Law Firm of Advocate Markov

advocatemarkov.com

Lidiya Gercheva

Advocate Lidiya Gercheva is part of the team led by Advocate Markov. Due to the increased interest in the Bulgaria Golden Visa program (Bulgarian permanent residency by investment of EUR 512,000 into an Investment Fund), Lidiya joined the Bulgaria Golden Visa team to further strengthen its capacity and efficiency. The team has significantly improved timelines across all stages of the Bulgaria Golden Visa process — from pre-approval to permanent residency. Currently, the pre-approval stage is completed in as little as four weeks, compared to the statutory deadline of ten weeks. Maintaining this pace throughout the entire process is a key priority. Beyond the formal pre-approval stage itself, one of the main factors contributing to this efficiency is the thorough preparation of the pre-approval application documents. While the required documents are standard, the process is expedited by providing applicants with clear templates, detailed guidance on certification and legalization requirements, explanations regarding source of funds, politically exposed person (PEP) declarations, and assistance with booking embassy appointments. An additional factor that accelerates the process is making the investment before the official pre-approval certificate is issued. In practice, once the Investment Agency confirms that the National Security Agency has approved the application, the applicant may proceed with the investment. This approach allows the investment confirmation documents to be prepared in parallel, so they are ready immediately upon issuance of the pre-approval certificate. This timing is particularly important because, after the capital is deposited, it typically takes around one week for the investment to be registered with the Commercial Register and another week to be reflected at the Central Depository. While some applicants are flexible with timelines, others face strict deadlines — for example, families with children approaching the age of 18, as permanent residency is granted only to children under 18.Note: children over 18 may apply for Bulgarian citizenship once the parent obtains Bulgarian citizenship. In addition to advising clients and managing the pre-approval and investment confirmation stages, Lidiya also works closely on the Fund side, ensuring full regulatory compliance throughout the investment and residency process. Advocate Gercheva is also responsible for the Bulgaria Golden Visa through real estate investment project, initiated by the Bulgaria AIF Fund and managed by Bulgaria Fund Management.

Since the very beginning of my career, my team and I have always been focused on delivering results. It was never about simply providing a service — it was about what outcome we would achieve. That’s why we shifted early from hourly billing to fixed-package solutions. It may sound funny, but it works — you don’t pay for time; you pay for a package that delivers the result you’re aiming for. This result-driven approach applies not only to tax optimization cases, but also to citizenship applications. Preparing the required documents is merely an administrative process — not real legal work. What matters is going beyond the paperwork to actually achieve the goal. And the goal is simple: if you apply for Bulgarian citizenship, you do it to obtain Bulgarian citizenship. The same mindset applies to Bulgarian tax residency applications. Clients don’t pay us to fill out forms — they pay for a hassle-free process that leads to a confirmed tax residency. Even in criminal defense, the principle is the same: the client knows the expected outcome before the case begins. We don’t make over-optimistic promises — we only commit to what can be realistically and reliably delivered. Beyond standard legal services — such as citizenship, residency, family reunification, tax optimization, and commercial litigation — our team also provides specialized financial services. With the right experts on board, we can assist you in establishing an investment fund in Bulgaria and obtaining a Fund Manager license. But that’s just the starting point. Our expertise extends to auditing, accounting, and full administrative support — from NAV calculations, regulatory reporting to the FSC and ESMA, and ESG compliance, to AML and PEP due diligence. We ensure your structure remains fully compliant with all national and European security and financial standards. And, staying true to our result-oriented nature, our team doesn’t just consult — we also manage our own investment fund registered in Bulgaria, which accepts investors under the Bulgaria Golden Visa program. We don’t just learn from the books; we practice what we advise — every process, every regulation, every result.

The firm is a full-service law firm with a strong focus on corporate litigation, providing comprehensive legal representation to companies, shareholders, and corporate executives in complex commercial and business disputes. With extensive courtroom experience and a deep understanding of corporate and commercial law, the firm delivers strategic, results-oriented advocacy tailored to each client’s objectives. Our corporate litigation practice covers a broad range of disputes, including shareholder and partnership conflicts, director and officer liability, breach of contract claims, corporate governance disputes, M&A-related litigation, unfair competition, and commercial torts. We work closely with clients to develop litigation strategies that protect their business interests while balancing legal, financial, and reputational considerations. The firm represents clients at all stages of corporate disputes, from pre-litigation risk assessment and settlement negotiations to court proceedings, appeals, and enforcement actions. Our lawyers have a proven track record of successfully representing clients before Bulgarian courts and arbitral tribunals, as well as in proceedings involving regulatory and supervisory authorities. In addition to corporate litigation, the firm maintains a dedicated tax law practice. Our tax lawyers represent clients across a wide range of tax matters, including corporate tax, individual tax, estate and gift tax, international tax, and tax litigation. We work closely with clients to provide tailored, practical solutions aligned with their specific needs and objectives, and advise on tax planning, regulatory compliance, and risk management, helping clients minimize tax liabilities while maximizing lawful opportunities. At the law firm of Advocate Markov, we are committed to providing high-quality, efficient, and commercially driven legal services. Whether advising individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises, or large corporate groups, our team combines legal precision with practical business insight to achieve favorable and sustainable outcomes for our clients.