Bulgaria: Digital Nomad Residence Permit Introduced

The situation 

Bulgaria has introduced a digital nomad residence permit for three categories of workers. Applications will be accepted starting December 20, 2025. 

A closer look 

• Eligibility. Three types of digital nomads are defined by the legislation:
  • A foreign national hired by an employer registered outside the EU/European Economic Area (EEA)/Switzerland who provides services from abroad using technology (this category must meet minimum salary requirements as determined by law);
  • A foreign national who are members of the management body, an owner or shareholder owning more than 25% of the registered capital of a company registered outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland, for which company the digital nomad provides services from abroad using technology, and does not work/provide services to persons/entities in Bulgaria; and
  • A foreign national who provides services from abroad using technology for at least one year prior to the date of filing the application and does not work/provide services to persons/entities in Bulgaria and does not carry out freelancing activities in Bulgaria. 

Each category is subject to separate documentation requirements. 

• Validity. The term of validity of the permit is one year, with the possibility of another one-year extension. 
• Application details. The applicant must submit a Visa D application in their country of nationality or legal residence (this takes one to two months to process). The applicant then enters Bulgaria with the Visa D and submits the same documents to the Bulgarian government (this takes two to four weeks to process). The last step is an identification card application process which takes three to 30 calendar days to process.  
• Dependents. Dependents can be sponsored under this residence permit through a family reunification process.  

Impact 

This new category provides an immigration pathway for remote workers, which was previously not available.  

Background

• Continuing trend. Although digital nomad visas and permits are not being introduced as rapidly as when the trend first started, we still see such tailored digital nomad statuses being introduced over the past months, with more in the pipeline.
• Remote work visa warning. In countries where remote work is unregulated, workers and employers may unknowingly put themselves at risk of noncompliance with many aspects of the law, exposing them to possible fines or other penalties, depending on the country. Importantly, noncompliance with regulations could result in employers losing their rights to hire foreign labor. Additionally, this type of work arrangement may have employment or tax law impacts. It will become increasingly important as such policies are developed (and in many countries where remote work is unregulated) for employers to analyze strategies and assess risks associated with implementing and/or continuing remote work policies with a trusted immigration partner.

Looking ahead 

Remote work and non-traditional non-sponsored statuses remain of high interest to corporate and public stakeholders globally as talent shortages affect employers worldwide. Fragomen will report on related developments. 

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.