Living in Bulgaria: Things Britons Should Know

Noted for its incredibly beautiful mountain landscapes, picturesque Black Sea beaches and property prices that remain attractive, living in Bulgaria is becoming of interest to many who want to relocate away from their home countries and seek an alternative and better quality of life somewhere new.

Living in Bulgaria isn’t quite like living in the UK though, and if you’re a Brit considering your options this article ‘Living in Bulgaria: Things Britons Should Know’ is written exclusively for you and it contains everything Brits should be aware of before taking the plunge and moving to live in Bulgaria.

Although Bulgaria did officially join the European Union this year there are some slightly different travel and residency paperwork requirements for this country.  For example British citizens can travel to Bulgaria on their passports alone, but British subjects born prior to 1 January 1949 still need a visa – so if you’re a British subject and a retiree you should look into this requirement.

If you do move to this Eastern European country you need to be prepared that there are a lot more differences between it and the UK than just the visa requirements for entry and residency.  Additionally, unlike other European tourism hotspots Bulgaria has a relatively small British expatriate community.  In fact, only a few thousands Britons are found living fulltime within this country’s boundaries at present.  While this is changing rapidly, Bulgaria hasn’t quite “arrived” as far as expat destinations are concerned and if you’re going to be living in Bulgaria you’re going to be pioneering a little bit!

If you do decide to move to Bulgaria, it is now much easier thanks to EU Treaty rights.  You are still required to register with local police if you want to remain full time but a British passport will allow you legal entry for up to 90 days.  Finding jobs in Bulgaria is still not the easiest thing to do either, but it is quite feasible for the self-employed or retired to live well in Bulgaria.

One of the best bits of advice to impart to you before you do decide to relocate to Bulgaria is to take advantage of the 90 days’ entry to get a real feel for the country, its people and potential relocation spots.  While it’s likely the tourism spots will feel more like home for you as this is where the highest concentration of Brits is to be found, living in the countryside in Bulgaria can present quite a change of pace for Britons and for those from other parts of Europe and America – and this can be very much a lure!

This is not a Western European country by any stretch of the imagination though – so if you do fall in love with the countryside or seek rural living somewhere in Bulgaria you will need to bear in mind that your familiar amenities and facilities and even utilities that you take for granted in the UK will be in short supply and even in some cases non-existent in Bulgaria!

Although expatriates and visitors report the people of Bulgaria are generally friendly towards them, a personal 90-day trial period can really help bring into focus what living in Bulgaria will be like for you. 

Considerations to keep in mind - unlike many other European countries where cash is hardly carried at all, Bulgaria is largely a cash-based economy.  ATMs can be found and credit cards are sometimes accepted, but on the whole this country does not run on plastic.  What most Britons find is a wholly different culture, from the educational systems right down to the hospitals and medical facilities.  Simply put, Bulgaria marches to the beat of its own drum and you will need to adapt and change to fit in.

Do the differences make living in Bulgaria a bad choice?

Absolutely not!

It’s simply a matter of personal choice, which is why a trial period is a smart step to take before investing in or planning to move to Bulgaria.

With picture postcard perfect landscapes and exciting major resort areas being developed upon and improved all the time, Bulgaria is an up-and-coming location for expatriates.  It is worthy of careful exploration, but it’s wise to do just that – i.e., exploration - before choosing to live in Bulgaria full time.