Healthcare

Registering, the European Health Insurance Card, the S1 form.

In Bulgaria

Checked on 23 October 2026

How do you access the public health system when you settle in Bulgaria?

Bulgarian public health insurance is run by the НЗОК (Национална здравноосигурителна каса, National Health Insurance Fund), and contributions are paid to the НАП (National Revenue Agency). If Bulgarian law applies to you under European rules, you are compulsorily insured: through your work if you work, otherwise by paying yourself at least €22.03 per month (€24.81 since 1 August 2026). Pensioners and, more broadly, people who live in Bulgaria but remain insured in another country have their S1 form registered with the НЗОК, then choose a general practitioner.

Costs: If you are not insured on any other basis: health contribution of at least €22.03 per month from 1 January to 31 July 2026, then €24.81 per month from 1 August 2026 (8% of half the minimum income of the self-employed), paid to the НАП. Co-payment (потребителска такса) 2026: €1.48 per visit to the general practitioner or the dentist (€0.51 for a pensioner), €0.51 per hospital day for 10 days at most per year
Timeframes: Declaration (form 7) no later than the 25th of the month following the one in which the obligation begins; each monthly contribution no later than the 25th of the month following the month concerned; family doctor can be changed from 1 to 30 June and from 1 to 31 December

Steps

Identify the country that insures you. According to the European Union, this depends on your economic situation and your place of residence, not on your nationality. The НАП specifies that those compulsorily insured in Bulgaria are people to whom Bulgarian legislation applies under the European coordination rules, and foreigners authorised for long-term or permanent residence; those who must be insured in another Member State are not.
If you work in Bulgaria, in principle it is the country where you work that insures you, according to the European Union. Have your employer or the НАП confirm that you are properly declared. If you are self-employed (самоосигуряващо се лице, person who insures themselves), your health contribution is entirely at your expense, at the rate of 8% in 2026.
If you are not insured on any other basis (no activity, for example), submit to the НАП the Образец 7 declaration (form 7, start of the obligation to contribute to health insurance) no later than the 25th of the month following the one in which the obligation begins, then pay each monthly contribution no later than the 25th of the month following the month concerned (art. 40, para. 5 of the health insurance law).
If you are retired, or if you live in Bulgaria while remaining insured in another country, ask your home fund for form S1, then have it registered with the НЗОК or the РЗОК (районна здравноосигурителна каса, regional fund). The НЗОК lists these documents (S1, former E 106, E 109, E 121) for a long-term stay, then asks you to choose a general practitioner to appear on its patient list.
Choose your общопрактикуващ лекар (general practitioner, also called личен лекар, personal doctor) from those who have a contract with the НЗОК, with a registration form or online on the НЗОК website. According to the НЗОК, it is this choice that registers you on its patient list.

Documents

Form S1 (or former form E 106, E 109, E 121) issued by your home fund, if you remain insured in another country.
Образец 7 declaration if you contribute yourself because you are not insured on any other basis.
Registration form with the НЗОК general practitioner: first choice, permanent choice or temporary choice.
Your Bulgarian personal number (ЛНЧ) or the НАП service number, see sheet BG-NIF-TOUS-001.

Costs and timelines

Contribution if you are not insured on any other basis: at least €22.03 per month from 1 January to 31 July 2026, then at least €24.81 per month from 1 August to 31 December 2026, according to the НАП. These amounts correspond to 8% of half the minimum income of the self-employed, the basis provided for these people by art. 40, para. 5 of the health insurance law.
Self-employed: 8% in 2026, entirely at your expense, paid in advance on the monthly income you declare, at least the minimum income of the self-employed: €550.66 from 1 January to 31 July 2026, then €620.20 since 1 August 2026 (ceiling: €2,111.64, then €2,300), according to the НАП and art. 40, para. 1, point 2 of the health insurance law (ЗЗО).
Due dates: form 7 declaration no later than the 25th of the month following the one in which the obligation begins; contribution for each month no later than the 25th of the following month (art. 40, para. 5 of the health insurance law).
Co-payment (потребителска такса): set by decree of the Council of Ministers (art. 37 ЗЗО). In 2026: €1.48 per visit to the general practitioner or the dentist, €0.51 for a pensioner; €0.51 per day of hospitalisation, for the first 10 days (European Commission guide, July 2026). The НЗОК publishes the list of exempt persons (children and patients with certain conditions in particular).
Changing general practitioner: possible from 1 to 30 June and from 1 to 31 December.

Common pitfalls

Living in Bulgaria with the European Health Insurance Card alone. The European Commission reminds us that it covers medically necessary care during a temporary stay; if you make Bulgaria your habitual residence, you must register with form S1. The НЗОК also specifies that the card is issued by the country where you are insured, not by Bulgaria. The МВР instruction does however accept a copy of this card for the residence certificate of a person with no activity: this does not replace affiliation.
Leaving contributions unpaid. According to the НАП, your rights are suspended if more than three monthly contributions remain unpaid over 36 months; to restore them, you must pay all the contributions due over the last 60 months.
Forgetting to choose a general practitioner. Without this choice, you are not on the НЗОК patient list. A first choice can be made at any time; to change doctor afterwards, the НЗОК indicates two periods a year, from 1 to 30 June and from 1 to 31 December. The НЗОК provides for a temporary choice of doctor for people who stay between one and five months outside their health region.
Paying in leva. Since 1 January 2026, the НАП's amounts are in euros.

What changes by country of origin

EU and EEA citizens: the European coordination rules (Regulations 883/2004 and 987/2009) decide which country insures you. If it is Bulgaria, you contribute to the НАП; if it is your home country (retirement, for example), you have your S1 registered.
Swiss citizens: the European coordination rules (Regulations 883/2004 and 987/2009) also apply to Switzerland, according to the European Commission: same procedures as for an EU citizen (contribution to the НАП if Bulgaria insures you, otherwise S1 to be registered with the НЗОК).
British citizens (Scots included): third country since Brexit. According to the НАП, foreigners authorised for long-term or permanent residence in Bulgaria are compulsorily insured, unless an international convention provides otherwise. Rights linked to the withdrawal agreement (residents from before 2021) are to be confirmed with the НЗОК. According to the British government, if you receive a British State pension, you can ask for an S1 from the NHS Overseas Healthcare Services and have it registered at the local office of the health insurance fund; if employed, your contributions are withheld from your salary; if unemployed, you register as self-insured with the НАП or take out private insurance. This official British page was still online on 20/10/2026 (last updated: October 2021).
Currency and Schengen: Bulgaria has used the euro since 1 January 2026 and has been part of the Schengen area since 1 January 2025.

Official sources (16) ›

The European framework

These European rules also apply in Bulgaria.

Checked on 23 October 2026

Health insurance required for visas and permits: what EU rules ask (short and long stays)

For a Schengen short-stay visa, you must show travel medical insurance covering urgent medical care, emergency hospital treatment and repatriation (including in case of death), valid in all Schengen countries, with at least €30,000 of cover (Visa Code, Article 15). For long stays, the EU directives ask for sickness insurance covering the risks normally covered for nationals of the destination, for example for students, family members, Blue Card holders and long-term residents. The exact proof, and whether you must buy private insurance or can join the public system, depend on the destination.

Who decides: Consulates (Schengen visas); the immigration authority of the destination (long stays)
Costs: Set by insurers; Schengen visa insurance must cover at least €30,000 (Visa Code, Article 15)

Before you act

No promise. The consulate or immigration authority decides whether your insurance is acceptable. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Scams. Buy insurance only from a real, identifiable insurer, and check the policy before paying. A fake or inadequate insurance certificate can lead to refusal of your application.
Ask a professional (the insurer, the consulate or a lawyer) if you have a chronic illness, are pregnant, or are over the age limits of standard policies.
Be honest in insurance forms about your health and your plans.

Steps

Short stay with a visa: buy travel medical insurance that meets Article 15 of the Visa Code (below) for the whole trip; for a multiple-entry visa, it must cover the first trip, and you sign a statement that you know you need insurance for later trips. Exceptions: the requirement may be considered met where adequate cover can be presumed from the applicant's professional situation (for example seafarers, Article 15(6)), and holders of diplomatic passports are exempt (Article 15(7)).
Visa-exempt short stay: insurance is not among the entry conditions listed in the Schengen Borders Code (Article 6), but medical care abroad can be expensive: travel insurance is your choice.
Long stay: read the destination's list for your route. Denmark and Ireland did not take part in the five directives below and are not bound by them (see the recitals of each text), so their rules are purely national. In the other EU countries, the directives ask for insurance "for all risks normally covered for nationals" for:
- students and researchers, valid for the whole planned stay (Directive (EU) 2016/801, Article 7(1)(c));
- family reunification, for the sponsor and the family, if the country requires it (Directive 2003/86/EC, Article 7(1)(b));
- Blue Card and seasonal workers, for periods not already covered through the job (Directive (EU) 2021/1883, Article 5(1)(e); Directive 2014/36/EU, Article 5(1)(b) for stays up to 90 days and Article 6(1)(b) for stays over 90 days);
- EU long-term residents, for themselves and for dependent family members (Directive 2003/109/EC, Article 5(1)(b)).
After arrival: ask whether your permit gives access to the public health system, and from when (see the destination's health fiche).

Documents

An insurance certificate in the name of each person, with dates, cover, amount and territory.
For a Schengen visa: proof that the cover is valid in all Schengen countries and is at least €30,000 (Article 15(3)); for a visa with limited territorial validity covering several Member States, the cover must be valid at least in the Member States concerned.

Costs and timelines

Price: set by insurers. The Visa Code asks you to take insurance, in principle, in your country of residence, or in another country if that is not possible (Article 15(4)).
Check: consulates verify that claims against the insurer can be recovered in an EU country (Article 15(5)).

Common pitfalls

Cover too low or not valid everywhere. For a Schengen visa: at least €30,000 and valid in all Schengen countries.
Wrong dates. The insurance must cover the whole stay or transit (Article 15(3)).
Travel insurance for a long stay. A short-trip policy may not meet the "all risks normally covered for nationals" standard required for long-stay permits, and what each country actually accepts varies: ask the immigration authority directly before you buy.
Gaps between the visa and the permit. Keep cover until you are registered in the public system or have the insurance the permit requires.

What changes by profile

Workers may be covered through their job; the Blue Card and seasonal directives ask for insurance only for periods not covered by, or resulting from, the work contract.
Retirees and people living on passive income follow national rules for national visas (for Portugal, see PT-VISA-TIERS-050).

Official links

Visa Code (consolidated), Article 15: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02009R0810-20240628
Commission, applying for a Schengen visa: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/visa-policy/applying-schengen-visa_en

Official sources (9) ›

These guides give the general rules. Your situation can change the answer: Moovy looks at it with you and tells you when you need a professional.

In Bulgaria

Checked on 23 October 2026

How do you access the public health system when you settle in Bulgaria?

Costs: If you are not insured on any other basis: health contribution of at least €22.03 per month from 1 January to 31 July 2026, then €24.81 per month from 1 August 2026 (8% of half the minimum income of the self-employed), paid to the НАП. Co-payment (потребителска такса) 2026: €1.48 per visit to the general practitioner or the dentist (€0.51 for a pensioner), €0.51 per hospital day for 10 days at most per year
Timeframes: Declaration (form 7) no later than the 25th of the month following the one in which the obligation begins; each monthly contribution no later than the 25th of the month following the month concerned; family doctor can be changed from 1 to 30 June and from 1 to 31 December

Steps

Identify the country that insures you. According to the European Union, this depends on your economic situation and your place of residence, not on your nationality. The НАП specifies that those compulsorily insured in Bulgaria are people to whom Bulgarian legislation applies under the European coordination rules, and foreigners authorised for long-term or permanent residence; those who must be insured in another Member State are not.
If you work in Bulgaria, in principle it is the country where you work that insures you, according to the European Union. Have your employer or the НАП confirm that you are properly declared. If you are self-employed (самоосигуряващо се лице, person who insures themselves), your health contribution is entirely at your expense, at the rate of 8% in 2026.
If you are not insured on any other basis (no activity, for example), submit to the НАП the Образец 7 declaration (form 7, start of the obligation to contribute to health insurance) no later than the 25th of the month following the one in which the obligation begins, then pay each monthly contribution no later than the 25th of the month following the month concerned (art. 40, para. 5 of the health insurance law).
If you are retired, or if you live in Bulgaria while remaining insured in another country, ask your home fund for form S1, then have it registered with the НЗОК or the РЗОК (районна здравноосигурителна каса, regional fund). The НЗОК lists these documents (S1, former E 106, E 109, E 121) for a long-term stay, then asks you to choose a general practitioner to appear on its patient list.
Choose your общопрактикуващ лекар (general practitioner, also called личен лекар, personal doctor) from those who have a contract with the НЗОК, with a registration form or online on the НЗОК website. According to the НЗОК, it is this choice that registers you on its patient list.

Documents

Form S1 (or former form E 106, E 109, E 121) issued by your home fund, if you remain insured in another country.
Образец 7 declaration if you contribute yourself because you are not insured on any other basis.
Registration form with the НЗОК general practitioner: first choice, permanent choice or temporary choice.
Your Bulgarian personal number (ЛНЧ) or the НАП service number, see sheet BG-NIF-TOUS-001.

Costs and timelines

Contribution if you are not insured on any other basis: at least €22.03 per month from 1 January to 31 July 2026, then at least €24.81 per month from 1 August to 31 December 2026, according to the НАП. These amounts correspond to 8% of half the minimum income of the self-employed, the basis provided for these people by art. 40, para. 5 of the health insurance law.
Self-employed: 8% in 2026, entirely at your expense, paid in advance on the monthly income you declare, at least the minimum income of the self-employed: €550.66 from 1 January to 31 July 2026, then €620.20 since 1 August 2026 (ceiling: €2,111.64, then €2,300), according to the НАП and art. 40, para. 1, point 2 of the health insurance law (ЗЗО).
Due dates: form 7 declaration no later than the 25th of the month following the one in which the obligation begins; contribution for each month no later than the 25th of the following month (art. 40, para. 5 of the health insurance law).
Co-payment (потребителска такса): set by decree of the Council of Ministers (art. 37 ЗЗО). In 2026: €1.48 per visit to the general practitioner or the dentist, €0.51 for a pensioner; €0.51 per day of hospitalisation, for the first 10 days (European Commission guide, July 2026). The НЗОК publishes the list of exempt persons (children and patients with certain conditions in particular).
Changing general practitioner: possible from 1 to 30 June and from 1 to 31 December.

Common pitfalls

Living in Bulgaria with the European Health Insurance Card alone. The European Commission reminds us that it covers medically necessary care during a temporary stay; if you make Bulgaria your habitual residence, you must register with form S1. The НЗОК also specifies that the card is issued by the country where you are insured, not by Bulgaria. The МВР instruction does however accept a copy of this card for the residence certificate of a person with no activity: this does not replace affiliation.
Leaving contributions unpaid. According to the НАП, your rights are suspended if more than three monthly contributions remain unpaid over 36 months; to restore them, you must pay all the contributions due over the last 60 months.
Forgetting to choose a general practitioner. Without this choice, you are not on the НЗОК patient list. A first choice can be made at any time; to change doctor afterwards, the НЗОК indicates two periods a year, from 1 to 30 June and from 1 to 31 December. The НЗОК provides for a temporary choice of doctor for people who stay between one and five months outside their health region.
Paying in leva. Since 1 January 2026, the НАП's amounts are in euros.

What changes by country of origin

EU and EEA citizens: the European coordination rules (Regulations 883/2004 and 987/2009) decide which country insures you. If it is Bulgaria, you contribute to the НАП; if it is your home country (retirement, for example), you have your S1 registered.
Swiss citizens: the European coordination rules (Regulations 883/2004 and 987/2009) also apply to Switzerland, according to the European Commission: same procedures as for an EU citizen (contribution to the НАП if Bulgaria insures you, otherwise S1 to be registered with the НЗОК).
British citizens (Scots included): third country since Brexit. According to the НАП, foreigners authorised for long-term or permanent residence in Bulgaria are compulsorily insured, unless an international convention provides otherwise. Rights linked to the withdrawal agreement (residents from before 2021) are to be confirmed with the НЗОК. According to the British government, if you receive a British State pension, you can ask for an S1 from the NHS Overseas Healthcare Services and have it registered at the local office of the health insurance fund; if employed, your contributions are withheld from your salary; if unemployed, you register as self-insured with the НАП or take out private insurance. This official British page was still online on 20/10/2026 (last updated: October 2021).
Currency and Schengen: Bulgaria has used the euro since 1 January 2026 and has been part of the Schengen area since 1 January 2025.

Official sources (16) ›

The European framework

These European rules also apply in Bulgaria.

Checked on 23 October 2026

Health insurance required for visas and permits: what EU rules ask (short and long stays)

Who decides: Consulates (Schengen visas); the immigration authority of the destination (long stays)
Costs: Set by insurers; Schengen visa insurance must cover at least €30,000 (Visa Code, Article 15)

Before you act

No promise. The consulate or immigration authority decides whether your insurance is acceptable. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Scams. Buy insurance only from a real, identifiable insurer, and check the policy before paying. A fake or inadequate insurance certificate can lead to refusal of your application.
Ask a professional (the insurer, the consulate or a lawyer) if you have a chronic illness, are pregnant, or are over the age limits of standard policies.
Be honest in insurance forms about your health and your plans.

Steps

Short stay with a visa: buy travel medical insurance that meets Article 15 of the Visa Code (below) for the whole trip; for a multiple-entry visa, it must cover the first trip, and you sign a statement that you know you need insurance for later trips. Exceptions: the requirement may be considered met where adequate cover can be presumed from the applicant's professional situation (for example seafarers, Article 15(6)), and holders of diplomatic passports are exempt (Article 15(7)).
Visa-exempt short stay: insurance is not among the entry conditions listed in the Schengen Borders Code (Article 6), but medical care abroad can be expensive: travel insurance is your choice.
Long stay: read the destination's list for your route. Denmark and Ireland did not take part in the five directives below and are not bound by them (see the recitals of each text), so their rules are purely national. In the other EU countries, the directives ask for insurance "for all risks normally covered for nationals" for:
- students and researchers, valid for the whole planned stay (Directive (EU) 2016/801, Article 7(1)(c));
- family reunification, for the sponsor and the family, if the country requires it (Directive 2003/86/EC, Article 7(1)(b));
- Blue Card and seasonal workers, for periods not already covered through the job (Directive (EU) 2021/1883, Article 5(1)(e); Directive 2014/36/EU, Article 5(1)(b) for stays up to 90 days and Article 6(1)(b) for stays over 90 days);
- EU long-term residents, for themselves and for dependent family members (Directive 2003/109/EC, Article 5(1)(b)).
After arrival: ask whether your permit gives access to the public health system, and from when (see the destination's health fiche).

Documents

An insurance certificate in the name of each person, with dates, cover, amount and territory.
For a Schengen visa: proof that the cover is valid in all Schengen countries and is at least €30,000 (Article 15(3)); for a visa with limited territorial validity covering several Member States, the cover must be valid at least in the Member States concerned.

Costs and timelines

Price: set by insurers. The Visa Code asks you to take insurance, in principle, in your country of residence, or in another country if that is not possible (Article 15(4)).
Check: consulates verify that claims against the insurer can be recovered in an EU country (Article 15(5)).

Common pitfalls

Cover too low or not valid everywhere. For a Schengen visa: at least €30,000 and valid in all Schengen countries.
Wrong dates. The insurance must cover the whole stay or transit (Article 15(3)).
Travel insurance for a long stay. A short-trip policy may not meet the "all risks normally covered for nationals" standard required for long-stay permits, and what each country actually accepts varies: ask the immigration authority directly before you buy.
Gaps between the visa and the permit. Keep cover until you are registered in the public system or have the insurance the permit requires.

What changes by profile

Workers may be covered through their job; the Blue Card and seasonal directives ask for insurance only for periods not covered by, or resulting from, the work contract.
Retirees and people living on passive income follow national rules for national visas (for Portugal, see PT-VISA-TIERS-050).

Official links

Visa Code (consolidated), Article 15: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:02009R0810-20240628
Commission, applying for a Schengen visa: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/visa-policy/applying-schengen-visa_en

Official sources (9) ›

These guides give the general rules. Your situation can change the answer: Moovy looks at it with you and tells you when you need a professional.

Healthcare

In Bulgaria

How do you access the public health system when you settle in Bulgaria?

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by country of origin

The European framework

Health insurance required for visas and permits: what EU rules ask (short and long stays)

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by profile

Other topics

Healthcare

In Bulgaria

How do you access the public health system when you settle in Bulgaria?

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by country of origin

The European framework

Health insurance required for visas and permits: what EU rules ask (short and long stays)

Steps

Documents

Costs and timelines

Common pitfalls

What changes by profile

Other topics