Country Law

The acquisition of real estate under Bulgarian law is regulated mainly by the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Ownership Act, the Ownership and Use of Agricultural Land Act and the Civil Procedure Code.

Restrictions on Property Ownership by Foreigners

According to the Bulgarian law, embodied in the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Property Act, foreigners are allowed to gain ownership of buildings and premises within a building. In contrast, there are restrictions upon foreigners acquiring the ownership of land in

• However, they do not apply to companies registered in
• As a result, foreign individuals can acquire full land ownership rights by setting up or joining a Bulgarian registered company.

The Bulgarian government is planning to liberalise the property law for foreign ownership in light of the country’s recent EU accession.

BULSTAT

Foreign nationals and foreign legal entities who acquire real estate in Bulgaria are obliged to register at the Registry Agency under the registration system BULSTAT for issuance of an identification number within seven days as of acquiring of the property. The application for registration is to be submitted at the Registry Office in the region where the real estate is located.