Visiting Bulgaria Oct 5-19

Welcome aboard.

Whilst waiting for others to reply please take the time to read through the Bulgaria Guide which can be found under Discover at the top of this paper. Plenty of information there.

@jetmon135

You can obtain a lot of assistance on this site.    Check with the Bulgarian Embassy (website) nearest you.  Obtaining a RETIRED

visa D for one year is not a huge challenge, however if you do not speak the language then you might need assistance.  I have a migratiion lawyer assist me in renewig my Visa D each year and next year I will qualify for a 5 year resident Visa.

From memory (which may not be coplete)

1. Apostilled copy of FBI Criinal Background check.
2. Proof of retirement income---you have enough.  And it must be sent to a BG Bank on a monthly basis.  I have found FI Bank to be the cheapest for fees as banks like DSK and Post charge a ourtageous fortune to put money in and take it out.   All banks charge for every transaction type and statements on paper so shop fees carefully.
3. Catostrophic Health Insurance 300-500 lev a year.--should max out at around $300 at most.
4. Application and fees

You can obtain details on the Bg Embassy site and I am sure I HAVE OMITTED SOME , but there are not a lot more requirements and the above are the rimary ones.  NOTE--If you apply in the US you must personally visit the Bg Embassy in your assigned area.   It may be easier to work the project while you are here.   I suggest you complete the Fingerprint and application for FBI asap prior to coming as your State will be required to place an Apostille seal.   This alone will take about 30 days total. 

Ok,

I think I had most of that info but where it gets cloudy for me is if the FBI report is sufficient or do I need additional state background check as well? The Consulate for me is in Los Angeles. I really dread having to go there. CA is such garbage these days. I am learning Bulgarian but will take me  quite some time as I study alone.

@jetmon135

Hi, not from the state but I am in BG on pensioner visa/ retirement residency, should be the same for us as non-EU citizens… Like John said above, we have to renew each year for 5 years to finally qualify for a 5 or 10 years residency card.

Well, you know that the long term visa has to be applied at the embassy or consulate in your own country, all you can prepare during your short visit to Sofia are: house/apartment hunting (rental or buying, forget the van idea for now, you will not get residency living in a van, you will need rental agreement or property deed to prove that you have a place to live in), translate and certify your apostilled documents (FBI report and your pension entitlement letter), get health insurance in place (cheapest deal is 160 leva), open bank account (this might be a bit tricky…)

We recommend Top Rent A Car for rental service, we basically got a new car to use for our three weeks stay in Sofia (and to our village house).

Can’t think of anything else yet. Just ask when you have more questions.

There will be hassles along the way, but it is worth it. It is a nice country and there are some nice people around.

@jetmon135

Great info for ya from @tuttisservis  and @johnavann who both know their onions, innit.

As they say, D visa for retirees is about as easy as it gets. And the statutory minimum wage here is 400 euros per month, so any pension over (or near) this should be fine.

There's some official guidance here:

https://www.mfa.bg/en/services-travel/consular-services/travel-bulgaria/visa-bulgaria

https://www.mfa.bg/upload/716/VISA_TYPE_D.pdf

As mentioned, a bit of local help goes a long way. You can get inexpensively get an immigration attorney, or, often, just going with a translator/interpreter (I pay 25 euros per hour to my regular guy) is enough.

The proof of address and proof of health insurance are two additional immigration requirements. These are both easy to do while on your trip here in October.

You need a low-cost (100-150 euros) Health Insurance for Foreigners in Bulgaria (or similar). You can find a couple of providers who will do this online, or it's easy to do at an insurance broker if you visit Bulgaria.

You need to rent or buy somewhere to live in Bulgaria. You can then provide your Notary Act (deed) if you buy, or the long-term rental contract (plus landlord declaration) if you rent. Both buying and renting are easy to do in person, but it's a bit of a rush in a few weeks. I'd personally just rent the cheapest decent studio from a large agent just to get the required paperwork. As long as it's OK to stay in for a few weeks while you search for something better, that's all you need. You can then cancel the contract (you'll lose your deposit, say, but not a huge deal).

@jetmon135 Hi - The LA Consulate is actually in Santa Monica. I had to go there from Honolulu for my interview. 

Hi,

As others have mentioned you will definitely need a permanent address, be it rental or bought here in Bulgaria and immigration will check it out to make sure it's a legitimate residence for you, or they certainly do here in Vratsa.

I'm also a veteran albeit British and retired here at 58 on my military pension, as long as your Pension is index linked you can survive here but things I definitely getting more expensive.

You cant register a vehicle here unless you hold residency (after 5 yrs of prolonged stay) or you register it as a company asset, you will need a company if you want a house with land, but you can own an apartment privately.

Good luck with your move, it is a varied and beautiful country, take your time to explore to find a place you like and local knowledge is King here, as a fool and their money are easily parted!