I am about to inherit a uses electric car. I have Austrian citizenship and want to bring the car eventually to Bulgaria. I recently relocated to Bulgaria. Can you tell me the possible import costs, administration procedures and other things I need to be aware of before doing so?
Thanks!
Dimitar
@genovdimi
Welcome to the expat.com forum and good luck with your move to Bulgaria!
To have Bulgarian plates (or a Bulgarian driving license) requires that you be a legal resident in Bulgaria. This step is the EU Citizen Registration, and it's fairly quick and easy (thanks to "freedom of movement" enjoyed by EU passport holders). Typically you need to show proof of address, proof of health insurance, proof of funds.
If it's a LHD Austrian car, then I doubt it's very complicated. I certainly wouldn't expect any VAT or import duties to be paid (EU vehicle to elsewhere in EU).
It's a bit of rigmarole involving spending most of the day at KAT, so I would suggest a helper/attorney/translator would make life easier. But it's not especially complicated, just tedious. :-)
@gwynj
Thx a lot! Bulgarian authorities were not even able to give me address registration... since they were quarreling whose responsibility it is the migration office or police. they sent me back and forth like three times so I still don't have any proof of address or address registration which is a joke since it's required by law....😏
@genovdimi
Maybe you confused them by talking about "address registration"? You need "EU Citizen Registration" (some folks might call this a "residence permit", which is pretty much what it is) which is done at your local immigration office. Your proof of address is a long-term rental contract or your Notary Act (if you buy a property). Proof of health insurance is your Austrian EHIC or a cheap (less than 100 euros) local policy. And proof of funds. There's no formal address registration here like there is in Spain (Padron) or Germany (Anmeldung). (Your residence permit/registration certificate is a biometric ID card, and it is a proof of address too.)
I would not go as far as to say this is "required by law". You're supposed to, if you stay more than 3 months. But your passport gives you the right to live and work here anyway. However, other Bulgarian formalities (e.g. social security contributions or registering a vehicle) won't be possible until you've done the Registration step.
@gwynj
Every Austrian citizen has a EHIC, it's on the back of their national insurance card which you need ever time you visit the doctor, hospital etc...
As for an electric car, it should be pretty simple and cost next to nothing as it's about emissions. That's how it is in Austria.
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