How It Works: From Sign-Up to Live Bulgarian Company in 7–10 Days
No vague promises. This is the exact sequence we run for every client, with realistic timelines and what you specifically need to provide at each step. Read this before you decide whether to start.
Quick snapshot
The 7-step process
Define structure and reserve name
You pick a legal form — EOOD (single-owner) or OOD (multi-owner) — and submit 2–3 proposed company names. We check availability with the Bulgarian Commercial Register at the Registry Agency within 24 hours.
Your time: 10 minutes. Our time: Same day.
KYC and document collection
You upload the documents below through our secure portal. We run AML/CFT checks (sanctions screening, PEP screening, adverse media) and draft your statutory documents — Articles of Association, Founding Decision, Manager's Consent — in bilingual Bulgarian-English format. French and German speakers also receive a working translation.
Documents you'll upload
Sign Power of Attorney
We email you the Power of Attorney template, pre-filled and ready. You take it to any notary in your home country, sign it in their presence, and have it apostilled (or consular-legalised if your country isn't part of the Hague Apostille Convention).
You courier the original signed + apostilled POA to our Sofia office. We accept DHL, FedEx, UPS — typically 2–4 days door-to-door.
Your time: ~1.5 hours including the notary visit. Your cost: €50–€200 for notary + apostille (varies by country) + courier fee.
Capital deposit and registry filing
We open a temporary capital-deposit account at a Bulgarian bank in the future company's name, deposit BGN 2 (~€1 — the legal minimum), and obtain the deposit certificate. We then submit the complete registration file to the Commercial Register, including:
- Application form A4 (signed by us under the POA)
- Articles of Association
- Founding Decision
- Manager's Consent and Specimen Signature
- Capital Deposit Certificate
- Registered Office Declaration (your virtual office)
- State fee receipt (€55, included in your €299)
Registry review and UIC issuance
Standard Registry Agency turnaround is 3 business days from filing. The Agency reviews the file, confirms compliance, and issues your UIC (Unified Identification Code) — your company number. At this moment, your Bulgarian EOOD or OOD legally exists.
You receive a digital certificate of registration and a Commercial Register extract within hours of UIC issuance. We translate both to English (and FR/DE if relevant) for your records.
Tax registration and virtual office activation
NRA (National Revenue Agency) registration completes automatically with the UIC — no separate filing required. We activate your virtual office service: mail handling, scanning, translation, and forwarding per your chosen tier.
If you'll exceed the BGN 100,000 (~€51,130) annual turnover threshold, we initiate VAT registration with the NRA at this point. Voluntary VAT registration is also available for B2B businesses below the threshold (often desirable for VIES recognition).
Bank account opening
This is the variable step. We run two parallel tracks:
EMI accounts (fast)
Revolut Business, Wise Business, Payhawk. Onboarding takes 5–15 business days, video KYC accepted. Working IBAN, SEPA payments, debit cards. Sufficient for 80% of operating businesses.
Traditional banks (slower)
UniCredit Bulbank, OTP, Postbank. 3–6 weeks of KYC. Required for cash handling, large SWIFT transfers, or merchant acquiring. Approval rate >90% with our pre-packaged KYC.
Add our Banking Assistance package (€349 bundled) and we manage applications, pre-package documents in each bank's preferred format, and handle correspondence on your behalf.
After registration: ongoing compliance
A Bulgarian company has three recurring obligations. We manage all three through our partner accounting service, or you can outsource them separately:
- Monthly VAT returns — if VAT-registered. Filed with NRA by the 14th of the following month. Even zero-activity months require a nil return.
- Annual corporate tax return — filed by 30 June for the previous calendar year. Tax at 10% flat on annual profit.
- Annual financial statements — filed with the Commercial Register by 30 September. Required even for dormant companies.
Penalties for missed filings start at €100 and escalate. If you'd rather not track Bulgarian deadlines yourself, partner accounting from €747/quarter (~€259/month) handles everything end-to-end.
What we don't do
To set expectations clearly:
- We don't accept anonymous beneficial owners. Bulgarian law requires UBO registration. If you can't or won't disclose, we can't help you.
- We don't offer fake substance. No phantom local directors, no signed-and-unused office contracts. Modern banking compliance catches that within 6 months and your accounts get frozen.
- We don't promise specific bank approvals. Banks make their own KYC decisions. Our 90%+ approval rate is the average — your specific case depends on your jurisdiction, business model, and documentation.
- We don't provide personal tax advice for your home country. CFC rules, residency tests, and double-tax treaty positions need a local advisor where you live. We'll happily coordinate with them.
- We don't auto-renew or upsell silently. Subscription services (virtual office, accounting) require explicit renewal. No surprise charges.
Ready to start the 7 steps?
€299 flat fee, fully remote, 7–10 business days. Or book a free 30-minute call to confirm Bulgaria is right for your situation before you pay anything.