Investors traditionally invest in global financial markets primarily for – diversification of their portfolio, better returns on investment and tax planning. On the other hand, the investment made to obtain residency and/or citizenship of another country is primarily in sectors such as business/enterprise, real estate and government funds/bonds.
The most recent changes introduced in the Bulgarian Residency and Citizenship Program have changed the global investment advisory and residency by investment paradigm by offering almost all types of known financial products, real estate and enterprise as an investment vehicle for non-EU citizens who wish to obtain European residency and eventual citizenship.
The new investment routes leading to permanent residence (and eventually citizenship) of Bulgaria are as follows.
| Investment asset class | New investment amount in Euro | |
| 1 | Equity and Stocks traded in Bulgaria | ~EUR 1,024,000 |
| 2 | UCITs (EU regulated fund vehicles) including exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with a focus on Bulgaria | ~EUR 512,000 |
| 3 | Investing in any way in Alternative investment funds (AIFs) (including private equity, venture and hedge funds), a part of whose focus is on Bulgaria | ~EUR 512,000 |
| 4 | Participation in a Bulgarian company carrying on a Certified Priority Investment Project (CPIP) – this is similar to EB-5 Regional Centers of USA | ~EUR 1,024,000 |
| 5 | Participation in a Bulgarian company employing 10 Bulgarian persons or more | ~ EUR 257,000 |
| 6 | Participation in a Bulgarian private company, invested in any sector or geography | ~ EUR 3,075,000 |
| 7 | Investment in a Certified Investment Project (CIP) (this is different from CPIP above) | The exact amount and conditions are project-dependent. |
For option numbers 1-4, the process for citizenship can be fast-tracked by doubling the investment amount. For option number 5, the citizenship process can be fast-tracked by employing 20 people in a company in Bulgaria.
Furthermore, residency by investing in real estate options is also available. The investment amount is EUR 307,000. This is more suitable for investors who wish to move to Bulgaria and live in Europe on a long-term basis.
By investing in real estate in Bulgaria, permanent residency of Bulgaria can be obtained in 5 years’ time and citizenship in 10 years’ time