Bulgaria continues to develop and improve its Golden Visa program against the background of changes in legislation and the country’s accession to the Schengen area. Since March 31, 2024, after Bulgaria’s accession to Schengen, Golden Visa holders have been entitled to visa-free travel to all countries of this zone and the EU. This has significantly increased the attractiveness of the program for investors from countries with visa restrictions, such as China, India, Russia, and others.

For 2025, the minimum investment amounts for obtaining a residence permit under the program range from 256,000 euros to 1,024,000 euros. At the same time, the most popular option is to invest in exchange traded funds (ETFs) on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange with an amount of about 512,000 euros. It is also still possible to obtain a “Golden Visa” through the purchase of real estate in Bulgaria for an amount of 307,000 euros or more, with no restrictions on the region and type of property.

It is important to note that since 2022, the citizenship by investment program has been officially abolished under pressure from the European Union, so it is now impossible to obtain a Bulgarian passport directly through investment. Instead, investors can obtain a residence permit or permanent residence for investment, followed by the standard naturalization procedure, which takes at least 10 years of residence in the country.

Thus, at the moment, the Bulgarian Golden Visa is an effective tool for obtaining a long-term residence permit with the right to work and reside in the EU. There is also an opportunity to obtain citizenship in the future under the general rules, which makes the program attractive for investors interested in free movement and life in Europe.