Bulgaria relocation and company formation scams: how to spot them

Why do relocation scams cluster around Bulgaria?

Because the conditions are perfect for them. Bulgaria's rules are genuinely hard to follow from the outside: they've changed a lot in a few years, they're explained differently depending on who you ask, and most official processes run in Bulgarian. At the same time, more and more British and European business owners are searching for a way in, in English, and many of them want to move quickly.

Confusion plus urgency is exactly what a scammer needs. They don't sell you a service. They sell you certainty: a shortcut, a contact, a guarantee. That's also why the best protection isn't suspicion of everyone — it's knowing how the real process works well enough that a promise which can't be kept stands out.

What are the red flags of a Bulgaria relocation scam?

None of these signs proves fraud on its own. But each one is a reason to stop, ask questions and check — and two or more together should end the conversation.

1. They guarantee approval

No one can guarantee a Bulgarian visa or residence permit. The decision belongs to the authorities, and refusals happen even with a complete, compliant file. A guarantee means the person is either misinformed or telling you what you want to hear. A real adviser talks about how well your file is prepared, not about the outcome.

2. They want you to pay a person, not a company

A transfer to someone's personal account, cash handed to an intermediary, a payment in crypto, or "pay my colleague, it's quicker" — all of these should stop you. A professional firm invoices from a business you can look up, and the name on the invoice matches the name on the bank account. If those don't line up, ask why before you pay.

3. The "Bulgarian" agency isn't really in Bulgaria

Some company formation websites present themselves as local but are run entirely from elsewhere, with no Bulgarian company you can find in the register, no named lawyer or accountant, and no address where anyone would meet you. Being based abroad isn't a crime. Being unable to tell you who in Bulgaria actually does the work is a problem.

4. "Helpers" at the counter

Near some offices you may meet people who offer to fill in your forms, skip the queue or "talk to someone inside" — for a fee, in cash, right now. Official fees go to the institution, not to a person in the corridor. If someone offers to speed up a decision that belongs to a public office, walk away.

5. They promise 10% tax while you stay at home

This one is often sold by people who believe it, which makes it more dangerous. A Bulgarian company doesn't change where you live. If you stay resident in the UK or another EU country, that country taxes you, and a company run from your kitchen table may be treated as run from there too. The Bulgarian regime holds up only when the move is real on both sides. We explain this in more detail in our guide for UK citizens.

6. Pressure and "special conditions"

An offer that's only valid today, a slot that will "go to someone else", a rule that's about to change so you must sign now. Real deadlines exist — but a real adviser will show you where they come from.

7. Nothing in writing

No contract, no written scope, no clear list of what's included and what isn't. Just messages on a chat app and a payment request. If it isn't written down, you can't hold anyone to it.

Not sure whether an offer you've received is genuine? Book a free strategy call and we'll walk you through how the real process works for your route.

What questions should I ask before I pay anyone?

Ask these of anyone — a formation agency, a visa agent, a relocation service, and us. The answers, and how willingly they're given, tell you most of what you need to know.

1. Which company am I paying, and what is its registration number? You'll check it in the register (see below).
2. Who exactly will prepare and sign my application or my legal advice? A full name, not "our team".
3. Is that lawyer registered with a Bulgarian bar association? You'll check that too.
4. Which route am I applying under, and what are its requirements? If they can't explain it, they can't prepare it.
5. What happens if the application is refused? An honest answer starts with "it can happen".
6. What exactly is included, and what isn't? In writing, before you pay.
7. Will someone be with me at the offices in Bulgaria? Or will you be on your own once the file is submitted?

How do I check that a Bulgarian company is real?

Use the Commercial Register, kept by the Registry Agency (Агенция по вписванията). Every Bulgarian company is entered there, and the search is public and free — you don't need an account.

• Search by name or by UIC (the company's unified identification code, ЕИК in Bulgarian).
• Check its status: is it active, or in liquidation or insolvency?
• Check the registered seat, the managers and the owners. Does the person you're dealing with appear anywhere?
• Match it to the paperwork. The company name and number on the website, the contract, the invoice and the bank account should all be the same company.

The register shows that a company exists and who runs it. It doesn't show whether the company is any good. Treat it as the first filter, not the last.

How do I check that a Bulgarian lawyer is registered?

Lawyers in Bulgaria are members of a regional bar association, and the Supreme Bar Council (Висш адвокатски съвет) keeps the unified registers of the Bulgarian Bar — including the register of lawyers and the register of law firms. They're published online at bar-register.bg.

• Ask for the lawyer's full name and which bar association they belong to.
• Look them up in the register and check they're listed and entitled to practise.
• Make sure that lawyer is actually on your file — not just a name on a website.

If someone calls themselves a lawyer and you can't find them in the register, ask why. If an agency won't tell you which lawyer is handling your case, that's your answer.

Two myths scammers rely on

What should I do if I think I've been scammed?

1. Stop paying. Don't send "one last fee" to unlock what you've already paid for.
2. Keep everything. Messages, emails, contracts, website pages, payment receipts.
3. Call your bank straight away. The sooner they know, the more options they may have.
4. Report it to the police in the country where you live.
5. Get your actual position checked by a registered professional: what, if anything, was filed in your name, and what you need to do next.

How we work — so you can check us too

We built The Bulgaria Move after a year of doing it alone, scammers included, so we'd rather you checked us than trusted us blindly. You can — and should — ask us every question on the list above.

• We don't guarantee approval. We tell you plainly that refusals happen, and what we do to give your file the best possible chance.
• Legal and tax advice comes from licensed Bulgarian lawyers and accountants, who take professional responsibility for it.
• We tell you when no route fits — including when what you want is to stay at home and pay Bulgarian tax.
• Someone accompanies you in person at the offices in Bulgaria, so you're never alone at a counter.

Want the full story of why we work this way? Read why we built The Bulgaria Move. And if you're still deciding where you fit, start with which route to Bulgaria actually fits you.

Questions we get asked every week