New members of the Bulgaria forum, introduce yourselves here - 2021

Thanks EVTRA, much appreciate the detailed response! I'll buy you and Gwyn a beer if the opportunity ever arises! Cheers guys!

Hi Gwyn,

I thought I had responded to your reply, but it doesn't seem to have been published?

Anyway, many thanks for your advice, it is very much appreciated. I will check out Petar's websites. I think I will take the fake real contract option, as I would rather check out more of the country before committing to buying somewhere. I can also leave my van at the camp site I am on if needed, as it is pretty secure. Do you know if it is possible to remain in Varna for all the 'line dancing', or would I have to go see Petar in person?

I am more than happy for you to introduce me to Petar.

In respect to me getting to Bulgaria. I drove from Germany through Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, and finally into Bulgaria. I didn't have any issues at all. I wasn't asked for a V passport or test results. Maybe I was just lucky, but I would advise others to try their own luck, as it is certainly possible. But the situation can change of course.

By the way, Slovenia is amazing!

Thanks again,

Mark

Mark, how long were you in Germany? It sounds as if they treated things as if your journey started there rather than the UK.

Hi Jane,

Yeah, you may be right; I was in Germany for a month while looking for the right van. However, not sure how they would have known that?

Good point! I suspect the fact you're travelling on an Irish passport may have made a difference. No one would think to ask when you left the UK! We're waiting for someone to successfully do this on a UK passport before trying!
I missed getting an Irish one, unfortunately. I'd been told all my life my Granddad was Irish, but after a long fruitless search of the Irish records for his birth certificate, it turned out he was born in Liverpool and never claimed the Irish citizenship he would have been entitled to!

Yeah, applied for mine soon after Brexit. Took a while to come through, but so glad I did. Thanks dad!

I’m Bulgarian going in and out of the country for the last 18 years. Seeking my true place.
Would help with translation if I can.
Maggie

Hi All from California!!
it is time to move on and move to my wife's country.
We will be living in the Black sea but we have relatives in Sofia.
My wife has been in America for many years so we both need to be re-introduced to rules and regulations in Bulgaria.
I love visiting , hopefully permanently living too:)

Welcome to expat.com @snemi, and good luck with your new life in Bulgaria!

I think I can safely say that life here will be very different from California.

My experience is that there are lots of rules and regulations in California... and very few (or they're just very poorly enforced) here in Bulgaria.

Likewise, I found California extortionately expensive, while Bulgaria feels cheap as chips. Some years ago, during my last stint working there, I was paying $3,000 a month just to rent a room in a house (true, it was a big room, in a nice house, pretty close to San Francisco Bay... but, still, it was only a room). You will definitely see this if you compare beachfront (or ocean adjacent) property on the Pacific vs. on the Black Sea.

Hi Jane, a couple I’m speaking to got to BG yesterday via Romania. Stayed there 2 weeks beforehand 🎉🎉

That is great news !!

G'day everyone. I am an Australian now living in Bulgaria. Husband and I arrived almost a year ago and our adult son and daughter have now joined us. We've visited BG several times and bought a few old houses to restore when we retired but in the summer of 2019 we stayed in a friend's house in the little village of Mladen and fell in love with the villagers. Ended up buying 2 old campsites that are now joined together. They are near the Aleksandr Stambolijski dam, (Александър Стамболийски), close to Mladen.  We're planning to renovate the bungalows and the restaurant and make the buildings accessible to wheelchair users. A mammoth project on a shoestring budget but we'll make it happen. The end product will be an environmentally friendly, accessible, affordable holiday place with bungalows and camping. We're rough-living on site so life is interesting. Not how we planned to spend our retirement but it's rather exciting and certainly not boring.

Wow! A huge project but that sounds amazing, Mariiyn!

Can't remember if I already introduced myself on this forum, so please forgive me if I'm repeating myself.

I'm an American who arrived in Bulgaria 2 weeks ago. I'm based in Shumen on a 9 month teaching contract where I'm teaching English as a Second Language. I don't have a car, so I'm on foot in Shumen and will have to rely on buses and trains (I know, they are slow here. I already took the bus once to Varna (1.5 hrs) and the train back to Shumen (2.5+ hrs)) to get around the country. I don't know any Bulgarian yet to take taxis and there are no taxi apps here since it's a small town.

I practice yoga, love hiking, taking in nice architecture, exploring new places, and hanging out by the sea! I am pescatarian but don't do much in terms of dairy and eggs as I have food sensitivities. So, my life will be interesting here in terms of food/diet. I would love to know how people source organic produce here?

If people ever get together to go hiking, please let me know as I'd love to join. Additionally, I'm seeking English speakers (Bulgarians and expats) to meet up with esp in Shumen but further afield is fine too as long as I can get there via public transport (like Varna).

Glad to hear about that. I have an interesting idea about your bungallows:

Hi, my name is Svetlana.
Was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1994 married an American and moved to the USA. My husband’s health
is not good and if something happens I don’t want to live in America any more. Would like to
live in Bulgaria in some quiet mountain or coastal village, without spending a lot of money, I am retired.
I read, that it is possible to buy a cheap property in Bulgaria somewhere far from big cities.I would appreciate any advice on where to start, how to open the bank account in Bulgaria, where to look for
a place to live etc.  Thank you!

Hi Svetlana! If you look though the forum posts, you'll see many posts relevant to your questions.
Buying a property in Bulgaria is easy, and there are probably thousands of reasonably priced homes for sale, though the really cheap ones may need a lot of work to become liveable.
The issue for most who don't have an EU passport is getting the D visa that's the first step to residency in Bulgaria. We've had plenty of discussions about that here!

Hello Svetlana.  The Bulgarian dream is a very tempting one, and having trodden the path you propose, at least in part, as I have not as yet moved to Bulgaria and possibly never will, I would suggest the first thing to do is travel to the country and visit as many parts and places as you can to get a real feel of what is on offer.
I own a ski apartment and it took me a full five years to find a house that ticked a  lot of the boxes. Remember, many of the rural villages that as quiet and appealing are also being depopulated and many houses are falling into disrepair. This does mean some bargains, but also a lot of work to be done to bring a house to a habitable standard. The quote to get mine even to a basic standard was over 20,000 (sterling) . Not a lot compared to the price of a detached house with land in the UK, but it does all depend on your personal view of "cheap"
Some houses have external stairs, no bathroom or kitchen and while quiet and rural had advantages, you may find there is no local shop or faciliteis any more as there are simply not the residents to support it.
There is still a cafe in the village where I bought, but now there is only one bus a week to Sofia and the nearest town is a 20 mile drive.
There are no medical facilities locally, GP, dentist etc. This may also be a concern as we get older.
As you almost certainly speak Russian you will almost certainly be able to communicate using that, which will be a big advantage. I have been learning Bulgarian for some time but have not got on very well and in my opion some language skills are very important!
Also think about where you might live while your house is being refurbished.  Mine was partly done by email and photos from the builder, but there does come a point where you have to be on site, or close! I had plans to live in my apartment and commute to the house a few times a week.
Due to Covid, none of this happened and  as Jane mentions, many of us are now caught in a mire of trying to get a visa.
Hope you find a lovely house!

I'm new to Expat.com forums but not to Bulgaria - I've got a question about passport stuff that I'll post as a topic in this forum.

Hi All,

My wife and I are looking (hopefully) to buy a property in BG next year and want advice on visas and if this `dream` can actually happen. We are looking to retire at the grand old age of 55 and live at least 9 months a year. Given we have left the EU (not my choice) is this something we can aim for?
Any advice would be helpful.
Nice to meet you all!!

Mark

Hi. I'm Cheryl from N..Ireland. my husband and I are early 60s. We are thinking of moving to Bulgaria. We're going over in April for a month to suss things out. Any advice on areas or what to do would be helpful. We can travel on either British or Irish passports.

Mark, the visa issue is a complicated one thanks to lovely Brexit! If you will retire early with a company pension that's more than the Bulgarian minimum income (650 leva a month) and 6 months worth of savings , you will be able to get a retirement D visa. It's based on having a retirement pension, not on being official retirement age. The London Embassy lists the requirements to apply. http://bulgarianembassy-london.org/cons … ces/visas/
If only one of you is officially retired, that should be the person to apply, then once they have the D visa, the other can apply as a spouse.
This is purely my understanding rather than expert advice! We also had our retirement plans scuppered by Brexit but due to circumstances (bad financial decisions = teensy tiny company pension!) we need to wait till we get our OAP.

Cheryl, easier to use your Irish passport! Brexit has made using a British passport more complicated.

Areas to visit depend what you want. Beach or mountain or historic town or rural? City or town or village?

Hello dear bulgarian friends. I live in USA and am interested in Bulgarian citizenship as a Plan B. Although my lifestyle does not allow much travel, I have been learning a lot about the country to Bulgaria to see how I can contribute while also participate in the interesting opportunities the government is offering for permanent residency and citizenship.

I have a set of questions on the rules for permanent residence and citizenship rules that I plan to post as a new topic, unless folks thing I should post elsewhere.

Unless you were born in Bulgaria or are married to a Bulgarian or have close blood relatives here, it is unlikely that you can go straight to applying for citizenship. That shouldn't stop you from moving forward with your plans to move here and become a legal resident, and ultimately gain citizenship -- it's just that there is a specific process that has to be followed.  That said, please go ahead and post your questions. Happy to answer any I can answer.

thanks for your reply ginnyhench. Bulgaria has many investment based options for permanent residence including buying real estate, buying ETFs, investing in bulgarian companies or opening new companies etc. I am more interested in those options, since I obviously do not have a familial or blood connection there.

Yes, there are many options for becoming a resident. The original post mentioned applying for -citizenship- which is not the same as residence. For most applicants, it is not possible to go straight to citizenship.

Greetings to @hayesm1966  and @rcerstcp and @esha71. Welcome all to expat.com and good luck with your potential new lives in lovely Bulgaria!

@rcerstcp

As you have 2 passports, you have it easiest, lucky you! As @janemulberry wisely stated, you should use your Irish passport as it is EU, rather than our worthless British passports. :-) With an EU passport, residence is merely a formality, requiring proof of funds (usually a credit/debit card will suffice here), proof of health insurance (an EHIC type card, or a local Bulgarian policy costing less than 100 euros), and proof of residence in Bulgaria (a 1 year rental contract, or the notary act for a property you purchased).

@esha71

Non-EU citizens have a 2 step process involving a D visa (outside Bulgaria) followed by a residence application in Bulgaria. There are "Golden Visa" options in Bulgaria which apply for wealthy non-EU citizens. I have already posted detailed replies to your questions.

@hayesm1966

Congratulations on your early retirement! You'll be pleased to know that retiree is one of the grounds for granting a D visa.  Your age is immaterial. However, you must have proof of your entitlement to a state or private pension. If only one of you does, then he/she gets visa + residence, and then the other gets residence via "family reunification" (easy). If your early retirement is based on savings rather than a pension, then it will be trickier.

On a different topic. . .  If there is already a forum for this topic, please point me in the right direction.

Can you please inform me of brand names of natural products that won't break the bank for natural Laundry Detergents (liquid), liquid hand soap, dish soap, hand lotion, etc.? I've found some supposedly natural products and even claim to be Bio, but they have "parfum" in them which actually makes them unnatural and toxic. I have high levels of chemical toxicities and allergies, so can't use products with "parfum" in them. Additionally, I can't use products with Sodium Laurel Sulfate which are often found in cleaning products as it's a chemical toxin as well that I need to stay away from.

Thanks so much in advance!!

Dr Bronner's Sal Suds might be a safe option for you @tmazure . It isn't cheap but works well for laundry and dishwashing as such a small amount is needed. But I can't find a supplier in Bg by Googling. Or plain Dr Bronner Castille soap, which can be purchased in Bg, but needs caution if you're on a septic system - it can clog things up!

Krasi at Krasiva Soaps (lovely products!) https://my-naturals.com/ may also be able to help you - she will make soaps to order and I think has also started making liquid soaps.

Thank you Jane mulberry. I was thinking the Irish passport would be easier. I'm thinking historic town or countryside

Gwynj thank you.  I was hoping that would be the answer.
(Strange we can't have the EHIC card though as we're not resident in the Republic of Ireland! )

Is it right that we can buy a house with a garden as an EU member rather than without?

Also we would like to settle somewhere with ex pat's if possible. Any suggestions?

Cheryl, yes, if you use your Irish passport, you won't need to form a company to but a house with land. Non-EU citizens can still buy land, but need to form a company that owns the land. Much simpler to buy as an EU citizen!
If you like historic, consider Veliko Tarnovo. It's a beautiful city with a stunning medieval historic centre, but big enough to have good shopping and decent healthcare. There are some beautiful villages in the region, many with English-speaking expats (including some lovely people here on this forum!). The only drawback is it's central Bulgaria, about three hours drive or bus ride from any airport. Also the centre is hilly, lots of walking on cobbled streets and stairs so not super-easy for anyone with mobility issues (though the local bus services are cheap and excellent for getting around). Prices have risen a bit there, but if you want a house with land there are still some lovely village houses needing a bit of renovation selling at very reasonable prices.

You could also try zoya.bg a Bulgarian company that has shops in the big cities and also has a website offering delivery and deals with organic and wholesome products. It has a vast array of products.

Hello everyone,

I am new to the forum and wanted to introduce myself.

I am Garry and my partner Jess.

We are hoping we can find a way to relocate to Bulgaria but having read many topics in this forum I am doubtful of our success.

We are 'digital nomads' (as in we work online and can do so from anywhere with a internet connection) and was hoping our ability to pay our own way without assistance from the state would be enough to secure a new life in Bulgaria.

It seems being able to provide for yourself is not enough and as we are nowhere near retirement there are limited options available. The big question is, is there a way to do what we plan without the need to form companies and employ lots of people?

We aim to purchase a 'renovator' property but unsure of the area we wish to do so at this point as plan on visiting Bulgaria early next year to do some research (COVID permitting).

Anyway, that is us in a nutshell. I look forward to picking the brains of the more experienced of you on this forum in the hope some light, and hopefully a solution, can be found for our situation.

Chat to some you soon. 😁
Garry

Gary I’ll message you

Hi Gary,

Further to your concerns - NO, you don't need to establish a company and/or hire people. You can work as a freelancer, which is commonly practiced by the digital sphere in BG.

As for your property ideas - the best time to search for a property in Bulgaria is Maj - June. You can choose between Urban / Village type, mountain/valley,  seaside or my favourite mineral waters resort.

IMO, the only drawback to the freelancer visa is the need for B2 Bulgaria language proficiency, which even for those of us with every intention to learn the language will take some time.

Hey all,

Chris here: software guy, been moving between US, Ireland and Brazil for a few years now. Opened a company here in August, just made my first BG hire and am looking to spend more time in Sofia, but nothing's ever simple, let's put it like that...

Looking forward to learning from all your collective knowledge and hopefully putting a bit back too

Hello Chris,

Welcome to Expat.com

Congratulations and good luck with your company.

Please feel free to start new threads on the Bulgaria forum if you need light shed on further formalities, or on any other subject related to your life as an expat in Bulgaria.

Wishing you much success in your business endeavour. 

Best,

Diksha
Expat.com