03/04/2026
What are the hardest parts of relocating (that you wish you knew about sooner)?
Over the past two years I’ve spoken with many people planning a move to Bulgaria.
Different countries, different backgrounds — but very often the same questions.
My full Relocation Guide + Expat Chat — for those who have already done their research and now want to understand how this actually applies to their situation.
Join here 👉 https://olgapronkina.com/bulgaria-expat/
Thank you to everyone who left reviews and gave me feedback in the chat. It helps me understand the issues other expats are having and find the best solutions.
What these conversations have shown me is that it’s not that you don’t know what to do or where to start. You get so much information from different sources, that you just get lost trying to piece it all together.
Hardest parts of relocating (that you wish you knew about sooner):
Choosing the wrong residency route
→ Planning around an option that doesn’t apply → forced to restart
Not understanding how family relocation actually works
→ Expecting to move together → end up separated for months
Signing an apartment that later can’t be used for residency
→ Looks fine → rejected during application
Preparing the wrong documents (or missing the right ones)
→ Delays, repeated visits to migration, redoing paperwork
Uncertainty around working legally while relocating
→ Not knowing when you’re actually allowed to invoice, register for taxes and VAT
Misunderstanding health insurance requirements
→ Using the wrong type → issues during or after application
No clear expectation of timing
→ Steps take longer than expected → plans fall apart
Getting different answers from different sources
→ No clear version of what’s actually correct
Making early decisions that are hard to undo later
→ Housing, paperwork, setup choices that create long-term issues
Seeing these patterns over the last couple of years has helped me understand much better where people get stuck and what questions matter most before making the move.
So thank you again to everyone who trusted me with your questions and shared your experience. The community around relocating to Bulgaria keeps growing — and it’s great to be part of it.
