Questions about Bulgaria

[thedirtyteller]

Does anyone here have any experience relocating to Bulgaria and registering as a freelancer?
How easy as a foreigner was it to find rent?
How was the migration process, registering as a resident, getting a TIN number etc? Did it cost anything? (I'm an EU citizen)
The requirements for opening up a bank account? If I move there, I will not open a company but be working as a freelancer or sole proprietorship.
Is there anything else worth knowing about?

I forgot to add. Operating as a sole proprietorship or freelancer is there a lot of bureaucracy involved?

Last edited: Nov 21, 2022

 

[ADROCK123]

to get the freelance permit you need

• a Bulgarian language certificate (level B1);
  

 

[benbao]

As a EU citizen he can just open a sole proprietorship tho‍

 

[algotrader]

Lots of my friends here got freelancer setup without language certificate. You‍ just have to do it via a Bulgarian service provider with umbrella company. They only⁠ had to provide a higher education certificate. With sole proprietorship you will pay more tax⁤ (15%) than with freelancer setup.
Finding something to rent for a foreigner is relatively easy⁣ in places like Sofia, Plovdiv, Bansko, Varna, Burgas where you have lots of foreigners. Easiest⁢ is to search via specific FB groups.
For the residence permit you will have to︀ show a notarized rental contract or title deed of your property, sufficient funds (can just︁ be a copy of your credit card) or sources of income such as a freelancer︂ setup and health insurance (can just be a copy of your EHIC card). In some︃ districts you will have to bring a translator with you to the migration office.
Opening a bank account was easy for me with a residence permit but with some banks︄ it can be painful and expensive and you might need a lawyer/translator (especially in case︅ of corporate bank account). Just try the major banks and NEOs with BGN account such︆ as icard/revolut.

 

[freegeek]

This is a good write up from a foreigner in Bulgaria who compares both the‌ company and sole proprietorship with all the numbers Bulgaria Freelance Taxes: Detailed Breakdown [Dmitry Frank]‍