At a glance
- Total time
- Visa first if you move now
- Official fees
- €100 visa fee, plus residence fees
- Where
- Bulgarian embassy, then Migration
- Bulgarian needed?
- No, but documents in Bulgarian
Since Brexit, British citizens are no longer EU citizens in Bulgaria. What you need depends on one date: whether you were living here before 1 January 2021.
Two groups, two sets of rules
| Lived in Bulgaria before 2021 | Moving now | |
|---|---|---|
| Your rights | Protected by the Withdrawal Agreement | Same as any non-EU citizen |
| Residence document | A special residence document for UK nationals | Type D visa, then a residence permit |
| Visiting | No limit while you are resident | 90 days in any 180 in the Schengen area without a visa |
If you already lived here before 2021
You and your family keep your rights to live and work in Bulgaria, as long as you stayed legally resident. Make sure you hold the residence document issued to UK nationals under the Withdrawal Agreement, keep it valid, and carry it when you travel, so border guards don’t count your days as a visitor.
If you are moving now
You follow the same route as other non-EU citizens:
- Choose your grounds: a job, freelancing, retirement, a Bulgarian spouse, a company, investment, study or the new digital nomad route.
- Apply for a Type D visa at the Bulgarian embassy in London, no earlier than 3 months before you move.
- Apply for your residence permit at the Migration office after you arrive. See our residence guide for non-EU citizens.
Don’t overstay. Bulgaria is in the Schengen area, so days spent in other Schengen countries count towards the same 90 days.
Healthcare and pensions
- If you receive a UK State Pension and live in Bulgaria, you may be able to have your healthcare paid for by the UK with an S1 form. Ask NHS Overseas Healthcare Services before you move.
- Once you are resident, don’t use a UK EHIC or GHIC for healthcare in Bulgaria.
- Without an S1 or a job, you pay into the Bulgarian public system yourself. See our health insurance guide.
- Claim your UK State Pension through the International Pension Centre. The UK and Bulgaria have a tax treaty, so you don’t pay tax twice on the same income.
Common mistakes
- Staying longer than 90 days on a visitor stay while “sorting out the paperwork”.
- Letting a Withdrawal Agreement residence document expire.
- Assuming your UK health cover carries over without an S1.
Sources
General information, not legal advice. Check the latest guidance on GOV.UK before you move.