Checked against Bulgaria MFA guidance, Bulgarian legal-source references, and an immigration-firm update on August 17, 2026.
Bulgaria's digital-nomad residence route is a residence-planning development, not a reason to stop counting days.
Remote workers still need to separate at least three records: Bulgaria presence, travel elsewhere in Schengen, and tax-residency day counts. Those records answer different questions.
Short answer: treat Bulgaria's route as a residence-permit process with a Visa D step, then keep separate day records for Bulgaria stays, other-Schengen travel, and any tax discussion with a professional.
Jetseen helps you track days - always consult a qualified tax, legal, or immigration professional for advice specific to your situation.
What Bulgaria's digital-nomad route changes
The research pack identifies a Bulgarian digital-nomad residence-permit route in Bulgaria's foreigner framework. The Lex.bg legal text references the digital-nomad ground under Article 24, paragraph 1, item 23, connected to Article 24c.
Fragomen describes the route as a new immigration pathway for remote workers. Its update says the process involves a Visa D application, entry into Bulgaria, a Bulgarian residence application, and an identity-card step.
Use careful wording here:
- "digital-nomad residence permit" is safer than treating the whole route as only a visa
- Visa D is part of the process
- the permit does not make tax residence automatic or irrelevant
- this guide does not decide eligibility
Do not rely on this guide for fees, income requirements, document lists, or processing times. Those details need current official or authoritative verification before publication.
Bulgaria days and other-Schengen days are separate
Bulgaria is now part of the Schengen day-counting system for short stays.
Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says time spent in Bulgaria is considered part of the 90 days allowed in the Schengen area during any 180-day period for relevant short-stay travelers. The same MFA page also says holders of Bulgarian long-stay visas and residence permits may travel in other Schengen countries for no more than 90 days in any 180-day period.
That creates a practical distinction:
| Record | Why to keep it separate |
|---|---|
| Bulgaria residence record | Supports your Bulgarian stay and permit timeline |
| Other-Schengen travel | Shows use of the separate 90/180 allowance outside Bulgaria |
| Tax day count | Helps a qualified professional review tax-residence exposure |
| Visa and permit dates | Keeps application, entry, expiry, and renewal timing visible |
A Bulgarian residence permit should not be treated as open-ended movement around the rest of Schengen.
What remote workers should track
For Bulgaria, build the record around documents and dates.
Track:
- Visa D application date
- Visa D issue date and validity
- Bulgaria entry date
- residence application date
- identity-card issue date
- residence permit expiry date
- Bulgaria trip dates
- travel outside Bulgaria
- other-Schengen entry and exit dates
- work arrangement notes
- employer, client, or company location
- adviser notes and source links
Keep the work records factual. Do not use Jetseen, or any app, to decide whether the work arrangement meets Bulgaria's eligibility rules.
Why other-Schengen travel still needs attention
The common mistake is assuming that a Bulgarian residence permit means the rest of Schengen no longer needs counting.
The MFA guidance does not support that assumption. It says holders of Bulgarian long-stay visas and residence permits can travel in other Schengen countries for no more than 90 days in any 180-day period.
If you are based in Bulgaria but making frequent trips to Greece, Austria, Germany, Italy, France, or other Schengen countries, keep those trips in a separate tracker.
For each other-Schengen trip, save:
- country
- entry date
- exit date
- purpose
- transport proof
- accommodation proof
- planned return to Bulgaria
This protects the record from becoming a rough mental estimate.
Tax residency is a separate question
A residence permit and a tax-residence result are not the same thing.
This guide does not decide whether Bulgaria, another country, or a treaty treats you as tax resident. It also does not say the residence permit avoids or creates tax residence.
For a tax discussion, keep:
- Bulgaria day totals
- days in other countries
- work location
- employer or client country
- accommodation dates
- family location, if relevant to advice
- previous tax-residence country
- current adviser notes
The job of the record is to make the professional review easier.
How Jetseen helps
Jetseen can help remote workers keep the records in one place without turning the app into an adviser.
Use it to:
- log Bulgaria trips
- track other-Schengen travel separately
- store visa and permit dates
- attach notes to trips
- create custom rolling or calendar-year trackers
- export CSV reports for accountants, advisers, or personal records
Jetseen does not determine eligibility, prepare immigration filings, prevent overstays, or decide tax residence.
If Bulgaria is becoming part of your remote-work base, Try Jetseen Free for 14 Days and keep the permit timeline, Bulgaria days, and other-Schengen travel in separate records.
Jetseen helps you track days - always consult a qualified tax, legal, or immigration professional for advice specific to your situation.
Sources used
- Bulgaria Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Source 1
- Lex.bg: Source 2
- Fragomen: Source 3
- Jetseen product truth and approved claims
References
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Tax residency rules change frequently. Consult a qualified tax professional for advice specific to your situation.
