Can a foreigner buy property and land in Bulgaria?
A flat — freely. Land — it depends on your nationality. Flats and self-contained buildings may be bought freely by citizens of any country — there is no restriction. The restriction bites on land: regulated plots, agricultural and forest land. EU citizens: the Court of Justice of the EU struck the restriction down, so there is now no obstacle to EU nationals acquiring agricultural land in Bulgaria — the requirement of 5 years of prior residence has fallen away too. Non-EU/EEA nationals: cannot acquire land directly; the lawful route is through a Bulgarian company, which may be wholly owned by them. Note: a "flat with a garden" also means a share of the land.
📋 The rules
- Flats and buildings: freely available to all foreigners
- The restriction applies to land — plots, agricultural, forest
- EU citizens: may now buy agricultural land
- The 5-year residence requirement has fallen away
- Non-EU: land is acquired through a Bulgarian company
🔓 Exceptions
- A "flat with a garden" includes a share of the land — a different regime applies
- The company may be wholly owned by the foreign national
- Inheritance by operation of law follows separate rules
⚠️ Penalties & fines
A transaction concluded in breach of the restrictions on acquiring land is void — it produces no effect at all, and the price paid must be recovered through the ordinary courts, often over years. That is why the notary checks the buyer's nationality and the type of property before the transaction. The commonest trap is "a house with a garden": the building can be bought, but the garden is land — and for a non-EU national that means the deal has to run through a company. Check the plan and the tax valuation in advance: they show exactly what you are buying — building, land, or both.
📎 Official sources
- Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria (art. 22) →
- lex.bg · Ownership and Use of Agricultural Land Act →
- Court of Justice of the European Union →
❓ Frequently asked
Can a foreigner buy a flat?
Yes, freely. Flats and self-contained buildings may be bought by citizens of any country, with no restriction and no need for a company.
What about agricultural land?
EU citizens can now buy it — the Court of Justice struck down the restriction, including the requirement of 5 years of prior residence in the country.
What if I am not from the EU?
Then you cannot acquire land directly. The lawful route is through a Bulgarian company, which may be wholly owned by you.
What about "a house with a garden"?
The building can be bought freely, but the garden is land. For a non-EU national that means the garden has to be acquired through a company.
What if a deal breaches the restrictions?
It is void and produces no effect, and the price paid must be recovered through the courts. That is why the notary checks nationality and the type of property first.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “foreigner buying property bulgaria”
- “agricultural land eu citizens bulgaria”
- “buying land through a company bulgaria”
- “house with garden foreigner bulgaria”
- “void transaction land foreigner bulgaria”
- “flat purchase foreigner no restriction”