Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Most applicants for "golden" Bulgarian passport are from China, Russia and the Middle East

Photo: library

The Bulgarian Investments Agency has certified investments made by a total of 981 persons from non-EU countries since 2014. On the basis of these investments they have been allowed permanent residence in Bulgaria or Bulgarian citizenship. This is what Deutsche Welle has learned after an inquiry.

619 people received the right of residence in exchange of investments and 362 received Bulgarian citizenship. Most of the investors are from China (169), followed by Russia (147), the Middle East countries and others.

In July, caretaker Minister of Justice Yanaki Stoilov announced the abolition of "investment citizenship" and proposed changes to the Bulgarian Citizenship Act.




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Warm autumn weather in the forecast

On Wednesday minimum temperatures will range between 3° C. and 8° C., for Sofia around 4° C. Visibility will be diminished in the morning in the valleys and lowlands. During the day the weather will be predominantly sunny with a temporary increase..

published on 10/21/25 6:45 PM

Myara agency: Crimes and incidents continue to be a major source of tension

Social tensions from 1 July until 30 September this year are estimated at an index of 6.09, meaning “risks that are difficult to control”, on a scale of 1 to 210, indicates a survey by the sociological agency Myara, the Bulgarian news agency BTA..

published on 10/21/25 4:09 PM
Parliament building

The ruling coalition discuss the future of the cabinet behind closed doors

A meeting of the coalition partners took place early this morning, during a sitting of the National Assembly, to discuss the possible reformatting of the government. Such a change was first made mention of by GERB leader Boyko Borissov after his party..

updated on 10/21/25 3:12 PM