INTRODUCTION: 

Bulgaria. Officially known as the Republic of Bulgaria, and Sofia is the capital and the political center of the country.

Bulgaria is one of the oldest countries in Europe, where it was founded in the seventh century. It has a historically intersected with important routes from the northern and eastern Europe to the Mediterranean, from Western and Central Europe to the Middle East. 

It gained independence from Ottoman rule in the late 19th century after suffering from many disturbances due to World War II, in 2004 Bulgaria became a member of NATO and a member of the European Union in 2007. 

Bulgaria is characterized by its diverse cultural landscape and diverse environments, the rugged mountains, and the Black Sea resorts that attract many visitors. Moreover, Bulgaria has a clear mix of Eastern and Western cultures and is characterized by its attractive architecture and religious heritage.

Sofia (the capital of Bulgaria) has more than one million inhabitants, three times the population of Varna and the city of Plovdiv. The capital is marked by two major cross-border routes: the historic Silk Road connecting China with the West, and the Great Aristotle Road, a natural route for migratory birds.

Investment criteria:

Applicants under Bulgarian Citizenship by Investment Programme must choose one of the potential routes to citizenship:

• Full investment, by deposit an amount in a government bond portfolio for  five-years investment period; or
• Financial investment, paying a reduced amount that will be used to finance a closed 5.5-year loan from a Bulgarian chartered bank.
• There is also a fast track that allows investors to apply for citizenship faster by doubling their investments.

Application criteria

1. Applicant must be at least 18 years 
2. Valid passport.
3. A non-EU citizen.
4. Make the minimum legal trips to Bulgaria
5. Good Health, applicants should have excellent health and must show that they do not suffer from any contagious diseases.
6. Documents supporting the source Proof that the applicant has no criminal record.
7. Able to provide proof of source of funds.
8. Must have maintained permanent resident status and a valid residential address for the past five years.
9. Must have never been sentenced by a Bulgarian court for a capital offense or accused in criminal proceedings for such a crime (unless he/she has been rehabilitated).

Benefits of Bulgaria citizenship program: 

1. Visa-free travel or visa-on-arrival travel to more than 140 countries. 
2.  Free movement within the Schengen countries after Bulgaria becomes a member state.
3. Conditional tax exemption on world income.
4.  The ability to pass one’s citizenship to future generations by descent.
5. The ability to Include the spouse and children under the age of 18 in the main applicant application.
6. First class citizenship.
7. Obtain the citizenship and second passport in a short time.
8. Dual Nationality. 
9. Full confidentiality in carrying out the procedures.
10. Ownership of the 9th ranked passport in the world.

Benefits of the program:

1. Fast processing within 6 – 9 months.
2.  Fast-track option allowing for citizenship within two years.
3. Obtain the citizenship and second passport in a short time.
4. Minimal processing fees.
5. No interview, education, or management experience required.
6. No language requirements for residence or citizenship.
7. No requirements for residence.
8.  Lowest tax rates and free trade environment within the EU.

The Features of Bulgaria passport:

• Good visa – free travel: 

Currently, Bulgaria citizens can travel to more than 140 countries without the need to follow a cumber some visa application process. A vast majority of these countries allow Bulgaria citizens to stay 30 to 90 days without any visa requirement while some countries grant visas upon arrival or issue electronic visas upon online application.

BULGARIA PASSPORT ALLOWS VISA-FREE AND VISA ON ARRIVAL TRAVEL TO MORE THAN 140

THE MAIN STEPS TO GET BULGARIA CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTING:

Steps to obtain Bulgarian citizenship by investment under the ordinary process or under the fast-track: 

1. Opening of a personal bank account, deposition the amount to be invested in government bonds and preparation of the set of documents for Investor D visa application.
2. Applying for Bulgarian Investor visa.
3. Applying for permanent residence.
4. Holding the permanent residence for five years, we can initiate the Bulgarian citizenship by investment application with the Ministry of Justice 
5. The applicant does not need to hold the permanent residence for five years but he/ she can apply for Bulgarian citizenship after holding the permanent residence for 12 months only. This allows the applicant to obtain Bulgarian passport in two years. 

ECONOMIC CITIZENSHIP:

• Full investment

Full investment is one of the secured investments. The applicants who choose this option must deposit € 511,292 in a government bond portfolio for five years investment period, without the need for any further payments. At the end of the five years period, the full amount will be returned to the investor without any interest due. 

• Doubling the investment

There is also a fast track that allows investors to apply for citizenship faster by doubling their investments. With the requirements as follows:

1. Have at least one year of permanent residence.
2. Second additional investments for two years.
3. Funding options are available to eligible applicants.
4. Fast Track applications are scanned under the explicit procedure.

Financial investment

There is a possibility to finance the due amount of the bonds through a non-refundable bank loan of 5.5 years at a financing bank.