Ian W
@cyberescue1
English expat in Bulgaria
Forum posts
189
Contacts
3
About me
English
Lives in Varna
Speaks English, some French, little Italian, little Bulgarian.
Registration: 01 January 2023
Activity
OMG fires raging across Bulgaria by Mrs Homemaker
https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/wildfires-rage-across-bulgaria-destroying-forests-homes-2025-07-27/Villages have been evacuated, So far no loss of life thank goodness Its just an awful state of affairs. I do hope everyone ...
Here's a thought / idea that might help save our properties and gardens...It is relatively easy to construct irrigation systems for watering agriculture. Merely pipes laid in the ground, with holes in every 20cm or so , to sprinkle water over the ... Read More
Another Pleasure of City Life... by JimJ
We're starting to see the tiniest signs of an end to our current apartment renovation (not that we're counting any chickens, mind you ..😎)The local municipality have come up with another "Cunning Plan" to make themselves some money and ...
@Kath948381 It's why we don't have a car - too expensive to run, with the stresses that go with it, including parking.Instead, here in Varna, we bought two garages and a parking space. The garages are in a block local to us (100 metres away). The ... Read More
OMG fires raging across Bulgaria by Mrs Homemaker
https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/wildfires-rage-across-bulgaria-destroying-forests-homes-2025-07-27/Villages have been evacuated, So far no loss of life thank goodness Its just an awful state of affairs. I do hope everyone ...
@josephsaad44 I'm well aware of all of what you say and know what they all stand for.I do not watch mainstream media, because it's just propaganda in its purist form. Instead I have an extensive list of Alternative media on video platforms, some ... Read More
OMG fires raging across Bulgaria by Mrs Homemaker
https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/wildfires-rage-across-bulgaria-destroying-forests-homes-2025-07-27/Villages have been evacuated, So far no loss of life thank goodness Its just an awful state of affairs. I do hope everyone ...
@JimJ And to sell the land to China, to invest in solar farms, as has happened in Australia. Read More
OMG fires raging across Bulgaria by Mrs Homemaker
https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/wildfires-rage-across-bulgaria-destroying-forests-homes-2025-07-27/Villages have been evacuated, So far no loss of life thank goodness Its just an awful state of affairs. I do hope everyone ...
@Mrs Homemaker I don't believe any of these fires are to do with climate change. We had temperatures like this decades ago, without a problem.Personally, I believe they are political arson.But I'm not going into the detailed politics of why and how ... Read More
Pre Brexit Residency Card Renewal by cyberescue1
So, the time has come to renew my 5 year, EU, pre Brexit, residency card and obtain a 10 year permanent residency one.... Well, that's what I thought, but bureaucracy in Bulgaria reigns...I received my existing card in October 2020, but the expiry ...
@SimCityAT There's a clause, that says if you've been married to a Bulgarian citizen for a minimum of three years, you are entitled to either apply for citizenship, or a ten year card. Read More
Pre Brexit Residency Card Renewal by cyberescue1
So, the time has come to renew my 5 year, EU, pre Brexit, residency card and obtain a 10 year permanent residency one.... Well, that's what I thought, but bureaucracy in Bulgaria reigns...I received my existing card in October 2020, but the expiry ...
Hi Jim,Here's what's happened to me ...Arrived Aug 2020, before Brexit.Received my first residency card beginning of October 2020 - only valid for 4 years and 3 months.Fast forward Jan 2025....Went to Varna Immigration Office. They couldn't ... Read More
Road safety in Bulgaria by Cheryl
Hello everyone, Navigating roads and experiencing traffic in Bulgaria as an expat can be a learning experience. We invite you to share your insights in order to help other expats and soon-to-be expats stay safe on the road in Bulgaria, whether ...
As Jane pointed out, motorways and cities / towns appear safer than two or three lane trunk roads. I've travelled a lot by car over North East and to Nessebar and Burgas and seen the horrors of impatient driving, mixed with Babushkas at the wheel ... Read More
S1 form husband details have been sent to us . by Kath948381
I've got my S1 but husband's just received his details to be hopefully be added to mine then we can register with a GP. So what do we need to take with us to get him added to my form ? I'm a pensioner he isn't but he does have major heart problems.
@JimJ Couldn't agree more! I had a problem when I updated my residency card, to my current address. They misspelled my name (you'd think a three letter first name would be easy) and that the caused the hospital computers, in the Military Hospital, ... Read More
Scam phone call? by Kath948381
I've just answered a call from a Bulgarian number on my phone from someone claiming to work for or represent the phone company I use tell in me that I need to go to their shop in Nessabar. WellI didn't get my phone from there, have no idea where ...
@Kath948381 I would say that's a scam Kath. I get a couple of those calls per month and I either block the number, or add it too my address phone book as "Do Not Answer".If I answer one, I let them speak, then just say "angliiski" to which they ... Read More
New uk expat looking for BG dream by Martin Adams
hi all, new to the forum and its been great to read so far! few questions for anyone who has maybe experienced similar to myself. i'm 32 years old and own a business in the uk that will pay me a passive income which will comfortably meet the BG ...
@Martin Adams Hi Martin, I live in Varna. I've lived here now for four and a half years. I'm married to a Bulgarian lady.Happy to meet with you, for a chat and advise on anything I can.If your income is more than the minimum Bulgarian wage, then ... Read More
D visa times by Suzi Masterson
How long is the waiting period to get an appointment at the embassy at the moment does anyone know please?I'm trying to make sure we don't over stay and make a plan if it's longer than. I need it to be
@joyburtonbewdley Congratulations Joy! You're now well on the way to living in Bulgaria. I really hope everything to come goes smoothly and life in Bulgaria is enjoyable. You're over what is, probably, the most difficult hurdle.Ian Read More
Retirement visa by D H16
Had a quick question from my non EU Bulgarian D visa holders, I recently went to Bulgaria to rent an apartment and start the whole retirement visa process, but because I did not have my Social Security card I could not open a bank account, the ...
@SimCityAT I have mine paid into a UK account, then I transfer it to Wise. I don't transfer it to a bg account, as I use Wise to pay for everything here, as it's so much easier, but then, I arrived in BG prior to Brexit, so I think the rules were ... Read More
Building quality by Irene14199
We are looking into buying a condo in Varna or Burgas. Any ideas how to find quality construction?Thank you!
@Irene14199 We have two apartments in Varna, one is a three bedroom maisonette and the other a studio apartment. Both are relatively new. The maisonette built in 2008 and the studio 2016.We've had no problems with either apartment.However, it's a ... Read More
Taxes for expats in Bulgaria by Cheryl
Hello everyone, When settling in and living in Bulgaria, you will also need to navigate the local tax system. In order to help newcomers and expats ease their tax-related experience, we would like to invite you to share your experience. What ...
It should also be born in mind, that whilst there is a personal allowance in the UK, there is no personal allowance in Bulgaria. So it's swings and roundabouts. Read More