How long can EU and EEA citizens stay in Bulgaria?
EU and EEA citizens can enter Bulgaria with a valid passport or national identity card and remain for three months without applying for residence documentation. Staying longer requires meeting EU residence conditions and registering with Bulgaria’s Migration Directorate. The Schengen 90-day visitor limit does not apply, but EU citizenship does not remove Bulgaria’s registration requirements.
This covers citizens of Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, France and Spain, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. European Commission and Bulgarian Migration Directorate guidance, checked on 30 October 2026, distinguishes these rights from tourist admission.
What happens after three months?
Bulgaria’s Migration Directorate instructs EU citizens who wish to stay beyond three months to apply for a residence document at their local Migration office. The evidence depends on their circumstances: working or self-employment, education, or sufficient resources and comprehensive health insurance for people who are not working.
EU citizens relying on the self-funded residence route must demonstrate sufficient resources and comprehensive health insurance. Buying a house does not satisfy either condition. Someone unable to provide the evidence may not qualify to register through that route, regardless of how much they have spent on property.
The European Commission’s guidance, checked on 30 October 2026, states that five years of lawful continuous residence generally establishes a permanent residence right. This is different from obtaining Bulgarian citizenship, which is a separate legal matter. Contact the Migration Directorate before relocating to confirm current documents and deadlines.
How long can I stay in Bulgaria under the 90-day rule?
For most non-EU nationals visiting without a residence status, the Schengen rule permits a total of 90 days in any rolling 180-day period, not 90 days in each country. The day you enter and the day you leave both count. Every day of your proposed visit requires looking back over the preceding 180 days.
A British homeowner who has used their Schengen allowance cannot simply travel to Bulgaria whenever the house needs attention. An empty property, repairs or ongoing bills do not create extra visitor days. Time in France, Spain, Germany and Bulgaria is generally combined. Visa-free entry does not mean unlimited access.
How are days counted in practice?
The European Commission’s short-stay calculator, guidance dated 27 October 2025, uses a moving 180-day reference period. Article 6(2) of the Schengen Borders Code, Regulation (EU) 2016/399, counts the date of entry as the first day and the date of exit as the last day of a short stay, even for partial days.
Leaving Schengen briefly does not reset the count. If your allowance is exhausted, you may have to remain outside the area until earlier days leave the rolling window. In practice, an uninterrupted 90-day absence generally permits another stay of up to 90 days, subject to other entry conditions.
Calculate your days before arranging repeat visits. Overstaying can have consequences beyond a cancelled holiday: UK government travel advice, checked 30 October 2026, warns British travellers of possible Schengen entry bans. A visa may authorise fewer days than the general allowance. Property ownership provides no exemption.
What changed when Bulgaria joined Schengen?
Bulgaria began applying Schengen arrangements for internal air and sea borders on 31 March 2024 and became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, when internal land-border checks were lifted. For ordinary non-EU short stays, days spent visiting Bulgaria count towards the same Schengen 90-in-180 allowance used across member countries.
The European Commission confirmed full membership on 3 January 2025. Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says shared short-stay counting began on 31 March 2024. The change removed Bulgaria as a separate short-stay option for ordinary non-EU visitors: days spent elsewhere in Schengen now reduce the days available to spend in a Bulgarian second home.
What are EES and ETIAS, and do they change the limit?
The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) became fully operational on 10 April 2026, according to the European Commission. It records external-border entries and exits for most non-EU short-stay travellers. Qualifying long-stay visa and residence-permit holders are exempt. Travellers should not assume an overstay will go unnoticed merely because there is no routine check at an internal Schengen border.
ETIAS is a planned authorisation for eligible visa-exempt visitors. The EU’s official website, checked 30 October 2026, said it was not yet operating; the previously announced target was late 2026, without a confirmed launch date. ETIAS does not extend the 90-day allowance or give permission to relocate.
For someone buying near Burgas, these limits have practical costs: bills and upkeep may continue during periods when the owner cannot lawfully stay. Travel is less flexible outside summer, too. Fraport, in a 2025 publication, acknowledged how difficult it is to sustain regular winter flights at Burgas Airport.
Does owning property in Bulgaria give me a residence permit?
No. Buying a house or apartment in Bulgaria gives you ownership, not a residence permit, visa, citizenship or extra Schengen days. A non-EU buyer could pay for a house and still be unable to live there throughout the year. Immigration rights depend on nationality and qualifying legal status, not the property’s value.
EU buyers derive their right to settle from free-movement law, not their deed. Non-EU buyers may own a home they can visit only within authorised periods. A deed might help establish accommodation where an application requires it, but the authorities decide what evidence they accept. It does not make an otherwise ineligible applicant eligible for residence.
Check residence eligibility before signing a binding property contract. Refusal of a residence application does not automatically undo a purchase. Do not assume tourist entry permits an extended stay involving remote work; immigration and tax questions need separate advice. Review the step-by-step property buying process and consult an independent Bulgarian immigration lawyer.
What are the legal ways to stay in Bulgaria for longer than 90 days?
Non-EU citizens cannot qualify for a Bulgarian residence permit simply because they own a house and want to stay longer than their Schengen allowance. They need a separate legal ground, such as employment, eligible self-employment, study or a qualifying family relationship. Each route has conditions that some buyers cannot meet, and applications can be refused.
The European Commission’s Bulgaria-specific EU Immigration Portal guidance, dated 1 April 2025, describes these routes. Many applicants need a Type D visa and further Bulgarian authorisation, involving more than one authority and separate documents. The typical stages are:
- Identify an actual legal ground. Check the applicable work, study or family provisions before deciding to move.
- Secure the necessary supporting approvals. Employment and self-employment routes may involve labour or professional authorisations; study requires eligible admission.
- Apply for the relevant Type D visa where required. Bulgaria’s diplomatic or consular representation processes the application.
- Complete the Bulgarian residence procedure. Follow the applicable Migration Directorate requirements, deadlines and renewals after entry.
A Type D visa is not interchangeable with a short-stay tourist visa. Equally, holding a Bulgarian residence permit generally allows residence in Bulgaria under its conditions, not unlimited residence throughout Schengen. Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs explains that qualifying Bulgarian permit holders may visit other Schengen states for up to 90 days in a 180-day period.
Which situations need separate advice?
Non-EU family members accompanying an EU citizen may have rights under EU free-movement law rather than the standard visitor framework. UK nationals who were legally resident before 1 January 2021 may have protections under the Withdrawal Agreement, as the UK government explains in its guidance on living in Bulgaria.
People displaced from Ukraine who qualify for temporary protection have another, distinct legal framework. Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1912, adopted on 30 July 2026 and published on 4 August 2026, extended that protection until 4 March 2028, with distinct conditions for new applicants and people already protected. An ordinary Ukrainian passport alone does not establish that status in Bulgaria.
A residence permit is not necessarily permanent: its conditions and renewal requirements still matter. A change in circumstances may affect whether you can keep living in Bulgaria. Do not build a retirement plan around assumed future approval. Kavaleo’s frequently asked questions and relocation guidance cover practical moving matters; immigration decisions require official guidance and independent legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can I live in Bulgaria without a visa if I am German or Polish?
Yes. German and Polish citizens have EU free-movement rights and do not need a visa to settle in Bulgaria. They may remain for the initial three months with valid identification. For a longer stay, Bulgaria requires residence registration, with supporting evidence depending on employment, studies, healthcare cover or sufficient resources.
How long can I stay in Bulgaria as a British citizen?
Ordinary British visitors are limited to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across Schengen, including Bulgaria. An owned home makes no difference. A continuous six-month holiday is not normally permitted without suitable immigration authorisation, and separate visits remain subject to the rolling calculation. Qualifying long-stay status changes the position.
Does the 90-day allowance reset when I leave Bulgaria for Türkiye?
No. Travelling outside Schengen does not instantly reset your allowance. The 180-day window moves forward one day at a time, so previously used days remain relevant until they leave that window. Use the European Commission’s short-stay calculator with all your entry and exit dates before planning a return.
How long can I stay in Bulgaria with a German residence permit?
A German residence permit does not automatically authorise you to move permanently to Bulgaria. It ordinarily allows a non-EU holder short visits to other Schengen countries under the 90-in-180 rule, subject to the permit and any special rights. Longer residence in Bulgaria requires checking the appropriate Bulgarian legal route.
Does buying a house help me obtain a Bulgaria residence permit?
No. Buying a house does not make an ineligible applicant eligible for Bulgarian residence. A deed might be accepted as proof of accommodation when that is required, but it cannot substitute for a lawful immigration ground. Have an independent Bulgarian immigration lawyer check your route before committing money to the property.
If you plan to spend long periods here, check your residence route first, then choose the home that fits it. You can see current homes on Kavaleo's homes page and read how a purchase works on the buying process page. To ask about a home or arrange a viewing, write to info@kavaleo.eu or call +359 888 909 188.