Bulgaria: EGN/LNCh and the first steps for Ukrainians

Moving to a new country almost always begins with paperwork — and in Bulgaria one of the first words you will hear is “EGN”. There is nothing frightening about it: as soon as you understand what this number is and why it exists, most of the following steps become logical. Below is general guidance, not legal, tax or immigration advice.

What EGN and LNCh are

EGN (Единен граждански номер) is the unified civil number, a ten-digit identifier that Bulgaria assigns to its citizens. Foreigners who obtain a legal residence status are usually assigned an LNCh (Личен номер на чужденец) — a personal foreigner’s number that plays the same role in official systems.

Both numbers are unique and stay with the person everywhere — roughly like the Ukrainian РНОКПП or the German Steuer-ID. It is not a separate “permit”, but rather a key by which institutions, banks and doctors recognise exactly you.

Why this number is needed

Practically any official action in Bulgaria relies on the EGN or the LNCh. Without it, many everyday things are hard to do:

• open a bank account;
• sign a housing rental contract or an employment contract;
• see a doctor and use the healthcare system;
• arrange tax and social documents;
• get a SIM card, utility services, some online services.

That is why this number often appears at the very beginning — and after that all the other steps go far more easily.

First steps: general guidance

The exact order depends on your status (for example, temporary protection or another basis for residence), on the city and on the specific situation. So treat this as general logic rather than a step-by-step instruction, and check against official sources.

• Residence status. Questions of legal residence and the assignment of the LNCh are usually handled through the Migration Directorate of Bulgaria’s Ministry of the Interior. This is most often where your personal number appears.
• Address. Registration at the place of residence is done at the local municipality (община/кметство). This often requires a document for the housing and the owner’s consent.
• Bank. To open an account, the bank will ask for a document showing your status and for your number. Conditions and lists of papers differ between banks, so it is worth checking in advance.
• Healthcare. Access to the healthcare system is also linked to your status and your number — the details are best checked with the official institutions.

Important: rules, lists of documents and deadlines change, and I deliberately do not quote specific amounts or rates so as not to mislead. Check current information as of 2026 on the official websites of the relevant authorities (for example, the Migration Directorate, the National Revenue Agency — НАП, your municipality). If the situation is complicated, it makes sense to turn to a lawyer, a tax adviser or a translator — no general text can replace professional advice tailored to your story.

Where to look for help

At the start, what takes the most energy is not the procedure itself, but the language barrier and unfamiliar bureaucracy. Here a person who has already walked this path, or who knows it professionally, is a great help. You can find a Ukrainian-speaking translator, lawyer or accountant in Bulgaria in the [catalogue](/en/catalog) on “Svoyi” — so that you take your first steps in the new country not blindly, but alongside your own people.