🇧🇬 Bulgaria: visas, tax & cost of living

Visiting

Visa-free for up to 90 days. Travel on a passport valid for your whole stay, with a return or onward ticket and proof you can support yourself.

Passport validity:Passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area.

Heads-up:Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, so internal EU land border checks are now lifted.

At the border:Proof of accommodation, sufficient funds and travel medical insurance may be requested.

Working remotely

Digital Nomad Residence Permit.

Income needed:around EUR 31,000 per year (50 times the gross minimum monthly wage)(estimate)

Duration:24months

Who qualifies:Non-EU remote employees of a foreign employer, owners holding over 25 percent of a foreign company, or freelancers with at least one year of experience, all earning income only from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

Tax and residency

You are generally a tax resident if you stay over 183 days in any 12 month period or your centre of vital interests is in Bulgaria, after which worldwide income is taxed at a flat rate estimated around 10 percent.(estimate)

The UK decides residence with its Statutory Residence Test (days in the UK plus your ties). As a non-resident you are usually taxed only on UK income; where one exists, a double-tax treaty with the destination decides who taxes what.

Practical

Currency:BGN. Cost of living:low.

Healthcare:Foreigners are expected to hold valid medical insurance for their stay and may be asked to show proof at the border.

Driving:EU and most foreign licences are accepted, though an International Driving Permit is a useful backup for non-EU licences.

Visiting

Visa-free for up to 90 days. Travel on a passport valid for your whole stay, with a return or onward ticket and proof you can support yourself.

Passport validity:Passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area.

Heads-up:Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, so internal EU land border checks are now lifted.

At the border:Proof of accommodation, sufficient funds and travel medical insurance may be requested.

Working remotely

Digital Nomad Residence Permit.

Income needed:around EUR 31,000 per year (50 times the gross minimum monthly wage)(estimate)

Duration:24months

Who qualifies:Non-EU remote employees of a foreign employer, owners holding over 25 percent of a foreign company, or freelancers with at least one year of experience, all earning income only from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

Tax and residency

You are generally a tax resident if you stay over 183 days in any 12 month period or your centre of vital interests is in Bulgaria, after which worldwide income is taxed at a flat rate estimated around 10 percent.(estimate)

The US taxes its citizens on worldwide income wherever you live, so you keep filing US returns abroad. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and the foreign tax credit are what stop you being taxed twice.

Practical

Currency:BGN. Cost of living:low.

Healthcare:Foreigners are expected to hold valid medical insurance for their stay and may be asked to show proof at the border.

Driving:EU and most foreign licences are accepted, though an International Driving Permit is a useful backup for non-EU licences.

Visiting

You need a visa, arranged at a consulate before you travel. Plan ahead: gather the documents, book the appointment, and allow time for processing.

Passport validity:Passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area.

Heads-up:Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, so internal EU land border checks are now lifted.

At the border:Proof of accommodation, sufficient funds and travel medical insurance may be requested.

Working remotely

Digital Nomad Residence Permit.

Income needed:around EUR 31,000 per year (50 times the gross minimum monthly wage)(estimate)

Duration:24months

Who qualifies:Non-EU remote employees of a foreign employer, owners holding over 25 percent of a foreign company, or freelancers with at least one year of experience, all earning income only from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

Tax and residency

You are generally a tax resident if you stay over 183 days in any 12 month period or your centre of vital interests is in Bulgaria, after which worldwide income is taxed at a flat rate estimated around 10 percent.(estimate)

India taxes residents on worldwide income; your status depends on the days you spend in India (broadly 182 or more in the year). As a non-resident (NRI) you are taxed only on Indian-source income, and the relevant double-tax treaty allocates the rest.

Practical

Currency:BGN. Cost of living:low.

Healthcare:Foreigners are expected to hold valid medical insurance for their stay and may be asked to show proof at the border.

Driving:EU and most foreign licences are accepted, though an International Driving Permit is a useful backup for non-EU licences.

Visiting

You have freedom of movement here: you can live, work and stay with no visa.

Passport validity:Passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area.

Heads-up:Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, so internal EU land border checks are now lifted.

At the border:Proof of accommodation, sufficient funds and travel medical insurance may be requested.

Working remotely

Digital Nomad Residence Permit.

Income needed:around EUR 31,000 per year (50 times the gross minimum monthly wage)(estimate)

Duration:24months

Who qualifies:Non-EU remote employees of a foreign employer, owners holding over 25 percent of a foreign company, or freelancers with at least one year of experience, all earning income only from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

Tax and residency

You are generally a tax resident if you stay over 183 days in any 12 month period or your centre of vital interests is in Bulgaria, after which worldwide income is taxed at a flat rate estimated around 10 percent.(estimate)

Germany taxes residents on worldwide income; you become resident through a home available to you (Wohnsitz) or a habitual abode of more than six months. As a non-resident you are usually taxed only on German-source income, and where one exists a double-tax treaty with the destination decides who taxes what.

Practical

Currency:BGN. Cost of living:low.

Healthcare:Foreigners are expected to hold valid medical insurance for their stay and may be asked to show proof at the border.

Driving:EU and most foreign licences are accepted, though an International Driving Permit is a useful backup for non-EU licences.

Visiting

You have freedom of movement here: you can live, work and stay with no visa.

Passport validity:Passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area.

Heads-up:Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, so internal EU land border checks are now lifted.

At the border:Proof of accommodation, sufficient funds and travel medical insurance may be requested.

Working remotely

Digital Nomad Residence Permit.

Income needed:around EUR 31,000 per year (50 times the gross minimum monthly wage)(estimate)

Duration:24months

Who qualifies:Non-EU remote employees of a foreign employer, owners holding over 25 percent of a foreign company, or freelancers with at least one year of experience, all earning income only from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

Tax and residency

You are generally a tax resident if you stay over 183 days in any 12 month period or your centre of vital interests is in Bulgaria, after which worldwide income is taxed at a flat rate estimated around 10 percent.(estimate)

France taxes you on your worldwide income if your tax home (domicile fiscal) stays there, broadly when your household, main home, main job or main economic interests are in France, so moving abroad alone may not end it. Once you genuinely settle elsewhere you are usually taxed only on French-source income, and tax treaties typically prevent paying twice through an exemption or a foreign tax credit, but treat any figures as estimates and check your situation.

Practical

Currency:BGN. Cost of living:low.

Healthcare:Foreigners are expected to hold valid medical insurance for their stay and may be asked to show proof at the border.

Driving:EU and most foreign licences are accepted, though an International Driving Permit is a useful backup for non-EU licences.

Visiting

You have freedom of movement here: you can live, work and stay with no visa.

Passport validity:Passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area.

Heads-up:Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, so internal EU land border checks are now lifted.

At the border:Proof of accommodation, sufficient funds and travel medical insurance may be requested.

Working remotely

Digital Nomad Residence Permit.

Income needed:around EUR 31,000 per year (50 times the gross minimum monthly wage)(estimate)

Duration:24months

Who qualifies:Non-EU remote employees of a foreign employer, owners holding over 25 percent of a foreign company, or freelancers with at least one year of experience, all earning income only from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

Tax and residency

You are generally a tax resident if you stay over 183 days in any 12 month period or your centre of vital interests is in Bulgaria, after which worldwide income is taxed at a flat rate estimated around 10 percent.(estimate)

If Spain still counts as your tax home (roughly 183+ days in the country in a year, or your main base of life and income sits there), Spain taxes your worldwide income at IRPF rates, so what you earn abroad usually counts too. The sting is softened by double-tax treaties and a foreign-tax credit, plus the Article 7.p exemption that can shelter work done abroad up to around 60,100 euros a year, but treat every figure as an estimate and check your own case before you file.

Practical

Currency:BGN. Cost of living:low.

Healthcare:Foreigners are expected to hold valid medical insurance for their stay and may be asked to show proof at the border.

Driving:EU and most foreign licences are accepted, though an International Driving Permit is a useful backup for non-EU licences.

Visiting

You have freedom of movement here: you can live, work and stay with no visa.

Passport validity:Passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area.

Heads-up:Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, so internal EU land border checks are now lifted.

At the border:Proof of accommodation, sufficient funds and travel medical insurance may be requested.

Working remotely

Digital Nomad Residence Permit.

Income needed:around EUR 31,000 per year (50 times the gross minimum monthly wage)(estimate)

Duration:24months

Who qualifies:Non-EU remote employees of a foreign employer, owners holding over 25 percent of a foreign company, or freelancers with at least one year of experience, all earning income only from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

Tax and residency

You are generally a tax resident if you stay over 183 days in any 12 month period or your centre of vital interests is in Bulgaria, after which worldwide income is taxed at a flat rate estimated around 10 percent.(estimate)

Italy generally treats you as a tax resident if for most of the year (roughly 183 days or more) your home, family or registration ties are here, and residents are taxed on worldwide income wherever they live. The relief is usually a foreign tax credit for tax already paid abroad, often shaped by Italy's double-taxation treaties, so the same income should not be taxed twice.

Practical

Currency:BGN. Cost of living:low.

Healthcare:Foreigners are expected to hold valid medical insurance for their stay and may be asked to show proof at the border.

Driving:EU and most foreign licences are accepted, though an International Driving Permit is a useful backup for non-EU licences.

Visiting

Visa-free for up to 90 days. Travel on a passport valid for your whole stay, with a return or onward ticket and proof you can support yourself.

Passport validity:Passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area.

Heads-up:Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, so internal EU land border checks are now lifted.

At the border:Proof of accommodation, sufficient funds and travel medical insurance may be requested.

Working remotely

Digital Nomad Residence Permit.

Income needed:around EUR 31,000 per year (50 times the gross minimum monthly wage)(estimate)

Duration:24months

Who qualifies:Non-EU remote employees of a foreign employer, owners holding over 25 percent of a foreign company, or freelancers with at least one year of experience, all earning income only from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

Tax and residency

You are generally a tax resident if you stay over 183 days in any 12 month period or your centre of vital interests is in Bulgaria, after which worldwide income is taxed at a flat rate estimated around 10 percent.(estimate)

Canada taxes you on residency, not on holding the passport, so as long as the CRA still treats you as a resident (kept home, family or strong ties) you generally owe Canadian tax on your worldwide income. The relief is usually a foreign tax credit for tax you already paid abroad, often topped up by a tax treaty, though the exact amounts are only estimates until you check your own case.

Practical

Currency:BGN. Cost of living:low.

Healthcare:Foreigners are expected to hold valid medical insurance for their stay and may be asked to show proof at the border.

Driving:EU and most foreign licences are accepted, though an International Driving Permit is a useful backup for non-EU licences.

Visiting

Visa-free for up to 90 days. Travel on a passport valid for your whole stay, with a return or onward ticket and proof you can support yourself.

Passport validity:Passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area.

Heads-up:Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, so internal EU land border checks are now lifted.

At the border:Proof of accommodation, sufficient funds and travel medical insurance may be requested.

Working remotely

Digital Nomad Residence Permit.

Income needed:around EUR 31,000 per year (50 times the gross minimum monthly wage)(estimate)

Duration:24months

Who qualifies:Non-EU remote employees of a foreign employer, owners holding over 25 percent of a foreign company, or freelancers with at least one year of experience, all earning income only from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

Tax and residency

You are generally a tax resident if you stay over 183 days in any 12 month period or your centre of vital interests is in Bulgaria, after which worldwide income is taxed at a flat rate estimated around 10 percent.(estimate)

If you stay an Australian resident for tax purposes, Australia generally taxes your worldwide income wherever you live, with residency turned on the moment your real home and ties are here (a continuous stay of roughly 6 months can be enough). To soften double tax, you can usually claim a Foreign Income Tax Offset for tax already paid abroad, capped at the Australian tax on that income, and treaties may help too, so treat these figures as estimates and check your own case.

Practical

Currency:BGN. Cost of living:low.

Healthcare:Foreigners are expected to hold valid medical insurance for their stay and may be asked to show proof at the border.

Driving:EU and most foreign licences are accepted, though an International Driving Permit is a useful backup for non-EU licences.

Visiting

Visa-free for up to 90 days. Travel on a passport valid for your whole stay, with a return or onward ticket and proof you can support yourself.

Passport validity:Passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area.

Heads-up:Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, so internal EU land border checks are now lifted.

At the border:Proof of accommodation, sufficient funds and travel medical insurance may be requested.

Working remotely

Digital Nomad Residence Permit.

Income needed:around EUR 31,000 per year (50 times the gross minimum monthly wage)(estimate)

Duration:24months

Who qualifies:Non-EU remote employees of a foreign employer, owners holding over 25 percent of a foreign company, or freelancers with at least one year of experience, all earning income only from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

Tax and residency

You are generally a tax resident if you stay over 183 days in any 12 month period or your centre of vital interests is in Bulgaria, after which worldwide income is taxed at a flat rate estimated around 10 percent.(estimate)

If Brazil still counts you as tax-resident, usually triggered by a permanent visa, a temporary visa plus a job, or roughly 183 days in the country within any 12 months, the Receita Federal taxes your worldwide income, so you keep filing the annual return wherever you live. The relief is real but partial: tax paid abroad can normally be credited against what you owe in Brazil under a treaty or recognised reciprocity, so most people are not taxed twice on the same income.

Practical

Currency:BGN. Cost of living:low.

Healthcare:Foreigners are expected to hold valid medical insurance for their stay and may be asked to show proof at the border.

Driving:EU and most foreign licences are accepted, though an International Driving Permit is a useful backup for non-EU licences.

Visiting

Visa-free for up to 90 days. Travel on a passport valid for your whole stay, with a return or onward ticket and proof you can support yourself.

Passport validity:Passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area.

Heads-up:Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, so internal EU land border checks are now lifted.

At the border:Proof of accommodation, sufficient funds and travel medical insurance may be requested.

Working remotely

Digital Nomad Residence Permit.

Income needed:around EUR 31,000 per year (50 times the gross minimum monthly wage)(estimate)

Duration:24months

Who qualifies:Non-EU remote employees of a foreign employer, owners holding over 25 percent of a foreign company, or freelancers with at least one year of experience, all earning income only from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

Tax and residency

You are generally a tax resident if you stay over 183 days in any 12 month period or your centre of vital interests is in Bulgaria, after which worldwide income is taxed at a flat rate estimated around 10 percent.(estimate)

Mexico taxes you on your worldwide income once you count as a tax resident, which usually means your main home or your center of life is here (very roughly, spending more than about 183 days a year can tip the balance). The good news is the SAT lets you credit foreign income tax you already paid, and Mexico's double-taxation treaties mean the same money should not normally be taxed twice.

Practical

Currency:BGN. Cost of living:low.

Healthcare:Foreigners are expected to hold valid medical insurance for their stay and may be asked to show proof at the border.

Driving:EU and most foreign licences are accepted, though an International Driving Permit is a useful backup for non-EU licences.

Visiting

You need a visa, arranged at a consulate before you travel. Plan ahead: gather the documents, book the appointment, and allow time for processing.

Passport validity:Passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area.

Heads-up:Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, so internal EU land border checks are now lifted.

At the border:Proof of accommodation, sufficient funds and travel medical insurance may be requested.

Working remotely

Digital Nomad Residence Permit.

Income needed:around EUR 31,000 per year (50 times the gross minimum monthly wage)(estimate)

Duration:24months

Who qualifies:Non-EU remote employees of a foreign employer, owners holding over 25 percent of a foreign company, or freelancers with at least one year of experience, all earning income only from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

Tax and residency

You are generally a tax resident if you stay over 183 days in any 12 month period or your centre of vital interests is in Bulgaria, after which worldwide income is taxed at a flat rate estimated around 10 percent.(estimate)

If you stay a resident citizen, the Philippines taxes your worldwide income, but once you genuinely live and work abroad you usually count as a non-resident citizen and are taxed only on income from Philippine sources. The exact line depends on how long you are out and your ties back home, so treat these as estimates, and a foreign tax credit can offset tax already paid abroad.

Practical

Currency:BGN. Cost of living:low.

Healthcare:Foreigners are expected to hold valid medical insurance for their stay and may be asked to show proof at the border.

Driving:EU and most foreign licences are accepted, though an International Driving Permit is a useful backup for non-EU licences.

Visiting

You need a visa, arranged at a consulate before you travel. Plan ahead: gather the documents, book the appointment, and allow time for processing.

Passport validity:Passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area.

Heads-up:Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, so internal EU land border checks are now lifted.

At the border:Proof of accommodation, sufficient funds and travel medical insurance may be requested.

Working remotely

Digital Nomad Residence Permit.

Income needed:around EUR 31,000 per year (50 times the gross minimum monthly wage)(estimate)

Duration:24months

Who qualifies:Non-EU remote employees of a foreign employer, owners holding over 25 percent of a foreign company, or freelancers with at least one year of experience, all earning income only from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

Tax and residency

You are generally a tax resident if you stay over 183 days in any 12 month period or your centre of vital interests is in Bulgaria, after which worldwide income is taxed at a flat rate estimated around 10 percent.(estimate)

If Nigeria still counts you as resident, roughly 183 or more days in the country in a year, or you keep a home, habitual abode or close family and economic ties there, you are generally taxed on your worldwide income, not just what you earn in Nigeria. There is usually a foreign tax credit, and Nigeria's tax treaties, so tax you already paid abroad can typically be set against your Nigerian bill, but treat these figures as estimates and check the current rules before you file.

Practical

Currency:BGN. Cost of living:low.

Healthcare:Foreigners are expected to hold valid medical insurance for their stay and may be asked to show proof at the border.

Driving:EU and most foreign licences are accepted, though an International Driving Permit is a useful backup for non-EU licences.

Visiting

You need a visa, arranged at a consulate before you travel. Plan ahead: gather the documents, book the appointment, and allow time for processing.

Passport validity:Passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen area.

Heads-up:Bulgaria became a full Schengen member on 1 January 2025, so internal EU land border checks are now lifted.

At the border:Proof of accommodation, sufficient funds and travel medical insurance may be requested.

Working remotely

Digital Nomad Residence Permit.

Income needed:around EUR 31,000 per year (50 times the gross minimum monthly wage)(estimate)

Duration:24months

Who qualifies:Non-EU remote employees of a foreign employer, owners holding over 25 percent of a foreign company, or freelancers with at least one year of experience, all earning income only from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

Tax and residency

You are generally a tax resident if you stay over 183 days in any 12 month period or your centre of vital interests is in Bulgaria, after which worldwide income is taxed at a flat rate estimated around 10 percent.(estimate)

Vietnam treats you as a tax resident once you spend roughly 183 days there in a calendar year (or any rolling 12 months) or keep a permanent home, and residents are taxed on worldwide income at progressive rates of around 5% to 35%; there is no foreign-earned-income exclusion, but Vietnam's tax treaties and a foreign tax credit usually stop the same income being taxed twice.

Practical

Currency:BGN. Cost of living:low.

Healthcare:Foreigners are expected to hold valid medical insurance for their stay and may be asked to show proof at the border.

Driving:EU and most foreign licences are accepted, though an International Driving Permit is a useful backup for non-EU licences.