Bulgaria · Business / Startup
Bulgaria Freelancer permit
Income needed: €620+ a month ≈ $690
Freelance professional permit and long-term residence (Art. 24(1)(15), Art. 24a)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Freelancer permit is a business / startup route for Bulgaria. Applicants need income of €620+ a month ≈ $690. You can stay 1 yr, renewable. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- €620+ a month ≈ $690
- Government fees
- BGN 400 ≈ $230
- Processing
- Up to 14 days
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee BGN 400 ≈ $230; income to show €620+/mo ≈ $690; decision: up to 14 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government feesBGN 400 ≈ $230
- BGN 400 (≈ $230)Fee for the freelance work permit issue or extension (Art. 45 Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act).
Shown, not spent€620+/mo ≈ $690
- EUR 620.2 a month (≈ $690)Stable, regular means of subsistence of at least the minimum monthly wage (EUR 620.20 (≈ $690) from 1 January 2026) for the period of stay.
RenewalRenewable
The freelance permit is valid one year and can be extended.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
Long-term resident status is granted after 5 years of lawful continuous residence; half of study time counts, and seasonal, au pair, posted and formally limited permits do not.
CitizenshipAfter 5 years as a permanent resident
Naturalisation requires holding a permanent or long-term residence permit for at least 5 years, plus income, no intentional-crime conviction and Bulgarian language.
ProcessingUp to 14 days
Applications for prolonged residence permits are examined within 14 days; complex cases can be extended by one more month.
Where to applyFrom abroad
Obtain the long-stay Visa D at a Bulgarian consulate, then apply for the residence permit from the Migration Directorate in Bulgaria.
Presence rulesAbsence limits
For long-term status, absences must stay under 6 consecutive months and 10 months in total over the 5 years.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Applications are made from outside Bulgaria, not after arriving
- Work rights are limited
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
What you must show2
- Stable, regular means of subsistence of at least the minimum monthly wage, EUR 620.20 (≈ $690) in 2026.
- The fee is BGN 400 (≈ $230) for issuing or extending the freelance work permit.
Documents3
- A detailed work plan for the term of the permit is submitted.
- A certified copy of the permit is submitted with the Visa D or long-term residence application.
- The usual proof of subsistence means, insurance and accommodation is submitted with it.
Steps1
- The permit is issued within 30 days of the application.
After you arrive1
- The permit is valid one year and extendable while the conditions persist.
What happens at day 183
How Bulgaria decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
1 year at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in each 12-month periodResiding in Bulgaria more than 183 days makes a person a resident for tax purposes.
- Foreign-source income
Total annual tax base of residents on worldwide income; Bulgarian-source income of non-residents.
All tax rules for Bulgaria Tax records checked
Full official text
Employment Agency permit for freelance work based on a detailed work plan, followed by a long-term visa or residence permit from the Ministry of Interior. 1 2 3 4
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least EUR 620.2 a month (≈ $690) · Stable, regular means of subsistence of at least the minimum monthly wage (EUR 620.20 (≈ $690) from 1 January 2026) for the period of stay. 5 6
- A fee of BGN 400 (≈ $230) · Fee for the freelance work permit issue or extension (Art. 45 Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act). 4
Requirements
- Stable, regular means of subsistence of at least the minimum monthly wage, EUR 620.20 (≈ $690) in 2026. 5 6
- The fee is BGN 400 (≈ $230) for issuing or extending the freelance work permit. 1
- A detailed work plan for the term of the permit is submitted. 1
- A certified copy of the permit is submitted with the Visa D or long-term residence application. 1 2
- The usual proof of subsistence means, insurance and accommodation is submitted with it. 1 2
- The permit is issued within 30 days of the application. 1
- The permit is valid one year and extendable while the conditions persist. 1
Stay
- Freelance permit valid one year and extendable; a long-term visa or residence permit follows.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Third-country nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Freelance work under the approved work plan.
Family
Spouse and unmarried children under 18 living in the same household can get one-year renewable prolonged-stay permits, not beyond the holder's authorised stay; after 5 years the spouse and adult children can get their own permit.
Official sources
- Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act (English translation) · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy · checked 2026-10-10
- Visa D (long term): documents and Art. 24 categories (June 2023) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2023-06
- Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, consolidated text (amended to State Gazette 52/2025) · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (consolidated text, printed 13 February 2026) · checked 2026-10-11
- Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act (Bulgarian text, as amended to 2021) · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy · checked 2026-10-11
- Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act (English translation, consolidation of 2022) · Ministry of Innovation and Growth · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2022-11
- Decree setting the minimum monthly wage from 1 January 2026 (BGN 1,213; EUR 620.20) · State Gazette of Bulgaria · checked 2026-10-11
- Bulgarian Citizenship Act (Zakon za balgarskoto grazhdanstvo), Art. 12-13 · Ministry of Justice, Bulgaria · checked 2026-10-11
Freelancer permit and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer permit | Needs income of €620+ a month ≈ $690 | 1 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Business with 10 jobs | – | – | – |
| Certified investor PR | Needs an investment from BGN 1M ≈ $571k | – | – |
| Startup visa | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| Startup Visa Portugal | Needs savings of €6,446+ ≈ $7,200 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Freelancer permit?
Income of at least EUR 620.2 a month (≈ $690). Stable, regular means of subsistence of at least the minimum monthly wage (EUR 620.20 (≈ $690) from 1 January 2026) for the period of stay. A fee of BGN 400 (≈ $230). Fee for the freelance work permit issue or extension (Art.
How long can I stay on the Freelancer permit?
Freelance permit valid one year and extendable; a long-term visa or residence permit follows.
How long does the Freelancer permit take to process?
Applications for prolonged residence permits are examined within 14 days; complex cases can be extended by one more month.
Can I work on the Freelancer permit?
Limited. Freelance work under the approved work plan.
Can I bring my family on the Freelancer permit?
Spouse and unmarried children under 18 living in the same household can get one-year renewable prolonged-stay permits, not beyond the holder's authorised stay; after 5 years the spouse and adult children can get their own permit.
Who can apply for the Freelancer permit?
Third-country nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Freelancer permit lead to permanent residence in Bulgaria?
Time on the Freelancer permit counts toward permanent residence in Bulgaria, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. Time on the Freelancer permit counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 5 years as a permanent resident.
How are Freelancer permit holders taxed in Bulgaria?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Freelancer permit. The standard rules apply: Bulgarian tax residents pay a flat 10% on the total annual tax base; dividends are taxed at a final 5%.
More in Bulgaria
Business / startup visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 7 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act (English translation) · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy · checked 2026-10-10
- Visa D (long term): documents and Art. 24 categories (June 2023) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria · checked 2026-10-10
- Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, consolidated text (amended to State Gazette 52/2025) · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (consolidated text, printed 13 February 2026) · checked 2026-10-11
- Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act (Bulgarian text, as amended to 2021) · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy · checked 2026-10-11
- Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act (English translation, consolidation of 2022) · Ministry of Innovation and Growth · checked 2026-10-10
- Decree setting the minimum monthly wage from 1 January 2026 (BGN 1,213; EUR 620.20) · State Gazette of Bulgaria · checked 2026-10-11
- Bulgarian Citizenship Act (Zakon za balgarskoto grazhdanstvo), Art. 12-13 · Ministry of Justice, Bulgaria · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.