A practical pathway to residence in the EU for non-EU entrepreneurs
Registering a Trade Representative Office (TRO) in Bulgaria is one of the most straightforward and legally established ways for non-EU business owners/directors to obtain Bulgarian residence permits for up to two foreign representatives—without making a capital investment or hiring employees in Bulgaria.
This structure is especially attractive for founders, consultants, and international companies that want EU presence and residence, while continuing to operate their main business abroad.
Why register a TRO in Bulgaria?
1. Residence rights for two foreign representatives
A registered TRO allows the appointment of up to two non-EU representatives, each of whom may apply for:
- Long-term Bulgarian residence permit
- Renewable annually. After 5 years might be eligible to permanent residence obtaining.
- Legal stay and movement within the EU (Schengen travel rules apply)
This makes the TRO one of the few legal mechanisms in Bulgaria that directly supports residence based on business representation, not employment or investment.
2. No company formation, no capital
Unlike company incorporation:
- ❌ No share capital required
- ❌ No Bulgarian entity is created
- ❌ No corporate tax exposure in Bulgaria
The TRO is not a commercial entity and cannot trade, invoice, or generate revenue locally. It exists solely to represent the foreign parent company.
3. Ideal for foreign companies entering the EU
A TRO is suitable if you want to:
- Establish official EU presence
- Conduct market research and promotion
- Attend meetings, fairs, negotiations
- Maintain local administrative presence
- Support future expansion (later company formation)
- It is commonly used as a first step before full market entry.
4. Fast, predictable, and legally stable
- Registration with the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- Clear legal framework under Bulgarian law
- Widely accepted by Bulgarian Migration authorities
- Lower scrutiny compared to employment-based residence routes
5. Lower compliance burden
Since a TRO:
- Does not trade
- Does not generate income
- Is not a taxpayer
There are no VAT registrations, no accounting filings, and no annual financial statements, making it one of the lowest-maintenance legal presences in Bulgaria.
Who is this service for?
This service is ideal for:
- Non-EU founders and business owners
- Consultants and service providers
- International trading companies
- Digital entrepreneurs with foreign entities
- Families seeking EU residence via business presence
Especially suitable when:
- You do not yet want to open a Bulgarian company
- Your primary goal is legal residence, not local trading
- You want a clean, compliant, and reversible structure
Key limitations (important to understand)
A TRO:
- ❌ Cannot issue invoices
- ❌ Cannot sign commercial contracts locally
- ❌ Cannot employ staff
- ❌ Cannot generate revenue in Bulgaria
If active operations are needed later, a Bulgarian company (LLC or VCC) can be incorporated separately.
What our TRO service includes
- Legal review of the foreign parent company
- TRO registration with the Chamber of Commerce
- TRO registration in BULSTAT register and beneficial owners publishing
- Appointment of up to two representatives
- Assistance with visa applications for two representative
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Assistance with residence permit preparation for two representative
- Structured documentation aligned with Migration Directorate practice
- End-to-end coordination until registration completion
In case you are not able to provide required documents and we have prepared the TRO registration documents already our fees are not refundable.
What our TRO service does NOT include
-
Government fees regarding BCCI, certificates, visas, residence
- Notary fees
- Official translations
- Legalization
- Apostille costs if such are necessary
- International shipping charges for documents
- Rental agreements for office and living space for representatives
In short
A Trade Representative Office in Bulgaria is one of the most efficient, low-risk, and cost-effective ways for non-EU nationals to secure legal residence in an EU member state—without investment, without company formation, and without tax exposure.
If your goal is EU residence through business presence, the TRO remains a proven and widely used solution.
We provide full service for registering a Trade Representative Office of a foreign company in Bulgaria.
