Living in Bulgaria

This page tells you what to do ahead of Brexit. It will be updated if anything changes, including if a deal is agreed.

Attend a citizen outreach meeting

The British Embassy regularly holds events across Bulgaria for UK nationals. Attend one of our citizen outreach meetings to keep up to date on working and living in Bulgaria after Brexit.

You can also:

• read LivingPrepare infor theBrexit: EU:living preparein forthe BrexitEU

Visas and residency

See our travel advice for entry requirements for Bulgaria.

Read our guidance on moving or retiring abroad.

If you are staying more than 3 months, you must apply to your nearest police department for residency.

You will need to provide documentation proving that:

• you have a work contract or are self-employed in Bulgaria, or that you can support yourself through independent means
• you hold personal health insurance or a UK social security form, such as an S1 form
• you are enrolled in an educational programme

or

• you are an immediate family member joining an EU citizen who fulfils one of the above criteria. If you are an immediate family member joining an EU citizen, you will have to present documentary evidence that you are a family member or live together with the EU citizen (for example a marriage certificate or a birth certificate)

You will also need to show your passport.

You must check with Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior or with your nearest police department what further documentation you may need to apply for residency.

Once you have been resident in Bulgaria for 5 years, you can apply to Migration Directorate for a permanent residency certificate.

See the Ministry of Interior’s Migration Directorate website for how to get long-term and permanent residence permits or contact your local migration office or call +359 (2) 982 4808, email: migration@mvr.bg.

Visas

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Passports and travel

Read our travel advice for Bulgaria and sign up for up-to-date information on local laws and customs, safety and emergencies.

You can apply for your British passport from Bulgaria.

Passports and travel after Brexit

If there is a deal, nothing will change until the end of 2020. During this time you can continue to travel freely in the EU with your UK passport. What happens after 2020 will form the next part of negotiations.

If there’s no deal, new travel rules will apply. You should have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe (not including Ireland).

If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the 6 months needed.

You should check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip. You’ll need to renew your passport before travelling if you do not have enough time left on your passport.

If there’s no deal, UK nationals will not need visas for short stays elsewhere in the EU. You will be able to stay up to 90 days in another EU, EEA or EFTA country, within a 180 day period. You should retain evidence of travel (e.g. train and plane tickets), in case these are requested by national authorities. If you hold a residence permit from an EU, EEA or EFTA country, you will be able to transit through other EU, EEA or EFTA countries to reach your country of residence. The Bulgarian Ministry of Interior have published guidance on travelling to Bulgaria after Brexit - your passport should be valid for at least 3 months after the date of your departure. We will update this guidance as more information becomes available.

Applying for Bulgarian citizenship

Once you have heldbeen a permanent residenceresident permit in Bulgaria for 5 years, you can apply for Bulgarian citizenship.

For your Bulgarian citizenship application, you may need to order a birth, marriage or death certificate from the UK. You may also need a UK criminal records certificate in the UK.

You may also be required to have these and other UK documents officially translated and legalised (apostilled).

Applying for Bulgarian citizenship after Brexit

If you apply for Bulgarian citizenship after 31Brexit, January 2020, you maywill have to renounce your UK citizenship,citizenship.

Healthcare

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State healthcare: S1

If you live in Bulgaria and receive an exportable UK pension, contribution-based Employment Support Allowance or another exportable benefit, you may be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK. You will need to apply for a certificate of entitlement known as an S1 certificate. To apply, call +44 (0)191 218 1999. When you get your form, register with your Regional Health Insurance Fund office before registering with a GP.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

If you are resident in Bulgaria, you must not use your EHICEuropean Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the UK to access healthcare in Bulgaria.

When you travel from Bulgaria for a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland, you can use an EHIC to access state-provided healthcare in that country. During that short stay:

• the EHIC covers treatment that is medically necessary until your planned return home
• an EHIC is not a replacement for comprehensive travel insurance
• for more information read our travel advice pages and advice on foreign travel insurance

If you are a student, read the NHS guidance on healthcare and studying abroad.

You can find English-speaking doctors in Bulgaria.

You should also check your prescriptions are legal in Bulgaria.

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Working in Bulgaria

Read our guidance on working in another EU country.

Some jobs may require a UK criminal records check, known as a DBS check.

You can get a Bulgarian criminal records certificate from the Judicial Records Register from any Bulgarian Regional Court (Районен съд) or from the Ministry of Justice. You can see details and download application forms at the Ministry of Justice website (in Bulgarian language only).

Working in Bulgaria after Brexit

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If you’re planning to start a business, provide a service, or do a job in Bulgaria.a regulated profession after Brexit, you should read our further guidance.

Education and professional qualifications

For information on education, read studying in the European Union after Brexit.

The European Commission has published guidance on professional qualifications.

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Money and tax

You can read our guidance on tax if you leave the UK to live abroad and tax on your UK income if you live abroad.

The UK has a double-taxation agreement with Bulgaria to ensure people do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.

You can read our guidance about paying income tax in Bulgaria.

In Bulgaria, you should expect to pay personal income tax and home owners’ tax. Additional taxes exist, including a vehicle tax and a fee for rubbish collection. See National Revenue Agency.

We recommend you get professional advice on paying tax in Bulgaria.

National Insurance

You may be able to pay National Insurance while abroad in order to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.

If you are employed or self-employed in the EU or EEA and you have a UK-issued A1/E101 form, you will remain subject to UK legislation until the end date on the form.

If the end date on your form is after 31 October 2019, you should contact the relevant EU, EEA or Swiss authority to confirm whether you need to start paying social security contributions in that country after 31 October, as well as UK National Insurance contributions.

Find out more about social security contributions after a no-deal Brexit.

Money and tax after Brexit

Brexit will not change existing double-taxationdouble taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Bulgaria. You should send your taxpayer questions about double taxation relief to the relevant tax authority.

Pensions

You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad. See State Pension if you retire abroad and new State Pension.

There will be no changes before 31 December 2020 to the rules on claiming the UK State Pension in the EU, EEA or Switzerland as a result of the UK leaving the EU.

If you have not worked in Bulgaria, you should claim your UK State Pension by contacting the International Pension Centre.

If you have worked in several EU countries, see State Pensions abroad.

Life certificates for UK State Pensions

If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service you need to respond as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you do not.

Pensions after Brexit

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If you work and pay social security contributions in Bulgaria, you will still be able to add your UK social security contributions towards your Bulgarian pension. This will happen even if you claim your pension after the end of the implementation period.

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Benefits

You may still be able to claim some UK benefits like child and disability benefits if you live in Bulgaria. You should:

• read our guidance on claiming benefits if you live, move or travel abroad
• use our tool to check which UK benefits you might be able to get while you’re abroad

If you are abroad for more than 4 weeks, many income-related benefits such as Pension Credit and Housing Benefit cannot be paid.

You may be eligible to claim some Bulgarian social security benefits. You can get information about local Bulgarian benefits and pensions from the National Social Security Institute.

You can request proof of the time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.

Benefits after Brexit

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If you work and pay social security contributions in Bulgaria, your UK social security contributions will be taken into account when applying for Bulgaria contributions-based benefits. This will happen even if you claim contributions-based benefits after the end of the implementation period.

If there’s no deal, you can read our guidance on benefits and pensions in a no deal scenario.

Driving in Bulgaria

Read our guidance on what you need to drive abroad and road travel in Bulgaria.

If you are resident in Bulgaria, you should exchange your UK licence for a Bulgarian driving licence within six months after first registering with Bulgarian authorities.

To exchange your UK driving licence for a local one, contact the traffic police department at your nearest Regional Police Department.

You can still use your Bulgarian licence in the UK for short visits or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test if you return to live in the UK.

Read our guidance on driving licence renewal and exchange and taking a vehicle out of the UK.

Driving after Brexit

If there is a deal, driving licence rules will stay the same during the implementation period.

Read our guidance on driving in the EU after Brexit.

If there’s no deal, the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior has published guidance on driving in Bulgaria after the exit date. Short-term visitors from the UK will be able to drive with their UK driving licences, without the need to have an International Driving Permit.

Voting

You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:

• check if you are able to vote
• register as an overseas voter to vote

If you are resident in Bulgaria, you can vote in local municipal and European Parliamentary Elections.

Voting after Brexit

AfterOnce Brexit,the youUK leaves the EU, UK nationals in Bulgaria will no longer be eligible to vote in local and European Parliamentary elections.

Births, deaths and getting married

If your child is born in Bulgaria, you will need to register a birth abroad.

If one of your loved ones dies in Bulgaria you can:

• read our guidance on what to do after someone dies
• find English-speaking funeral directors in Bulgaria
• read our guidance on deaths in Bulgaria

Find out how you can get married abroad.

Find out about notarial and documentary services for UK nationals in Bulgaria.

Accommodation and buying property

You can read our guidance on:

• buying a property abroad
• buying property in Bulgaria

Pets

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If you’re travelling with your pet for the first time youyou’ll musthave to visit your vet to get a pet passport.

When the UK leaves the EU, you will still be able to travel to and from the UK with a cat, dog or ferret but the rules will change. Read our guidance on pet travel to Europe after Brexit.

Read guidance on returning your cat, dog or ferret to the UK.

For moving pet horses and other equines read guidance on export horses and ponies: special rules.

Emergencies

As well as the European emergency number 112, Bulgaria also has:

• 166 for police
• 160 for fire brigade
• 150 for first aid

You can also look at emergency numbers in Bulgaria.

If you’re the victim of crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis abroad, contact your nearest British embassy or consulate.

Other useful information

• English-speaking lawyers in Bulgaria
• translators and interpreters in Bulgaria
• notarial and documentary services guide for Bulgaria

Returning to the UK

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• access to benefits and services in the UK permanentlyin whicha includesno informationdeal
• bringing on,your amongstfamily otherto things,the tax, UK
• access to serviceshigher education, 19+ further education and apprenticeship funding
• importing vehicles back to the UK
• bringing familyyour members.
  pet back to the UK
• checking your tax status after returning to the UK
• moving your pension to the UK

Disclaimer

Please note that this information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information should be obtained from the Bulgarian authorities. The FCO will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information.