¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ

I moved to Sofia from Denver Colorado in December. My husband is Bulgarian. We met on a train in Peru in 2016 and stayed friends for several years before marrying in 2024. I'm having my car shipped over. It hasn't arrived yet. I'm starting language lessons in February. We have one cat. I've spent my fist weeks here so far going through the Bulgarian cook books I have. I'll be starting my job search soon.

@bben24

I hope it all works out for you! Happy new life!

@bben24

Sounds like you've had quite the adventure already, best of luck with getting settled into your new lifestyle!

Guess a wee introduction is order? Ah well, here goes...

I spent the last 3 years off and on dreaming about moving to Bulgaria, researching, reading posts, watching all the cool people on Youtube already doing it, channels like Our derelict dream and from Bournemouth to Bulgaria... And more dreaming about moving to Bulgaria.

Despite all the consuming content, it has seemed like a far off distant ambition more than a potential reality.

More recently I saved 3 grand cash and decided it MUST begin this year. So here I am. Trying to get my shizzle together while searching online for a cheap fixer-upper for around 5000 Euros.

Right now, I'm trying to find a trustworthy solicitor to represent my side of a deal (seen all the horror stories already) and a translator who might assist at the notary when the time comes. Hope to find the right people and quotes for their work before entering any contracts.

Hooked up with Lee from our derelict dream, at ideal homes and been in touch with Bulgaria direct for assistance to find a property.

If you have any contacts for the above who you have done amazing deals with, I'd appreciate you big time!

Thanks everyone...

Sean

Good luck. We are weighing up

pros and cons and haven’t taken the plunge yet. Researching areas and costs. I think my heart is stuck firmly in France as we lived there for 9 years but can’t find anything we can afford. One thing is certain though, we want to escape the UK 😂

Sean, it's a good dream to have and you've already connected with some good people to help you find somewhere. There are also plenty of properties for sale via YT and FB.

We bought through Bulgaria Direct and their pay monthly system is great if you don't have a lot of cash upfront or want to keep your cash to spend on renovation work, but can manage a monthly payment. They're also excellent to deal with. You don't need to shell out for a solicitor if you buy through a reputable company like them. I would just say when buying on pay-monthly, it's essential to be sure you can keep making the payments. If too many payments are missed they can repossess the house and anything already paid is lost.

Prices have gone up fast, and a 5k property is likely to be in quite bad condition and need a LOT of work. Having seem Our Derelict Dream you probably have some idea what to expect. Camping initially rather than being able to stay in the house would be likely.

Brits can spend 90 days per 180 there without needing a visa, but if you want to spend more time than that in Bg you also need to thing about how you'll get the D visa that allows you to stay longer, and consider what you'll do for income, too.

I hope you can find the right place!

Sometimes doing research to find out if I can move to Bulgaria,  feels like I have teeth and no apples orrrrr I have apples and no teeth

Sometimes doing research to find out if I can move to Bulgaria, feels like I have teeth and no apples orrrrr I have apples and no teeth - @triciaconnolly66

Start by seeing if there is a suitable visa option.

I have bought a property near Elhovo I need windows and roof done asap please send me any info thanks

Hi Elise! Welcome to the forum.

You may get more replies if you start a new thread with "Building work needed in Elhovo" or something like that in the title. It will help more members in that area see the post.

Good luck with your Bulgarian adventure!

@elisse7marsh

I'm out there next week the next region over and was planning to buy in elhovo last year. Not sure about builders for the work but I know elhovo has a builders yard near the town center and think they got  praktiker store there too who definately suppliy windows and doors.

I am living in Houston, TX, and have begun the process of moving to Plovdiv.  I make my first visit in March and hope to move there in June.  I am very excited to hopefully start this next chapter of my life.  Would love to meet  other Americans who made the trip there and would welcome any advice on any topic (Visa difficulties, daily life, etc...)

@S25 - Sean

Nah, Elhovo's a dinky little town, way too small for the big stores (Praktiker, Technopolis, Kaufland, etc.). I'm sure it has some smaller options, but you'll have to go to Yambol if you want one of the big box boys. Or you can order online and get them to deliver.

@ScottWM

Good choice! Hopefully, you'll be pleasantly surprised by both Plovdiv and wider Bulgaria.

@S25 - Sean

Gwyn is right, they don't have a Praktiker store in Elhovo, the nearest will be Yambol. They do have smaller,  local builders merchants but Yambol has all the bigger well known stores.

Yeh I got praktiker yambol mixed up with the builders yard in Elhovo lol. Close enough though, they both deliver to Elhovo that much I remember.

Got dramas trying to get deliveries next week. Gona have to bribe a local with a van 🤣

First time flying this morning dreading the next 16 hours mooch.

@Julien

Hi There,

I try to reply to a post, but for some reason cannot log in. Just trying to see if I can post at all.

I've just registered.

Thank you!

@Julien Hi There,I try to reply to a post, but for some reason cannot log in. Just trying to see if I can post at all.I've just registered.Thank you! - @aaptula

Welcome,

Yes, you need to register in order to post a question or reply to a post which you successfully done so. So you should be able to reply to that comment that wished to respond to.

If you have any trouble, please come back and say so and we shall try and help.

Are you living in Bulgaria or wishing to move to the country? Where do you come from?

Feel free to start a new topic with any questions you may have.

SimCityAt

¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Team

@S25 - Sean

Hi Sean. Good luck with your search. Which area are you looking in? The good news is there are still some cheap houses for your budget. Dawn

Dawn, Sean already bought his house. A man of action!

@S25 - Sean

Hi Sean, how are you getting on with everything?

Hello everyone, we're Graeme & Elizabeth from Scotland.

We're thinking of retiring to Bulgaria.  Every region seems to have its pros and cons, especially temperatures! We're considering the VT and Haskovo/Stara Zagora areas. In April we will be going there for a few days and are hoping to look at some properties.

Love the forum, wish us luck!

Welcome to the forum! Yes, the weather can be more extreme in both directions!

I'm moving to vt, bought a house last year and I'm doing it up, don't get sucked into buying overpriced property. I'm out there for 6 weeks in the summer, let me know if I can help.

Al

Hey everyone!

I'm David, 41 years old, currently in Australia, but excited to be moving to Bulgaria next month.

I spent the last couple of years travelling around Europe checking out different countries where I might be able to relocate and settled on BG. I've gone through the process of setting up a TRO as I have a company in Australia. Process is pretty much done, all that's left is to find a place to rent personally and and address where I can register the TRO in Veliko Tarnovo where I'll be moving.

And then figuring out the medical insurance system, accounting etc. etc. after I arrive.

Look forward to talking to everyone here more.

Cheers,

David

Hi David! Enjoy your expat adventure! There are plenty of good property agents in VT, many who speak English, as well as Air BnB and similar who will offer longer term rentals. This is a good time to get in there as it can get quite busy over the summer and rentals might be harder to find.

I'm also an Aussie, have lived in the UK for many years (married a Brit!) and am looking forward to moving to Bg when we can. We purchased a an old "renovator's delight" in Dobrich region, but visited VT many times when we originally started looking for property.

@janemulberry

Thanks for the welcome Jane

Hello

New here!  My Bulgarian partner and I are in the throes of organising and orientating ourselves towards a move to BG this summer.   The house hunt seems to be top of priorities atm.  That and a first meeting with the consul in London in a few weeks.   I anticipate at least two visits to the embassy before we have everything in order…

Looking forward to engaging on this platform,

Annabel

Hi Annabel! I hope it all goes smoothly for you. Luckily family reunion is one of the easiest types of D visa to apply for.

Happy house hunting!

@Julien

Hi there Bulgarian ex pats,

My name is Oliver. I live in the UK in Leeds with my Bulgarian Wife and Children. We visit Bulgaria multiple times a year (as often as possible really!). My Mother in Law lives in a small Village between Gabrovo and Dryanovo. It's a beautiful place, quiet Village life, but still only a short drive from Gabrovo, Dryanovo and Veliko Tarnovo. Shipka and the Stara Planina are just off to the South and you get beautiful vista driving through Donino on the way into Gabrovo. I've been visiting Bulgaria since 2013, and still relish in the relatively unspoiled beauty of such vast amounts of the Country. The people, the real village people are kind and welcoming. Doors are still unlocked and you are nearly always welcomed in, and a mezze of meat, cheese, pickles (whatever is in the fridge) put on the table for you all to share. Oh and not to forget the home made Rakia! I love the close nit communities. The older village ladies sitting out on the wooden bench watching the world go by, and acting as a sort of Neighbourhood Watch team! It takes me back to my childhood and spending a period living in the Lake District. Small, kind communities and people who look after and care for one another. Yes certainly there are the scars of Communism. Buzludzha is a fine example, perched high upon the Mountain top, but the focus is not on this but on the true beauty of the Country, ........ the People, the Food, the Music and the Culture.

We do want to sell up in the UK and make the move over. It will certainly be easier having Bulgarian family and Wife, but there are still challenges to overcome. My Wife and Son both have Residency, so I just need to arrange this for myself and my Daughter. I have an appointment booked at the Embassy in London next Month, so will hopefully get things moving with regards to extended Visa and/or Temporary Residency. Moving the Kids to a Bulgarian School will certainly be a change, but both have a good understanding of the Bulgarian Language, so they will soon fit in and make new friends.

On a bit of a different topic, my Mother in Law is looking for some reputable roofers to do some work on her house. We fell into the trap a few years back and got a local motley crew in to do some roofing work. They promised the World but yet only a few years down the line, things need doing again! If anyone has a recommendation for good, tried and tested roofe guys, please message over to me.

I'm not sure if maybe I should open a new topic for this request.

Hi Oliver! Wonderful plans!

It's probably best to start a new topic for the specific request, and add the location to the post title so the right people will see it.

Our roofers seemed good, though the new roof has only been through two winters so far I think it will last. But our place is in the north eat, too far away to be helpful to you!

@janemulberry

Thank you Jane. I'll start up a new topic now.

Hello PSSA,

Welcome to ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ😀

Thank you for the introduction!

If you have any questions, feel free to start a new thread on the Bulgaria forum.

Check out our guide here > Living in Bulgaria: the ultimate expat

/en/guide/europe/bulgaria/

Cheers,

Cheryl

¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ team

Hi, my name is Julio. I’m Cuban but currently living in Costa Rica. My wife (Manuela) is Bulgarian–Costa Rican, and we are planning to move to Bulgaria next year. Right now, we are dealing with a lot of paperwork to obtain my visa and work permit as soon as I arrive in Bulgaria.

I want to thank you all for the warm welcome to this space. I believe each of us has a unique motivation for choosing Bulgaria as our new home. For me, beyond the excitement of discovering a new culture, language, and way of life, there’s something much more personal.

My wife was brought to Costa Rica when she was 8 years old. Her parents told her they were going on vacation, but they never returned—until 8 years later. Sadly, her grandfather had passed away four years before they returned, and her grandmother died two years after that. It almost felt as if her grandmother held on just long enough to see her again. It was incredibly difficult for her to leave behind her country, the grandparents who raised her, her friends, and the small town where she had grown up and felt deeply connected to everyone.

She came to a new country where she didn’t know the language, the culture, or anything familiar. When I met her, I couldn’t fully understand how difficult that experience had been. But I began to see it more clearly when I visited Bulgaria with her two years ago. That trip helped me understand why she gets emotional every time she listens to traditional Bulgarian music and why she works so hard to stay connected to her roots.

This move is deeply meaningful to her, and I truly believe it’s worth leaving our jobs and starting a new life in Bulgaria. Every advice is more than welcome.

Greetings to everyone.

Wow, Julio, that's such a touching reason to make the move. You are a wonderful husband to give your wife this opportunity to return to her roots.

I hope the move works well for you both.

@Julio Manu

Hellooooo I am Gabriela from switzerland and was travailling 18 years and was living in cuba , Trinidad and Havanna. Oh thats real incredible

I can Write you more about here I am 2 Montag here get a very cheap Little Mini apartement but with all for 200, the Are in Sunny Beach about 250,300 Euros per month if you get 1 year contract.

with a pleasure I Tell you more

better you Write my unser my

mail

***

if you get a iPhone with I messages

let my now

in abrazo fuerte gabriela

yo habla d, e, f, , i, sp

@Julio Manu

I will Write you the Tru about Bulgaria , about Job, that something without be Negative, with Not speaking bulgaria, impossible and the salary Are the worst from EU , a weiter in Restaurant get without top 500 Euros, so….

but I will Write you.

you needs as a cuban a Visa but if you Are Here I get you a very good laywer for Not by much Money and she Do it in 5 days the residence for 5 years, ok I am from Schengen, switzerland but she also do it for others Country. The give people the want to do it themself , thats Crazy if you don’t speak Bulgarien, but your wife could help you…

@Julio Manu

You needs to make a n Profile its better

@Julio Manu
You needs to make a n Profile its better - @Trinidad58

They have one. What do you mean?