How to Get a Power of Attorney for Bulgaria: Apostille, Notary & Process

The One Document That Makes Remote Business in Bulgaria Possible

If you want to register a company in Bulgaria remotely, open a bank account, or handle legal matters without being physically present, you need one critical document: a Power of Attorney (PoA). In Bulgarian, it is called a palnomoshno (пълномощно). Getting it right is not complicated, but it requires a specific sequence of steps: notarization, apostille, sworn translation, and physical shipping of the original document.

Most foreign founders stumble not on the PoA itself but on the apostille and translation requirements. They assume a notarized document from their home country is enough. It is not. Without an apostille (or consular legalization for non-Hague countries) and a certified sworn translation into Bulgarian, the Trade Registry and Bulgarian banks will reject the document outright.

This guide walks you through every step, with country-specific costs and timelines, so you can prepare your Power of Attorney correctly the first time.

What Is a Power of Attorney and When You Need One

A Power of Attorney is a legal instrument that authorizes another person — typically your Bulgarian lawyer — to perform specific legal acts on your behalf. Under Bulgarian law, the PoA must explicitly state what the authorized person can do. A generic "do anything on my behalf" power will be rejected by the Trade Registry and most banks.

You will need a Power of Attorney in Bulgaria for:

• Company registration. Your lawyer uses the PoA to sign the Founding Act, file the application with the Trade Registry, open a capital accumulation account, and register with the National Revenue Agency. This is the most common use case for foreign founders. See our remote EOOD registration guide for the full process.
• Bank account opening. A PoA allows your lawyer to open the temporary capital accumulation account required for company registration. For the full corporate business account, most banks still require the manager's physical presence for KYC — but the initial account can be opened remotely.
• Corporate changes. After registration, you may need a PoA for changing the company director, transferring shares, or amending the Founding Act.
• Residence matters (limited). A lawyer can handle some administrative tasks with a PoA, such as collecting a residence card from the Migration Directorate. However, the actual residence permit application must be submitted in person — no representative can do this for you.

Step-by-Step: Getting Your PoA Ready

The process has four stages, and they must happen in this order. Skipping or reordering steps will result in a document that Bulgarian authorities will not accept.

1. Your Bulgarian lawyer drafts the PoA. The lawyer prepares the document in Bulgarian (or bilingual Bulgarian-English). It must specify every act the authorized person can perform — founding a company, signing the Founding Act, opening a bank account, filing with the Trade Registry, appointing a manager, signing the specimen signature. A well-drafted PoA covers all foreseeable actions so you do not need to repeat the process for each step. Your lawyer emails you the document as a PDF for printing.
2. You sign the PoA before a notary in your home country. Print the document, visit any notary public in your city, and sign it in person. The notary verifies your identity (passport or national ID), witnesses your signature, and affixes their official seal. This step is called notarization. You must sign in wet ink — the notary certifies your physical signature. Cost: EUR 50-150 depending on your country.
3. You obtain an apostille for the notarized PoA. The apostille is an international certificate under the 1961 Hague Convention that authenticates the notary's seal for use in another country. It is issued by the designated authority in your country (see the country-by-country breakdown below). Timeline: same-day to 5 business days. Cost: EUR 10-50 per document.
4. You arrange a sworn translation and ship the originals to Bulgaria. All foreign-language documents must be translated into Bulgarian by a sworn translator registered with the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This translation is done in Bulgaria — your lawyer arranges it after receiving the documents. Ship the original notarized and apostilled PoA via international courier (DHL, FedEx, UPS) to your lawyer's office. Only original documents are accepted — scans, copies, or digital versions will be rejected. Shipping: 3-7 business days.

The Apostille Explained

The Hague Convention of 1961 (formally: the Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents) created the apostille system to simplify the authentication of documents for international use. Bulgaria has been a member since April 30, 2001.

If your country is a Hague Convention member — and most are (currently 125 contracting states) — all you need is an apostille. No embassy visit, no consular chain, no additional legalization. The apostille is a one-page certificate (or stamp) attached to your notarized document that confirms the notary's identity and authority.

Where to Get an Apostille by Country

Tip: Apostille fees and timelines change periodically. Always verify the current fee with your local issuing authority before visiting. The HCCH Authorities page lists the designated authority for every member country.

Non-Hague Countries: Full Consular Legalization

If your country is not a member of the Hague Apostille Convention, you need full consular legalization instead. This is a longer and more expensive process involving a multi-step authentication chain:

1. Notarize the document with a local notary public
2. Authenticate the notary's seal at your country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (or equivalent)
3. Legalize the foreign ministry's stamp at the Bulgarian embassy or consulate in your country

If there is no Bulgarian embassy in your country, the legalization can be done at a Bulgarian embassy in a third country that is also accredited for Bulgaria. This adds time and complexity.

Don't Forget the Specimen Signature

The specimen signature (спесимен) is a separate mandatory document that many founders overlook. It is a declaration where the appointed company manager signs their name in a specific format before a notary. The Trade Registry requires it as part of every company registration.

The specimen signature goes through the exact same process as the Power of Attorney:

• Signed in person before a notary in your home country
• Notarized (notary certifies your signature)
• Apostilled (separate apostille from the PoA — each document needs its own)
• Sworn translation into Bulgarian
• Shipped as an original to Bulgaria

A well-organized lawyer will prepare both the PoA and the specimen signature together and send them to you as a single package. You visit your local notary once, sign both documents, get apostilles for both, and ship everything together. One trip, one courier shipment.

What the PoA Must Include

For company registration in Bulgaria, the Power of Attorney must specifically authorize your representative to perform the following acts. A PoA that uses vague language or omits any of these will be rejected by the Trade Registry registrar:

• Found the company — sign the Founding Act (Учредителен акт) and the Decision of the Sole Founder
• File with the Trade Registry — submit the application and all annexes to the Commercial Register
• Open a bank account — open a capital accumulation account and deposit the share capital
• Appoint the manager — sign the manager's consent declaration and related declarations
• Sign the specimen signature — file the specimen with the Trade Registry on behalf of the manager (if the manager is not signing separately)
• Register with the NRA — represent the company before the National Revenue Agency for tax registration
• Receive and sign correspondence — accept documents issued by the Trade Registry and other authorities

Your lawyer drafts the PoA with all of these powers included. You do not need to write or modify anything — just review it, print it, and sign it at your notary.

Bulgarian Consulate Alternative

If your country has a Bulgarian embassy or consulate that offers notarial services, you can skip the apostille entirely. Here is how it works:

You visit the Bulgarian consulate in your city, sign the PoA and specimen signature before a Bulgarian consular officer, who acts as a notary within the Bulgarian legal system. Because the document is authenticated by a Bulgarian official, it does not need an apostille or any further legalization. It is already recognized by all Bulgarian institutions.

Advantages:

• No apostille needed — saves EUR 20-100 and several days
• No separate legalization step
• The consular officer may be able to certify the document in Bulgarian directly

Disadvantages:

• Not all Bulgarian consulates offer notarial services — check in advance
• Appointments can be difficult to book (some consulates have weeks-long waiting lists)
• Consular fees may be higher than your local notary + apostille combined
• Limited office hours and availability

For most founders, the local notary + apostille route is faster and more predictable. The consulate option works best if you happen to live near a Bulgarian consulate that has readily available appointment slots.

Cost Breakdown

Here is a realistic cost breakdown for preparing a Power of Attorney and specimen signature for Bulgaria. All figures in EUR.

Country-Specific Estimates

These are estimates. Notary and apostille fees vary by region and provider. The sworn translation cost (EUR 30-60) and lawyer fees (EUR 700-999 + VAT) are additional and apply regardless of your country of origin.

PoA Validity and Common Pitfalls

A few important rules that are easy to overlook:

• No expiration by default. Under Bulgarian law, a Power of Attorney does not expire unless the document itself states an expiration date. It remains valid until revoked by the principal, or until the death or incapacity of either party. The maximum statutory validity is 10 years from the date of issue.
• Banks may require a recent PoA. While the law does not impose a strict expiration, Bulgarian banks are more conservative. Many banks will only accept a PoA issued within the last 3-6 months. If your PoA is older, the bank may ask you to issue a new one.
• No digital or electronic PoA. Bulgarian law requires wet-ink signatures and physical notarization for Powers of Attorney used in transactions that require a qualified form — including Trade Registry filings. You cannot sign the PoA with a qualified electronic signature, DocuSign, or any other digital tool. The document must be signed in person before a notary with a physical stamp.
• Specific powers only. Bulgarian institutions — especially banks — will reject any PoA that does not describe the authorized acts in detail. "Full power of attorney" or "general authority" is not sufficient. Every power must be listed explicitly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Disclaimer: This article provides general guidance on Power of Attorney and apostille requirements for Bulgaria based on current legislation and practice as of April 2026. Apostille fees, issuing authorities, and procedures vary by country and are subject to change. Specific legal advice should be obtained from a qualified Bulgarian lawyer for your individual circumstances. Last updated: April 9, 2026.