Buying Property in Bulgaria as a Turkish National in 2026

Apartments, Houses, Commercial Property, Logistics Assets, and Land — Ownership Rights, the Company Structure, EU Market Access, and Why Turkish Investors Choose Bulgaria

Introduction

Turkish nationals are among the most consistently active foreign investors in the Bulgarian property market — and the reasons are structural, not circumstantial. Bulgaria shares a land border with Turkey. Istanbul to Sofia is approximately 280 kilometres by road. Bulgaria is a full EU and Schengen member. Since 1 January 2026, it is also part of the eurozone. And it maintains the lowest corporate income tax rate in the EU at 10%, alongside a 5% dividend tax that is likewise the lowest in the European Union.

For a Turkish entrepreneur or investor looking to establish a foothold within the European Union — for logistics, manufacturing, commercial operations, or property investment — Bulgaria offers a combination of proximity, price accessibility, and EU institutional framework that no other country can match. The border crossing at Kapitan Andreevo connects directly to the Trans-European transport network. The port of Burgas is one of the Black Sea’s major commercial harbours. The Plovdiv industrial zone, the largest in South-Eastern Europe, hosts over 100 international manufacturers and is expanding rapidly.

As a non-EU, non-EEA country, Turkey’s citizens are treated as third-country nationals under Bulgarian property law. This means one specific restriction applies: Turkish nationals cannot directly own land as individuals. For apartments, commercial units within buildings, and all other non-land property, however, there is no restriction. The majority of Turkish buyers — whether purchasing a city apartment, a Black Sea resort unit, or a warehouse in Plovdiv’s logistics corridor — are entirely unaffected by this limitation.

This guide covers the full picture for Turkish buyers in 2026: property rights across all asset types, the company structure for land and commercial property, the investment case across the main Bulgarian cities, mortgage access, taxes, remote purchase, and visa requirements.

Property Ownership Rights for Turkish Nationals

What Can Be Purchased Directly — No Company Required

Turkish nationals can purchase the following property types directly in their own name, with no Bulgarian company structure and no additional approval process:

Buying an Apartment in Bulgaria as a Turkish National

Direct Purchase — The Most Common Entry Point

For Turkish nationals purchasing apartments — whether in Sofia, Varna, or the Black Sea coast — the process is straightforward. Apartments are distinct legal objects under Bulgarian law, separate from the land on which the building stands. The non-EU land restriction does not apply. A Turkish national can purchase an apartment directly in their own name with no company structure, no special approval, and no minimum investment threshold.

Buying a House with Land as a Turkish National

The Land Restriction and Its Solution

Turkish nationals, as non-EU citizens, cannot directly own Bulgarian land as individuals. The restriction applies to: land plots, the land beneath and around a standalone house, development plots, and agricultural land. The house as a structure can theoretically be owned individually; the land element requires a company structure.

The standard and legally sound solution is to register a Bulgarian limited liability company — an EOOD (one owner) or OOD (two or more owners) — and acquire the property through that company. The company has full property ownership rights including land, on the same basis as a Bulgarian national. It can be 100% owned by a Turkish national with no Bulgarian co-owner required.

Why Bulgaria Is Strategically Important for Turkish Investors

The EU Gateway: Geography, Tax, and Market Access

For Turkish businesses and investors, Bulgaria occupies a unique strategic position: it is the only EU country with a direct land border to Turkey, and since January 2026, the only such country that is also part of the Schengen Area and the eurozone. This combination — shared border, EU market access, euro currency, Schengen logistics — creates an investment proposition without parallel for Turkish operators seeking a European base.

Commercial Property for Turkish Investors

Logistics, Manufacturing, Offices, and Hotels

Commercial property investment is the area where Turkish investors are most distinctively active in the Bulgarian market, and where the strategic logic of proximity and EU market access is most directly expressed. The main commercial property segments of interest to Turkish buyers fall into four categories.

Logistics and Warehouse Property

Bulgaria’s Schengen accession has transformed its logistics real estate market. As the EU’s easternmost land border with Turkey, Bulgaria is the natural first-stop logistics hub for Turkish goods entering the EU. The Plovdiv-Trakia corridor — on Pan-European Corridor IV (Berlin–Istanbul) and adjacent to the Trakia motorway — is Bulgaria’s primary logistics and industrial zone, hosting over 100 international companies.

Manufacturing and Production Facilities

Bulgaria’s manufacturing sector has expanded significantly following Schengen accession and the announcement of major defence and automotive investments. Turkish manufacturers seeking to establish EU production capacity — for export to EU clients or to benefit from EU regulatory certification — find Plovdiv’s industrial zone a compelling option: skilled workforce, lower labour costs than Western Europe, and a logistics position that connects directly to Turkey.

• Trakia Economic Zone in Plovdiv: Bulgaria’s premier industrial park; over 100 international manufacturers; active new investment including Rheinmetall (€1bn+);
• Stara Zagora region: manufacturing and energy transition investment; lower land costs than Plovdiv;
• Sofia ring-road: light manufacturing and assembly; proximity to capital city workforce;
• Rousse and Vidin: Danube corridor manufacturing for Romanian and Central European supply chains.

Office and Commercial Retail

Sofia is the only Bulgarian city with a developed Grade A office market. Rental yields of €12–16/m²/month in Business Park Sofia and the prime CBD attract Turkish companies establishing Bulgarian operations for EU market services, BPO, or shared service functions. Retail commercial property in Sofia, Plovdiv, and Varna offers strong yields with institutional-grade tenants (supermarkets, pharmacy chains, bank branches) available in ready-letting format.

Hotels and Hospitality

Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast and ski destinations have historically been popular with Turkish tourists, and Turkish investors have been active in the hospitality segment accordingly. Post-Schengen, the tourist flow from Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia has increased, broadening the revenue base for coastal and ski hospitality assets.

Bulgarian Cities — An Investment Profile for Turkish Buyers

Mortgage Finance for Turkish Nationals in Bulgaria

Available — With Standard Non-EU Borrower Requirements

Bulgarian mortgage products are available to Turkish nationals. Turkish buyers are treated as non-EU borrowers — not a preferred category, but a standard one that several Bulgarian banks actively accommodate, particularly given the established Turkish buyer presence in the market.

Taxes for Turkish Property Owners in Bulgaria

Bulgarian Tax Framework

Turkish nationals who own Bulgarian property are subject to the same Bulgarian tax obligations as all other foreign property owners. There is no nationality-based differential.

Turkey-Bulgaria Double Taxation Treaty

Turkey and Bulgaria have concluded a Double Taxation Treaty (DTT) that governs the allocation of taxing rights on income earned in one country by a resident of the other. Key practical points for Turkish property owners:

• Rental income from Bulgarian property is primarily taxable in Bulgaria; Turkish residents may need to declare the income in Turkey with credit for Bulgarian tax paid under the DTT.
• Capital gains from the sale of Bulgarian immovable property are taxable in Bulgaria under the treaty; the applicable Bulgarian rate is 10%.
• Dividends paid by a Bulgarian company to a Turkish individual shareholder are subject to Bulgarian dividend withholding tax at 5%; the DTT may provide for credit relief in Turkey.
• Turkish nationals are advised to consult a Turkish tax adviser regarding their Turkish declaration obligations on Bulgarian-source income.

Visa and Entry Requirements for Turkish Nationals

Schengen Rules Apply Since 2024

Since Bulgaria’s full Schengen accession, Turkish nationals are subject to Schengen visa rules for entry into Bulgaria. The Schengen C-type visa (short stay, up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the entire Schengen zone) is the standard entry document.

Residency Options for Turkish Property Owners

No Residency Required for Purchase — Options Available for Extended Stays

A Bulgarian residency permit is not required to purchase property. The purchase is a civil law transaction conducted on the basis of a valid Turkish passport. Property ownership does not automatically confer residency rights.

For Turkish nationals who own Bulgarian property and wish to spend extended time in Bulgaria or formalise their presence, the following routes are available:

Buying Bulgarian Property Remotely from Turkey

Power of Attorney — The Standard Mechanism

Many Turkish buyers complete their Bulgarian property purchases without visiting Bulgaria for the transaction. A notarised and apostilled Power of Attorney, granted to a Bulgarian lawyer, allows the lawyer to sign the notarial deed and complete all registration formalities on the buyer’s behalf.

Documents Required for a Bulgarian Property Purchase

Standard Checklist for Turkish Buyers

• Valid Turkish passport — primary identification for the notarial deed
• Bulgarian personal identification number (ЛНЧ) — obtained through the Bulgarian Migration Directorate; your lawyer arranges this before signing
• Proof of residential address — utility bill, bank statement, or official document
• Proof of source of funds — bank statements (12–24 months), payslips or business accounts, property sale documentation
• Bank transfer documentation — confirmation that purchase funds are sent from an account in the buyer’s own name
• Power of Attorney — notarised in Turkey and apostilled; required for remote purchase; with certified Bulgarian translation
• Sworn interpreter (if attending in person) — fee €100–200; coordinated by your lawyer

Additional Documents for Company Purchase

• All of the above for the individual director/shareholder
• Bulgarian company registration documents (Certificate of Incorporation from the Commercial Register)
• Bulgarian corporate bank account documentation
• Ultimate beneficial owner (UBO) declaration filed with the Trade Register

Common Mistakes Turkish Buyers Make in Bulgaria

Step-by-Step Purchase Process for Turkish Nationals

Frequently Asked Questions