Bulgarian pensioners living abroad must take steps to ensure they continue receiving their pensions without interruption by submitting a so-called “life declaration,” formally known as a Declaration for the continuation of receiving a pension from Bulgaria.

For those who receive their pension while residing outside Bulgaria, the declaration must be submitted each year between November 1 and December 31. The certification by an official authority abroad should be dated after November 1 of the current year to be valid.

The procedure for submitting these declarations has not changed for pensioners living in countries that fall under European social security coordination regulations or countries with which Bulgaria has signed bilateral social security agreements.

For Bulgarian pensioners residing in Turkey, pensions are paid through the Turkish Social Security Institute (SGK) under the existing agreement between the two countries. These individuals are required to submit their “life declaration” twice yearly, in January and July.

The declaration itself must be completed by the pensioner and certified either by a notary, a consular office, or another recognized authority in the country of residence. Once certified, it is submitted to the relevant territorial office of the National Social Security Institute, which handles the pension payments. Submissions can be made in person, through a legal representative, via a person authorized under Article 18 of the Administrative Procedure Code, by postal service, or electronically using either a qualified electronic signature (QES) or a personal identification code (PIK) issued by the National Social Security Institute or the National Revenue Agency.

Comprehensive guidance regarding pension payments under European regulations, international agreements, and specific bilateral treaties is available on the official website of the National Social Security Institute.