Frequently Asked Questions
Bulgaria Golden Visa by Real Estate Investment
The Bulgaria Golden Visa through real estate requires a minimum investment of €312,000 in a completed residential or commercial property (properties with Act 16). This program is often compared to the Portugal Golden Visa because both offer the same category of residence: a Schengen residency card valid for 12 months, renewable annually, with no physical stay requirements to qualify for permanent residency.
The difference, however, is striking. In Portugal, the required investment is €512,000, whereas in Bulgaria the same residency can be obtained with an investment of only €312,000. Both programs lead to the same residency outcome, meaning that the Portuguese route effectively costs an additional €200,000 for an identical result.
Processing Time Advantage
Another major advantage is the speed of approval:
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Bulgaria: Residency card is issued within 4 months of completing the investment
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Portugal: Many investors who applied in 2021–2022 are still waiting for their residency cards due to ongoing administrative delays
Bulgaria therefore provides not only a lower investment threshold but also significantly faster and more predictable processing, making it one of the most efficient Golden Visa programs in the EU.
Questions About the Bulgaria Golden Visa by Real Estate Investment
This is a temporary residency program by investment, compared to the Bulgaria Golden Visa by Fund investment, which leads directly to permanent residency.
In general, holders of temporary residency are required to physically reside in Bulgaria for 30 months within any 5-year period in order to qualify for permanent residency. However, property investors are not required to physically reside in Bulgaria. They only need to visit the country once a year to renew their residency card.
Unlike the Bulgaria Golden Visa by Fund Investment, real estate investors are not required to go through a pre-approval stage with the Bulgarian Investment Agency.
In the fund route, this pre-approval process typically takes 6 to 10 weeks. The real estate route, however, is more straightforward — applicants can apply for a Type D visa immediately after finalizing the property purchase, without waiting for institutional approval.
To qualify for Bulgarian citizenship, you must first convert your status to permanent residency and maintain it for 5 years before applying for citizenship. Unlike Bulgaria Fund investors, property investors cannot benefit from the no-physical-stay option. Once they obtain permanent residency, they must visit Bulgaria at least once a year to keep it active. Family members can also apply for temporary residency under this route. You may include your spouse and children under 18 years old. The same criteria for conversion to permanent residency apply to family members as well.
Family members can also apply for temporary residency under this route. You may include your spouse and children under 18 years old.
The same criteria for conversion to permanent residency apply to family members as well.
The concept of the Bulgaria Golden Visa combines two stages — first obtaining a Type D visa, which is a precondition for receiving a temporary residency card. The property purchase process usually takes 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the selected property and the seller’s readiness to proceed on short notice. Once the property is purchased, the set of documents for the D visa application can be prepared within a few days. You must submit your D visa application at the Bulgarian consulate in your home country or country of residence. The D visa processing time is approximately 2 months. After your D visa is approved, you will need to travel to Bulgaria to apply for your residency card, which is typically processed within 14 calendar days.
You must maintain ownership of the property for at least five years — that is, until you convert your status from temporary to permanent residency. Once you obtain permanent residency, you are no longer required to keep the property and may sell it freely if you wish.
Questions About Buying a Property in Bulgaria
The minimum investment amount required is 600,000 BGN (approximately 312,000 EUR). This means the property must be purchased at its real market value — “under-the-table” transactions to reduce taxes will not qualify. Registering your property at a lower value, such as 200,000 EUR, will not make you eligible for the Bulgaria Golden Visa.
Costs vary slightly, but there are several key expenses that are generally fixed. The largest cost is the municipal tax for acquiring a property.
For a property valued at 312,000 EUR, the municipal tax will be around 9,250 EUR.
Additionally, all property transactions in Bulgaria must go through a registered notary, which involves notarial fees. These are relatively modest compared to the municipal tax.
Another significant cost is the real estate agent’s commission. For some of our properties, there is no commission, but the standard agency fee is around 3%, which adds roughly 9,000 EUR.
In total, your overall transaction costs will be around 20,000 EUR.
The positive side is that these costs count as company expenses, and when you start renting out your property, the rental income first offsets these costs — meaning you won’t pay corporate tax until they are fully covered.
Yes. There are no restrictions on the number of properties you can purchase. You can invest in several residential units, or diversify your portfolio by including parking spaces, garages, regulated plots, or even commercial properties such as offices or retail premises.
Not at all — you are not required to pay any deposit or reservation fee to secure a property.
While the properties listed on our website are highly sought after and located in prime areas of Sofia and Plovdiv, we understand that these are premium assets and purchasing decisions take time.
We do not use pressure or artificial urgency tactics often seen with brokers — such as claims that “ten other buyers are ready to purchase.” Our approach is professional, transparent, and entirely client-focused.
If one of the listed properties is no longer available, we will simply offer you other equally attractive opportunities that fit your investment goals.
There are no stop-marketing fees, no preliminary contracts, and no hidden costs.
We are lawyers, and our process follows best client practices — not broker practices aimed at securing commissions.
Yes, absolutely. Our team can assist with both long-term rentals and short-term Airbnb management. We handle everything — from creating and managing your Airbnb profile to property maintenance, cleaning, tax administration, and accounting — ensuring your investment works for you seamlessly.
Since GoldenHomes.bg operates under the umbrella of Bulgaria AIF Fund, we have preferential agreements with leading insurers. This allows us to offer you comprehensive and affordable home insurance, as well as 24/7 security and live video streaming directly to your phone, wherever you are.
Unfortunately, to qualify under the Bulgaria Golden Visa program, you must have paid at least 75% of the total property value. This ensures that the investment remains stable and fully compliant with the program’s requirements.