For a standard OOD registration by a foreign founder, you personally need to provide: (1) a color scan of your valid passport or national ID, and (2) a signed and notarized Power of Attorney if registering remotely. All other documents — Articles of Association, director declaration, specimen signature instructions — are prepared as templates by our team. You review, sign, and return them.
Documents for a Bulgarian Company
Complete Document Checklists for OOD, Branch & Shelf Company Registration — All Entity Types Covered
OOD / EOOD Checklist
Branch Office Checklist
Apostille & Legalization
Post-Registration Docs
KEY FACTS
6 Core documents for OOD registration
70+ Countries covered for apostille guidance
3–5 Business days for Commercial Register processing
100% Document preparation handled by our team
How to use this page
This page is the complete document reference for all types of Bulgarian company registration — OOD/EOOD, branch office, and shelf company acquisition. It also covers the documents you receive after registration (your company file), the apostille and legalization requirements for the most common founder countries, and a clear explanation of what our team prepares on your behalf versus what you need to provide personally.
The most important thing to understand before reading the checklists below: Bulgaria for Business VCC prepares the vast majority of required documents as part of our service. In most cases, the only documents you personally need to provide are your passport scan and, for remote registration, a signed Power of Attorney. Everything else — Articles of Association, director declarations, board resolutions, registry applications — is drafted, coordinated, and filed by our team.
OUR APPROACH TO DOCUMENTS: We do not send clients a list of documents to gather independently and return to us. Instead, we prepare all templates, explain exactly what each document requires, provide signing instructions, and guide you through any notarization or apostille steps in your country. Our goal is to make the document process as simple and hands-off for you as possible.
Section 1 — Documents for OOD / EOOD registration
The following checklist covers all documents required to register a Bulgarian Limited Liability Company (OOD) or Single-Member LLC (EOOD). This is the most common registration type for foreign entrepreneurs. Documents marked as prepared by Bulgaria for Business VCC require no action from the client beyond review and signature.
| Document | Description & requirements | Who prepares / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Passport or national ID | Valid identity document for every shareholder and for the appointed director (Управител). Color scan — all pages including photo page and validity stamps. Must be current (not expired). | Required from each individual shareholder and director |
| Articles of Association (Дружествен договор) | The founding document of the company, setting out the company name, registered address, share capital, shareholders, business activities, and governance rules. Drafted by our legal team in Bulgarian. | Drafted by Bulgaria for Business VCC — no action needed from client |
| Director’s declaration (Декларация по чл. 141, ал. 8 ТЗ) | Statutory declaration by the appointed director confirming: no criminal convictions for intentional crimes against the economy, no current disqualification from directorship, and consent to act as director. | Template provided by Bulgaria for Business VCC — signed by director |
| Specimen signature of the director (Образец на подпис) | The director’s signature must be certified by a Bulgarian notary. If the director is abroad, this can be done at a Bulgarian embassy or consulate, or via a notarized Power of Attorney. | Certified before Bulgarian notary or Bulgarian consulate abroad |
| Bank certificate of share capital deposit | Certificate from a Bulgarian bank confirming that the minimum share capital (BGN 2 for OOD) has been deposited into a blocked company account pending registration. | Arranged by Bulgaria for Business VCC — client not required to visit bank in person |
| Power of Attorney (for remote registration) | If the founder is not present in Bulgaria, a Power of Attorney authorizing our legal team to act on their behalf must be notarized in the founder’s country and apostilled or consularly legalized. | Required only for remote registration — template provided by our team |
REMOTE REGISTRATION NOTE: If you are registering remotely (from outside Bulgaria), the Power of Attorney is the only additional document you need to arrange. It must be signed before a notary in your country, then apostilled or consularly legalized depending on your country’s treaty status with Bulgaria. Our team provides the exact template and country-specific instructions.
Section 2 — Documents for branch office registration
Registering a branch of a foreign company in Bulgaria requires a more extensive set of documents than an OOD registration, because the parent company’s legal existence and authority must be formally verified. All foreign documents must be apostilled or consularly legalized and accompanied by a certified Bulgarian translation.
| Document | Description & requirements | Who prepares / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Incorporation / Registration | Official document from the parent company’s home country registry confirming the company’s legal existence, registration number, and legal form. Must be apostilled or consularly legalized. | Obtained by client from home country registry — then apostilled |
| Certificate of Good Standing | Confirms the parent company is currently active, in good standing, and has not been dissolved or struck off. Typically issued by the home country registry. Must be recent (within 3–6 months of filing). | Obtained by client — typically costs €20–100 depending on country |
| Articles of Association / Memorandum of parent company | The parent company’s founding document — the equivalent of the Bulgarian Articles of Association. Must be apostilled and officially translated into Bulgarian by a certified translator. | Apostilled in home country + certified Bulgarian translation |
| Board Resolution to open a Bulgarian branch | A formal decision of the parent company’s management body (board of directors, sole director, or equivalent) authorizing the establishment of a Bulgarian branch and appointing the branch manager. | Drafted by Bulgaria for Business VCC — signed and sealed by parent company |
| Passport / ID of the branch manager | Valid identity document of the person appointed as branch manager (Управител на клон). Can be a foreign national of any nationality. No Bulgarian residency required. | Provided by the appointed branch manager |
| Specimen signature of the branch manager | The branch manager’s signature certified by a Bulgarian notary or Bulgarian consulate/embassy abroad. Required for the Commercial Register application. | Certified before Bulgarian notary or Bulgarian consulate abroad |
| Power of Attorney (for remote registration) | If branch registration is handled remotely by our team, the parent company must execute a Power of Attorney authorizing us to act. Notarized and apostilled in the parent company’s home country. | Template provided by Bulgaria for Business VCC — executed by parent company |
TRANSLATION REQUIREMENT: All parent company documents (Certificate of Incorporation, Articles of Association, Board Resolution) must be translated into Bulgarian by a translator certified by the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ordinary or online translations are not accepted by the Commercial Register. Bulgaria for Business VCC coordinates all certified translations through our network — typically 3–5 business days.
Section 3 — Documents for shelf company acquisition
Purchasing a ready-made (shelf) company requires significantly fewer documents than a new OOD registration, because the company already exists and most founding documents are already in place. The process focuses on the share transfer and director replacement rather than company creation.
| Document | Description & requirements | Who prepares / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Passport or national ID of buyer | Valid identity document of the incoming shareholder(s) and the new director. Required for KYC compliance and the share transfer agreement. | Provided by the buyer |
| Share transfer agreement (Договор за прехвърляне на дялове) | The notarized agreement transferring 100% of shares from the current shelf company owner to the buyer. The core legal instrument of the transaction. | Drafted by Bulgaria for Business VCC and signed before Bulgarian notary |
| Director appointment resolution | Decision of the sole shareholder (buyer) appointing the new director and removing the previous director. Signed after transfer. | Drafted by Bulgaria for Business VCC |
| Power of Attorney (for remote acquisition) | If the buyer is not present in Bulgaria, a notarized and apostilled Power of Attorney allows our team to complete the transfer and all related filings on the buyer’s behalf. | Template provided by Bulgaria for Business VCC — apostilled by buyer |
| Source of funds declaration | A declaration confirming the lawful source of the funds used to purchase the company shares. Required for banking KYC/AML compliance when opening or transitioning the corporate bank account. | Provided by buyer — standard template provided by our team |
SHELF COMPANY ADVANTAGE: Because the shelf company already has its Articles of Association, UIC number, and bank account structure in place, the buyer only needs to provide identity documents and sign the transfer agreement. No apostille of the buyer’s documents is typically required for a Bulgarian-to-foreign-buyer transfer — only the Power of Attorney (if acting remotely) needs to be apostilled.
Section 4 — Documents you receive after registration
Once your Bulgarian company is registered, you receive a complete company file. These are the official documents confirming your company’s legal existence, identity, and status — you will need them for bank account opening, contract signing, regulatory registrations, and ongoing compliance.
| Document | Description & requirements | Who prepares / notes |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Registration (Удостоверение за вписване) | Official confirmation from the Registry Agency that the company has been entered in the Bulgarian Commercial Register. Includes the company name, UIC number, registered address, and director details. | Issued by Registry Agency — delivered by Bulgaria for Business VCC |
| UIC / BULSTAT number (ЕИК / БУЛСТАТ) | The company’s unique identification code assigned at registration. Used on all company documents, tax returns, invoices, contracts, and bank correspondence. This number does not change. | Automatically assigned upon registration — included in certificate |
| Certified Articles of Association | A certified copy of the company’s Articles of Association as filed at the Commercial Register. Required for bank account opening, notarial acts, and authority registrations. | Issued by the Registry Agency — obtained by Bulgaria for Business VCC |
| Director’s appointment certificate | An extract from the Commercial Register confirming the appointed director, their authority, and the date of appointment. Required for bank account opening and signing of contracts. | Current extract ordered from Registry Agency on demand |
| VAT registration certificate (Удостоверение за регистрация по ЗДДС) | Issued by the National Revenue Agency (НАП) upon successful VAT registration. Contains the company’s VAT number (BG + UIC). Required for EU cross-border invoicing. | Issued by NRA — Bulgaria for Business VCC handles the application |
| Tax registration confirmation (НАП) | Confirmation from the National Revenue Agency that the company has been enrolled in the tax register. Required for payroll, employment contracts, and corporate tax filing. | Automatic upon Commercial Register entry — NRA notification issued |
| Opening balance sheet (Начален баланс) | The company’s opening accounting balance — required by law within 3 months of registration. Prepared by a licensed Bulgarian accountant. | Prepared by Bulgaria for Business VCC accounting team |
| Specimen signature card (bank) | The bank’s own specimen signature form, completed by the director and used to authorize transactions on the corporate account. Format varies by bank. | Completed at bank — our team accompanies client or acts under POA |
Section 5 — Apostille & legalization by country
Whether and how your documents need to be authenticated before being submitted to Bulgarian authorities depends on your country of residence and the type of document. The table below covers the most common countries of our international clients. For countries not listed, contact us — we advise on all jurisdictions.
| Country / Region | Convention status | Process & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ukraine | Hague Convention | Apostille obtained from the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine or regional justice offices. Standard apostille process applies. |
| Kazakhstan | Hague Convention | Apostille issued by the Ministry of Justice of Kazakhstan. Process typically takes 5–10 business days. |
| United Arab Emirates | Hague Convention (since 2021) | Apostille issued through the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation (MOFAIC). Online apostille service available. |
| United Kingdom | Hague Convention | Apostille issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). Same-day and standard services available. |
| USA | Hague Convention | Apostille issued by the Secretary of State of the relevant US state where the document was notarized. Timelines vary by state (1–15 business days). |
| China | Non-Hague Convention* | Consular legalization required. Documents must be notarized, then legalized by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then by the Bulgarian Embassy in Beijing. |
| Israel | Hague Convention | Apostille issued by the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Standard process — typically 5–7 business days. |
| Turkey | Hague Convention | Apostille issued by the relevant Turkish government authority (varies by document type). Standard process applies. |
| EU Member States | Hague Convention (all EU) | All EU member states are signatories. Apostille issued by the designated authority in each country. Process and timeline vary by country — typically 3–10 business days. |
RUSSIA & CHINA NOTE: Russia and China are not currently signatories to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention. Documents from these countries require the more complex consular legalization process. Our team handles this regularly and will guide you through each step. Additional time of 2–4 weeks should be factored into the overall registration timeline for clients from these countries.
WHAT IS AN APOSTILLE? An apostille is a certificate attached to a public document (such as a notarial deed, official certificate, or government-issued document) that authenticates the document’s origin for use in another country. It is issued by a designated authority in the document’s country of origin — typically a ministry of justice, ministry of foreign affairs, or court. An apostille does NOT authenticate the content of the document — only its origin and the authority of the issuer.
What our team handles for you
Bulgaria for Business VCC manages the entire document process — from preparation through to delivery of your completed company file. Below is a summary of what we handle as part of every registration engagement.
Document templates
We prepare all document templates — Articles of Association, director declarations, POA templates, board resolutions — tailored to your structure and translated as needed.
Country-specific apostille guidance
For every client, we provide exact instructions on how and where to obtain the apostille or consular legalization in their country. No guesswork.
Certified Bulgarian translations
All foreign-language documents requiring translation into Bulgarian are handled through our network of court-certified translators. We coordinate and deliver.
Notary coordination in Bulgaria
Where Bulgarian notarization is required (specimen signature, share transfer, Articles certification), our attorney attends on your behalf under the Power of Attorney.
Commercial Register filing
We compile, check, and submit the complete registration package to the Registry Agency. We track the application and notify you immediately upon registration.
Post-registration document delivery
Once registered, we compile the full company file — certificates, UIC, Articles, director documents — and deliver it digitally, with originals by courier on request.
Frequently asked questions — documents
Key questions answered for foreign companies considering a Bulgarian branch office.
No. A passport or national ID is an internationally recognized travel document and does not require apostille. A clear color scan is sufficient. Some Bulgarian banks may request a notarized copy of the passport for account opening — we will advise if this is required in your specific case.
An apostille is a simplified form of authentication used between the 124 signatory countries of the 1961 Hague Convention. It is a single stamp/certificate applied directly to the document. Consular legalization is a multi-step process required for countries outside the Hague Convention — typically involving the home country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then the Bulgarian embassy or consulate in that country.
For most purposes, scanned copies sent by email are sufficient for our team to begin the process and prepare all registration materials. However, the original apostilled Power of Attorney must be physically couriered to our office — it cannot be accepted as a scan for notarial and registry purposes.
This varies significantly by country. EU member states typically process apostilles in 3–10 business days. The UK FCDO offers same-day services. The UAE and Israel take 5–7 days. For countries requiring consular legalization (Russia, China, some CIS states), the process can take 2–5 weeks. We provide a realistic timeline estimate for your specific country at the consultation stage.
All documents submitted to the Bulgarian Commercial Register must be in Bulgarian or accompanied by a certified Bulgarian translation. Our team coordinates certified translations for all major languages through court-certified translators.
In Bulgaria, the Articles of Association (Дружествен договор or Учредителен акт for EOOD) must be prepared in written form but do not themselves require notarization — they are filed directly with the Commercial Register. However, the director’s specimen signature must be notarized, and the share capital deposit must be confirmed by a bank certificate. Our team manages all these steps.
Upon successful registration you will receive: Certificate of Registration with UIC/BULSTAT number, certified copy of the Articles of Association, extract from the Commercial Register confirming director and address, VAT registration certificate (if applicable), and opening balance sheet. All delivered digitally — originals by courier on request.
Not sure which documents you need?
Tell us your country of residence, the type of company you want to register, and the number of shareholders — we will send you a personalised document checklist within 1 business day.
Free consultation
Personalised checklist
All documents prepared by our team
Personalised checklist
All documents prepared by our team
Bulgaria for Business VCC — Your Trusted Partner for Business Expansion into Bulgaria and the European Union. Document requirements are subject to change. Our team verifies all requirements at the time of your engagement. This guide reflects standard practice as of 2024–2025.