In recent years, more and more pensioners from Russia and the CIS have started buying seaside houses in Bulgaria for seasonal or permanent residence.
What is the biggest motivator for individuals to purchase real estate in Bulgaria?
In this article, we’ll answer the following questions:
- How can I acquire a Bulgarian visa "D" and then to issue a residence permit?
- What should you consider before you make a decision to buy?
Housing in Bulgaria
Retirees currently purchasing real estate in Bulgaria can be divided into 4 groups:
- Military pensioners;
- Wealthy retired civil servants;
- Retired couples from the Russia;
- Retirees seeking to relocate;
Depending on personal preferences and financial capabilities the representatives of these categories, real estate ranges from rural housing starting at €18 000 to seaside property for €90 000.
| Turnkey solutions | Objects in the directory |
| Apartments (studios) up to €20,000 | 600 objects |
| Property by the sea up to 30 000 € | 600 objects |
| Houses on the beach | 250 |
| Luxury homes and apartments from 30 000 € | 150 objects |
| Real estate in the mountains | 90 objects |
BolgarskiyDom has successfully performed more than 700 transactions of purchase and sale of Bulgarian property in the past 11 years. We will quickly and inexpensively help you buy a pensioner's apartment in Bulgaria. Discover on-site objects at an orientation tour by BolgarskiyDom. We will accompany and support you during all stages of the transaction.
Why Bulgaria?
Tens of thousands of pensioners from Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Belarus bought property in Bulgaria for permanent residence for a number of reasons:
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Mild climate, clean environment, beautiful nature, warm sea, clean sandy beaches, and mostly Sunny days. -
Bulgaria is culturally close to Russians. -
Reasonable prices for food and utilities. -
A large number of Wellness centers, mud baths, Spa centers and mineral springs.
These advantages of buying property in Bulgaria in addition to low housing prices and quick procedure of obtaining residence permits for retirees are just several reasons as to why Russian pensioners decide to move to Bulgaria.
Visa "D"
To obtain a residence permit in Bulgaria one must first obtain a visa "D". This visa is issued for six months and allows a 180 day stay in the country. It requires the following documents:
- Passport and copies of the main pages
- Application form with color photo 3,5 x 4,5 cm;
- Certificate of retirement for the last three months (translated into Bulgarian and notarized);
- A housing rental agreement or proof of ownership;
- An extract from the Bank account to confirm the availability of funds for accommodation;
- Certificate of good conduct;
- Medical insurance with a minimum coverage of 30 000 Euro.
To see the latest changes in the requirements for submitted documents for a visa "D" visit the official website of the Embassy of Bulgaria in Moscow!
Obtaining a residency permit in Bulgaria for retirees
If you have a visa "D", you can submit the following documents and apply for a residency permit:
- Statement;
- A copy of the passport (the main page spread and the page with the visa "D");
- A notarial act or copy of tenancy agreement (its validity shall coincide with the term for which you are requesting permit);
- The Bank statement on availability of funds;
- Simple copy of address card;
- Certificate of good conduct;
- Medical insurance;
- Certificate of retirement for 3 months (translated and certified);
- The certificate on statement on the account in tax inspection;
- Receipt about payment of 10 levs for an application for a residence permit.
Optionally, the migration service may require other documents for issuing a residence permit. Visit the official website of the Ministry of interior (http://www.mvr.bg) for more information.
Recommendations to retirees for the purchase of real estate
Before buying a property in Bulgaria on the coast, consider the following recommendations:
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Carefully choose the location of the object.
If you’re looking to buy seasonal housing near the sea, we recommend looking into Varna and Burgas, or at the resorts at Sveti Vlas, Sozopol and Golden Sands.
Read our article: Where to buy property in Bulgaria
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Better to see it once than hear it a hundred times.
Before buying a house or apartment, it is definitely worth seeing the property in-person. We also recommend you spend some time in the city, and learn more about local history and culture.
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Keep in mind legalities.
Buying a home in Bulgaria for foreign citizens is difficult, given the ban on registration of property in land. Land acquisition is possible only in case of registration of the company with the subsequent registration of land the legal entity. Therefore, the buyer would benefit greatly to consult with an experienced lawyer to identify all the possible pitfalls.
The specialists of "BolgarskiyDom" will select the best accommodation options for a comfortable stay and rest (in a quiet location, with clean climate, good infrastructure, and wide opportunities for recreation). We will organize a trip to Bulgaria to select the appropriate option and will help with the registration permit.
Cost of living in Bulgaria
Are you planning on permanently moving to Bulgaria? The following bullet points will cover some basic information we recommend you look into before making the move?
The main expenditure items of the Russian pensioner may be:
- Annual costs for extension of residence permit;
- Real estate taxes;
- Purchase of food;
- The payment of medical insurance
Extension of residence permit
When obtaining a residence permit in Bulgaria by the applicant (including minors) are charged with the following duties:
| Type of payment | A residence permit for 6 months. | A residence permit for 12 months. |
| The fee for consideration of the application | 10 BGN + 5 BGN (Bank transfer) | 10 BGN + 5 BGN (Bank transfer) |
| The fee for a permit (permit) | 200 BGN + 5 BGN (Bank transfer) | 500 BGN + 5 BGN (Bank transfer) |
| The equivalent in euros | €114 | €267 |
More information about the possibility of obtaining a residence permit and the associated costs can be found in the article "a residence permit in Bulgaria for retirees"!
Real estate taxes
The owners of property in Bulgaria pays:
- the real estate tax of 0.15% of the tax evaluation of the property;
- utility tax - from 0.2 to 0.3% of book value.
It is important to consider the fact that the amount of the annual payment depends on where the property is located (the individual municipalities set the tax rates) and of its value.
To learn more about the maintenance costs of Bulgarian real estate, read the article "Costs of housing"!
Utilities
Will quote rates for basic utilities:
| Water (by meter) | €0,75-€1,25/m3 |
| Electricity (by meter) | day - €0.10 per kWh night - €0,065 per kWh. |
| TV (cable/satellite) | from €13 to €30 |
| Phone | from €3 to €13 |
| Internet | from €8 to €15 |
For more on pricing and paying for municipal services in Bulgaria, read the article "Prices for utilities"!
Prices on food
The prices of goods and food in Bulgaria differ, depending on locality, but on average a third less than in Russia. However, their quality is much better than domestic products.
See the prices for basic foods, read our article "the Cost of food in Bulgaria"!
Medical insurance
The cost of the policy depends on the company, the amount of insurance coverage, scope of services, health status and age of the person. The average medical insurance policy for foreign citizens costs from €90 to €200 depending on the amount of insurance coverage.
To learn more about health insurance, read the article "Medicine and insurance in Bulgaria"!
