My Plans To Live In Bulgaria Fell Apart.

Why Alina’s Plans to Settle in Bulgaria Fell Apart

After five months of immigration uncertainty, Alina explains why her plans to settle in Bulgaria have fallen apart.

She moved to Bulgaria about two years ago, drawn by its people, central location for European travel, lower cost of living, and business-friendly taxes. Her first residence permit was based on trade-representative sponsorship. Later, Bulgaria changed the program’s rules, reducing the number of representatives allowed per company from three to two. As the third representative, she no longer qualified. She also says the new digital-nomad visa was not an option because her company is registered in the EU.

A friend’s company agreed to sponsor her under the previous program, but paperwork and delays derailed the plan. The documents had to be processed and registered within a limited validity period. After months of waiting, they expired. Alina says she still does not know exactly what happened with the lawyer who had offered to help. Starting again could cost about €1,000 for company documents, plus another $1,000–$2,000 for a lawyer, with no guarantee of success.

The Impact of the Delays

The prolonged process affected Alina’s work, travel plans, finances, and mental health. As a precaution, she had already decided to leave her Sofia apartment, give notice, and put her belongings in storage rather than continue paying about €1,000 a month while away. She says this turned out to be a wise choice.

Possible Next Steps

Alina is considering four paths:

• Try again for Bulgarian residency: This may be possible, but she is reluctant after the stress and expense of the previous attempt.
• Move to another country: She could potentially keep her Bulgarian company while establishing personal residency elsewhere, or move the business too. However, she is unsure about starting over with housing, banking, healthcare, and building a social circle.
• Return to Canada: This would feel like a setback, but she has gained a new appreciation for the stability and peace of mind that citizenship provides. She notes that Canada has higher living costs and taxes and is farther from the places she wants to travel.
• Travel as a nomad while retaining Bulgarian tax residency: She plans to discuss this option with her Bulgarian accountant. She believes her company and other ties may keep her tax residency in Bulgaria, but sees this as a temporary arrangement rather than the settled home she wants.

Immediate Plans

At the time of filming, Alina planned to return briefly to Sofia to sort and repack her belongings. As a tourist, she said she had already used about 70–71 days of her 90 days in the EU within a 180-day period, leaving roughly two weeks before she would need to leave the EU for several months.

She had hoped to explore Europe more extensively, but her plans changed. She ends by saying she hopes to adapt and figure out her next steps, and asks viewers to be considerate while she is going through a difficult period.

Notable Locations and People

• Locations: Sofia and Bulgaria, Canada, the European Union
• People: Alina Mcleod, a Bulgarian immigration lawyer, a sponsoring business contact, and her Bulgarian accountant