through the eu as an eu citizen even though i am only a resident of an eu country.

-@wtruckyboy

Good reminder that! Thanks wtruckyboy

@gwynj . Excellent explanation of pre and post Brexit circumstances in BG.  I have one question if you don't mind: as a current permanent resident in BG under article 50 of the withdrawal agreement, would I be able to convert this to an EU residency permit, do you know?  Thanks!

@kaththomas2017

Go online.a book called bulgarian 4 brits..it also has a cd..great for learning

At a small price..it has pronounciations

As well...good luck.