Article

Buying property in Bansko as a non-EU citizen (2026): apartment yes, land only through a Bulgarian company (EOOD)

Authors: Milena Kostadinova Yuleva, Yuliya MisyukPublished: 24 September 2026

Can non-EU citizens buy property in Bulgaria? Yes: an apartment in your own name, but land only through a Bulgarian company (EOOD). UK after Brexit, US, Israel, farmland rules, BULSTAT and two real plots near Bansko. Not legal advice.

We hear these questions almost every week. "Can non-EU citizens buy property in Bulgaria?" "Can a UK citizen buy land in Bulgaria after Brexit?" "Can Americans own land in Bulgaria?" For Bansko the short answer is: yes, you can buy an apartment in your own name. Land, meaning a plot, a garden around a house or farmland, you buy through a Bulgarian company, usually an EOOD.

Below we explain where that rule comes from, how buyers from the UK, the US, Israel, Ukraine and elsewhere use it in practice, and when setting up a company is worth it. This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm your own case with a notary or lawyer before you sign anything.

The rule: buildings yes, land only in specific cases

The rule comes from Article 22(1) of the Bulgarian Constitution. Foreigners and foreign legal entities can own land only:

under the conditions that follow from Bulgaria's EU membership, which covers EU/EEA citizens and companies;
under a ratified international treaty adopted by a two-thirds majority of all MPs;
by statutory inheritance. A will is not one of the exceptions.

If you are an EU/EEA citizen, for example buying a studio in Bansko as an EU citizen, none of this limits you. You can buy the apartment, and land too, in your own name.

The Law on Ownership (Art. 29(4)) adds that foreigners may own buildings and limited real rights, such as a building right or a right of use, unless a law provides otherwise.

Can non-EU citizens buy property in Bulgaria? Apartments, yes

An apartment is a unit in a building, so the land restriction does not touch it. The notarial deed covers your unit and its share of the common parts. The link to the land under the building is drafted in a form a foreigner may hold, for example a building right. You do not need a residence permit to buy an apartment. Buying property and residence rights are separate procedures.

The Constitution and the Law on Ownership make no distinction between non-EU nationalities. UK citizens have been third-country nationals since Brexit, so for land they follow the same rules as buyers from the US, Israel, Ukraine or Russia. If you are a UK national who was already living in Bulgaria before the end of 2020, ask a lawyer whether the Withdrawal Agreement changes anything in your case. For Brits buying property in Bulgaria the real difference is banking, and the same goes for other nationalities. Banks run anti-money-laundering checks and, for some nationalities, apply EU sanctions rules. Plan the money route with your bank before you pay a deposit.

Buying land: only through a Bulgarian company (EOOD)

If you want a house with a garden, a building plot or farmland, a non-EU individual cannot hold the land in their own name. The standard route, and the answer to "bulgarian company to buy land as non eu citizen", is to register a Bulgarian company, usually an EOOD (a single-member limited liability company), in the Commercial Register run by the Registry Agency. The company is a Bulgarian legal person, so it may own the land, and you own 100% of the company. Searches for a "Bulgaria land LLC" are really about this structure.

What a company brings with it

Registration in the Commercial Register, including the beneficial owner.
Annual accounting and financial statements, even if the company only holds one property.
A company bank account and taxes. If you use the house privately or rent it out, agree the tax treatment with an accountant first.
Exit: later you can sell the property or the shares in the company. The two are taxed differently.

Farmland is a separate question

Agricultural land, like our Banya listing below, is also governed by the Agricultural Land Ownership and Use Act. Its Article 3c requires buyers to have been resident or established in Bulgaria for more than five years, and a new company to have partners who meet that test. In January 2024 the EU Court of Justice (case C-562/22) held that such a residence requirement is incompatible with EU law. So on "can foreigners buy agricultural land in Bulgaria", the honest answer is this: ask a notary how the rule is applied today to a new EOOD owned by a non-EU citizen, before you register the company.

Two real plots from our catalogue (checked 24 Sep 2026)

**Land on the main road in the village of Banya: €69,000, 579 m²** (about €119/m²). Agricultural land. The description mentions electricity and water nearby and a possible change of use.
**Plot for sale in the town of Razlog: €64,665, 1,437 m²** (about €45/m²). A regulated plot with 25 m of frontage and asphalt access, described as suitable for residential construction.

A non-EU buyer would acquire either of them through a Bulgarian company. For the practical side (status, access, utilities) see our checklist for plots in Banya and Dobrinishte.

How to buy property in Bulgaria from the UK (or anywhere else), step by step

1. Choose the property and check the paperwork: title, encumbrances and status, plus building parameters for a plot. 2. Decide who buys: an apartment in your own name, land or a house with land through the EOOD. 3. Preliminary contract and deposit, ideally by bank transfer. 4. Identification. "Do I need a Bulgarian tax number to buy property?" Not beforehand. An owner without a Bulgarian personal number (EGN or LNCh) is entered in the BULSTAT register within 7 days of the purchase. Your lawyer or attorney-in-fact usually handles it. 5. Notarial deed before a notary for the district where the property is (for Bansko, the Razlog district), then entry in the Property Register. 6. Buyer's costs: municipal acquisition tax, notary and registration fees. We covered Bansko's acquisition-tax rate in our Bansko.be roundup.

Cash above the legal limit is not allowed. In practice the whole price goes by bank transfer, and the notary and the bank will ask where the funds come from.

Can I buy property in Bulgaria remotely with a power of attorney?

Yes. A power of attorney for a property deal needs notarial certification of both the signature and the content at the same time (Art. 37, Obligations and Contracts Act). You can do it at a Bulgarian consulate, or before a local notary with an apostille and a Bulgarian translation. The UK, the US, Israel and Ukraine are all parties to the Apostille Convention. Our guide to selling your Bansko property from abroad walks through the power of attorney in detail.

FAQ

Can non-EU citizens buy a house with land in Bulgaria?

Yes, but the land has to be owned by your Bulgarian company. A building right or a right of use is possible, but it carries more risk. Discuss it with a lawyer.

Can a UK citizen buy land in Bulgaria after Brexit?

Not in their own name, unless an exception applies, such as statutory inheritance. UK buyers use an EOOD for land. Apartments can be bought personally.

Can Americans own land in Bulgaria?

The same rule applies: land through a Bulgarian company, apartments in your own name.

Do I need a Bulgarian tax number to buy property?

Not in advance. Owners without an EGN or LNCh are registered in BULSTAT within 7 days of the purchase.

Is buying land in Bulgaria from the UK possible remotely?

Yes. The company can be set up and the deed signed through a properly certified power of attorney.

Talk to us

Nova Keys works with buyers from many countries. We handle viewings, check documents on the ground and put you in touch with a notary, a lawyer and an accountant for the EOOD. If you are weighing an apartment in Bansko or a plot in Razlog or Banya, **get in touch via our contact page** or visit us at 1 Neofit Rilski St, Bansko.

*This article is general information, not legal, tax or notarial advice. Laws and practice change. Confirm your specific situation with a notary, lawyer or accountant.*