As one of the youngest EU member states, Bulgaria boasts a rich and diverse culture, temperate climate, and ideal location in Southeast Europe — and the Investor Program for Residence and Citizenship in Bulgaria helps get you there faster.
Full investment package:
A candidate must invest €511,292 (1 million BGN) in government bonds for 5 years. At the end, the money will be returned without interest. Investments are guaranteed by government bonds.
Bank financing:
A candidate can use a loan on the security of purchased bonds. For detailed advice on this issue, call our office.
If the candidate invests in Bulgarian bonds twice as much money than it is necessary, he will qualify for accelerated obtaining of citizenship.
To obtain citizenship under the accelerated program, it is necessary that the candidate meets certain requirements:
Advantages:
There is one tangible disadvantage: too strict migration legislation. The procedure for obtaining citizenship may be delayed for 10 months. All applicants for Bulgarian citizenship are extremely thoroughly checked.
The availability of capital is not always a guarantee that you can obtain citizenship in an EU country by investing in the development of the economy. Bulgaria is a pleasant exception in this regard: since 2013, there are amendments to the Aliens Act, which have significantly simplified the procedure for obtaining a residence permit and citizenship for residents of other countries. Today, a foreigner can get a Bulgarian passport in just two years, without renouncing his country's citizenship and not passing the state language test.
Citizenship for investment: what conditions must be met?
The process of obtaining Bulgarian citizenship through investments in government bonds consists of two stages. The first of them takes 1 year and involves obtaining permanent residence. To achieve this, it is not necessary to live in the country, it is enough just to invest in government bonds at least 1 million BGN, which is about 500 thousand euros. This money, as practice shows, will be returned to the owners, but the term of investing them in bonds will be at least 5 years.
The implementation of the second stage can be started in a year. Having the status of a person permanently residing in Bulgaria, it is necessary to invest in government bonds another 1 million BGN for a period of three years, after which you can apply for citizenship.
Thus, in two years, anyone who is willing to invest a little more than 1 million euros in the Bulgarian economy has the opportunity to obtain the status of a citizen of one of the EU countries with all the attendant advantages, including free movement in the Schengen zone. At the same time, it is not necessary to remain on the territory of Bulgaria for two years while the procedure of status is being naturalized. But the address of residence will have to specify, so you should take care in advance about renting or buying property in this country.
What privileges do family members receive?
The status of a person who has permanent residence or citizenship in Bulgaria automatically entitles his family members spouses and children to apply for permanent residence or citizenship. For children under the age of 18, this happens automatically, after 18 years in the prescribed manner, with the provision of a package of necessary documents to the migration service. The decision to grant permanent residence or citizenship is taken up to 6 months, an absolute record among EU countries that practice the naturalization of the status of foreigners in exchange for investments.
What are government bonds?
The process of obtaining Bulgarian citizenship through investments in government bonds, in essence, is the usual procedure for buying securities. Unlike other countries' government bonds that are offered to foreigners, Bulgaria’s state treasury bills have free circulation in the domestic securities market. That is, they do not contain any marks that were sold to foreigners, and can be implemented in almost any bank in the country at the market rate.
For allowing the state to use the loan, the owner of the bond receives interest in the form of special coupons, which can also be cashed. Plus, under favorable circumstances, market players can earn on bonds if their value increases over two years.
Those who want to obtain Bulgarian citizenship through investments in bonds, but do not have the necessary amount, have a chance to receive a bank loan to buy securities, provided that the investor pays 10% of their value on their own.
Yes, it is possible to use the accelerated program to obtain citizenship. In this case, the amount of investments increases (the applicant makes investments in doubled size). You can invest in a business or in government bonds. Among the requirements for participants in the accelerated program is the possession of permanent residence for at least a year and the presence of the second part of the investment portfolio in circulation for two years.
Yes, with this status, children are given the right to attend kindergartens and educational institutions free of charge. It is also possible to obtain free education in higher educational institutions.
The country has fairly affordable real estate prices. The residential real estate market allows you to easily find a suitable option for both rental and purchase.
Typically, a standard procedure can take up to ten months. This period is due to the rather strict migration legislation of the country and the passage of a thorough comprehensive check by all applicants.
The condition for granting citizenship by investment is the presence of permanent residence (for its issuance, it is enough to invest funds). It is possible to start applying for citizenship at least one year after receiving permanent residence. The naturalization procedure takes two years, and during this period it is not necessary to reside in the country.
In such a situation, the use of borrowed funds is allowed: the investor can apply for a loan to the bank (the purpose of the loan is the purchase of securities). The loan is issued if the applicant can pay 10% on his own.
Personal presence is not required to purchase real estate. To complete the transaction, you will need to confirm the transfer of authority to an authorized person (for example, an agency employee) at a notary.
No, there is no need to renounce the existing citizenship.
No, applicants for citizenship by investment are not required to know the state language of the country
This method of obtaining a Bulgarian passport involves replenishing the bond portfolio in the amount of approximately 500 thousand euros. Refunds are made after the five-year period. Funds are returned to the same volume as the investments were made.
No, the Bulgarian taxation system is one of the most profitable among the EU countries (the lowest tax rates apply to Bulgarian citizens). The personal income tax rate is set at 10%. In addition, global income is not taxed.
Holders of a Bulgarian passport are granted the right to move freely within the countries of the Schengen zone, i.e. there is no need to apply for visas.
Family members of the holder of permanent residence can receive this status automatically. To do this, you will need to submit an appropriate application. There are no requirements for permanent residence of the investor's family members.
Yes, diplomas of graduation from higher educational institutions in Bulgaria are recognized in the countries of the European Union. If you want to be employed in another EU country, you will not need to confirm your qualifications
Yes, Bulgaria is almost ideal for moving to Europe. The country has a favorable climate, low crime rate, calm atmosphere and affordable prices for both rental and purchase of residential real estate. An additional advantage is the proximity of the Bulgarian language to Russian, therefore, as a rule, there are no problems in learning Bulgarian for everyday communication. The country provides ample opportunities for recreation: several famous resorts are located on the Black Sea coast. In addition, both holders of permanent residence and citizens of the country are entitled to free medical care.
At the stage of permanent residence, the status is automatically granted only to minor children. Children who have reached the age of majority must submit documents in the prescribed manner. It should be noted that the decision takes about six months: compared to other European countries, this is the fastest option.
Indeed, when applying for citizenship, the applicant must indicate his permanent place of residence in the country. Therefore, before submitting documents, you must either rent a home or buy your own property.
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