Before 2021, a Briton could settle in Bulgaria on the same footing as any other EU citizen. Since Brexit, moving to Bulgaria from the UK follows the rules for third-country nationals, with one important exception for people who were already there. This page explains which category you are in, because everything else (visa, health cover, property, driving) follows from it.
Do UK citizens need a visa to move to Bulgaria?
For a short stay, no. The Ministry of the Interior says UK citizens may stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period with a valid passport and no visa. The passport should have been issued within the last 10 years and be valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure.
For anything longer, the ministry says you need a long-term visa or a valid Bulgarian residence permit. The kinds of permit (work, self-employment, family, study and others) are set by the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, not by the EU certificate described in residence in Bulgaria for EU citizens. Your first move is therefore to decide which permit matches your plan, and to apply before you relocate.
Which rights do Britons living in Bulgaria before 2021 keep?
UK citizens and family members who were legally resident in Bulgaria, or held a valid residence document, before the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020 keep their rights under the withdrawal agreement. The ministry told them to exchange their document for the new plastic card no later than the end of 2021. If you are in this group and never made the exchange, go to the Migration office now and ask what to do.
Permanent residence may be applied for after five continuous years of legal residence on a long-term permit.
What do Britons need for health cover?
Bulgaria's National Revenue Agency says that foreigners authorised to stay long-term or permanently in Bulgaria are compulsorily insured, unless an international agreement says otherwise. Three situations follow from GOV.UK's guidance:
- You receive a UK State Pension: you can ask NHS Overseas Healthcare Services for an S1 and register it at the local health insurance fund.
- You are employed in Bulgaria: your contributions are taken from your salary.
- You have no job: you either register as self-insured with the NRA or buy private cover.
The GOV.UK page was last updated in October 2021 and was still online on 20 October 2026, so check it again before you act. The mechanics of the system are in healthcare in Bulgaria for expats.
The tricky part is that three different rules can apply to one British household: withdrawal-agreement rights, the general foreigners' regime and the UK–EU trade agreement. Moovy can help you sort out which one fits you and what to ask the Migration office. It does not apply for anything in your name.
Can British citizens work or run a business in Bulgaria?
A third-country national normally needs a permit that authorises work, unless the withdrawal agreement protects them. The permit rules depend on the activity, so ask the Migration Directorate which permit applies to your job. Freelancers and company founders should ask the Migration Directorate which permit allows self-employment before choosing a status.
Press reports describe a residence route for remote workers introduced in 2025, but they differ on the terms and none of them is an official text. If this is your route, check the current rules with the Ministry of the Interior rather than a consultancy page.
What if you are moving to Bulgaria from the UK and want to buy a home?
Article 22 of the Constitution says that a foreigner from a third country can acquire ownership of land only under a treaty ratified by Bulgaria or by legal inheritance. The article speaks about land, so the position for an apartment (the building without the land) is a question for a notary. Do not pay a deposit before you have had a written answer. See buying property in Bulgaria.
And driving your UK licence?
The Bulgarian road traffic law lets a long-term resident foreigner drive with a licence issued outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland for one year after the residence permit is issued. After that the licence must be exchanged for a Bulgarian one. The exchange is without an exam if the issuing country is party to the Vienna Convention and the licence meets its annex, otherwise you take the exam. Details in driving in Bulgaria.
What does moving to Bulgaria from the UK change for your timeline?
The main change is that the permit comes before the move, not after it. A European can arrive and register within three months; a Briton who plans to stay longer than 90 days in any 180-day period needs a long-term visa or a Bulgarian residence permit, as the ministry puts it. So the sequence is: choose the permit that matches your plan, apply from the UK, then travel. Applying in Bulgaria after a tourist entry is not a plan the ministry's Brexit page describes, so do not rely on it.
Because the rules sit in the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act and not in the EU rules, the list of documents and the processing time are set by that law. We did not find a single official page that lists every permit type with its fee, so ask the Bulgarian consulate or the Migration Directorate, and get the answer in writing.
How do you count the 90 days in 180?
The rule works on a rolling window: look back 180 days from any given day, and count the days you spent in Bulgaria. Days in other Schengen countries count too, because Bulgaria has been in the Schengen area since 1 January 2025. A winter in Bulgaria followed by a summer in Spain can therefore use up your allowance faster than you expect. Keep a simple calendar of entries and exits, and do not rely on border officers to count for you.
If you are close to the limit, speak to the Migration office before the last day, not after it.
Are there other permits that Britons use?
The ministry's Brexit page confirms the framework: a long-term visa or a valid Bulgarian residence permit for stays beyond 90 days. The permits themselves are defined by the Foreigners Act and cover situations such as employment, self-employment, family reunification and study. Press reports in 2025 also described a residence route for remote workers, but they disagree on its conditions and none is an official text. If you work remotely for a foreign employer, ask the Migration Directorate which permit, if any, fits your case before you sign a lease.
What about family, pets and belongings?
Family members of a British citizen follow the same rule if they are British. A spouse who is an EU citizen has the EU route. Mixed families should work out which member's status determines the others, because the answer changes the paperwork. Pets and household goods are separate customs and veterinary questions that we have not covered here; check the customs and food-safety authorities before you ship anything.
What are the costs to expect?
Residence fees for third-country nationals are not the same as the EU certificate fees. The ministry's page on Brexit mentions 18 leva for a regular card and 36 leva for an express card for withdrawal-agreement documents (the page itself gives about 9 and 18 euros), but fees for new permits are set elsewhere and were not confirmed. Budget also for translations, apostilles and a health insurance policy that satisfies the permit's conditions. See the cost of living in Bulgaria for the monthly picture.
What should a Briton do first?
Choose your permit, then your timeline. Start from the guide to moving to Bulgaria for the practical order. Rules change, so check the Migration Directorate before you buy a one-way ticket. Moving to Bulgaria from the UK is possible, but the permit comes first.