How do I actually find an English-speaking GP in Bulgaria?

You have hit the classic gap: the NHIF system runs through a personal GP (lichen lekar) you choose and register with using a standard form, but there is no official filter for language skills, so finding an English speaker is indeed mostly word of mouth - with some reliable shortcuts. The shortcuts: First, ask in the local expat Facebook groups - for Varna there are several active foreigner groups, and GP recommendations are among the most common posts; you will get the same two or three names repeatedly, which is exactly what you want. Second, call the big private clinics and hospitals in the city and ask which of their GPs both speak English and maintain NHIF patient lists - many doctors do both NHIF and private work, and clinic reception desks know exactly who. Younger doctors, who trained partly in English, are your best odds. Third, some private hospitals have international patient coordinators whose whole job is matching foreigners to English-speaking doctors - use them. Once you have a name, registration is simple: a one-page form at the practice, bring your ID and proof of insurance status. You can switch GPs periodically if it does not work out, so the choice is not forever. Meanwhile, before you settle on one: private consultations do not require GP registration at all - 25-40 euro gets you an appointment, often same week, and receptionists will confirm language when booking. Two more allies: pharmacists, who frequently speak English and competently handle minor issues, and translation apps, which bridge more of a consultation than you would expect. But genuinely, sort the GP - referrals, prescriptions and the whole NHIF machinery flow through them. More in our guide at /guides/health-insurance-healthcare-bulgaria.