Bulgarian Citizenship by Origin

Last Updated on November 24, 2024 by Bulgarian Citizenship Team

Article 15 of the Bulgarian Citizenship Act outlines the conditions under which foreign nationals can acquire Bulgarian citizenship through their Bulgarian descent. This process does not require applicants to pass a language exam or renounce their current citizenship. There are three main categories of individuals eligible for Bulgarian citizenship by origin:

A person of Bulgarian origin. This category focuses on ethnicity, meaning individuals who are considered to have Bulgarian ethnic roots.
A person adopted by a Bulgarian citizen under the conditions of full adoption.
A person whose parent is a Bulgarian citizen or has died as a Bulgarian citizen. This category extends citizenship to individuals born to a Bulgarian citizen, regardless of the place of birth or the ethnicity of the individual. This is the category under which children of Bulgaria Golden Visa holders can apply for Bulgarian citizenship.

The amended Citizenship Act, effective as of March 15, 2021, aims to make the process of obtaining Bulgarian citizenship by origin faster and more transparent. Thanks to these changes, the time required to acquire Bulgarian citizenship has been significantly reduced by at least 2 years.

Our team can advise you on the eligibility of acquiring Bulgarian citizenship by origin, to assist in the sourcing, clarification and preparation of the supporting documents, to assist at each step, including by completing many of the steps on behalf of the applicant, to put together the application and submit and represent in front of the responsible authorities.

Furthermore, we may assist you to obtain evidence of Bulgarian origin. This includes birth or death certificates, primary or high school diplomas, marriage or military service certificates issued by local or central government authorities in Bulgaria.

Time to obtain Bulgarian citizenship by origin

As of 2021, the Bulgarian Citizenship Act underwent a significant amendment, reducing the time for citizenship applications to be considered from 12 months to just 9 months. This means that the process to become a Bulgarian citizen is now three months faster than before.

Previously, the citizenship process was a two-stage process, requiring separate applications for a certificate of Bulgarian origin with the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad and for Bulgarian citizenship with the Ministry of Justice. Obtaining the certificate alone could take at least 12 months. However, the amendments now allow for applicants to submit evidence of their Bulgarian origin directly with the Ministry of Justice at the time of applying for Bulgarian citizenship, eliminating the need for a separate certificate.

Furthermore, the amendments now allow for the application and interview to be completed at the same time, eliminating the need for multiple visits to the nearest Bulgarian embassy or Ministry of Justice. This change has also reduced bureaucratic hurdles and introduced clearer criteria, making the process more transparent and efficient.

Overall, these amendments represent a significant improvement in processing time and ease of access to Bulgarian citizenship. It is highly likely that applicants who apply for Bulgarian citizenship by origin after the 2021 amendment will have their application approved faster than those who applied before.

How to prove my Bulgarian origin?

Applicants whose parents obtained Bulgarian citizenship are not required to prove their Bulgarian ethnicity. However, if you are applying based on your Bulgarian ethnicity (up to the third generation), you will need to demonstrate your Bulgarian heritage. The process of proving Bulgarian ethnicity can be approached in several stages.

First, you must establish a link to your Bulgarian ancestors. Our team will assist you in sourcing relevant records from Bulgarian government archives. Simply proving your familial connection may not be enough unless the documents explicitly confirm that your ancestors were of Bulgarian ethnicity (as Bulgarian birth and death certificates only indicate nationality, not ethnicity).

If you cannot find school or military records that clearly state the ethnicity of your ancestors, you will need to submit your citizenship application to the Ministry of Justice. Typically, your application will be rejected within two months. However, this rejection allows you to have your Bulgarian ethnicity officially recognized through court proceedings. Should your application be denied, our experienced citizenship lawyers are ready to help you secure a court certificate of Bulgarian origin and file a new, successful citizenship application.

Establishing Bulgarian Origin for Soviet Union-born Ethnic Bulgarians:

All applicants must submit their ancestors’ originally issued birth certificates, specifically avoiding the new format birth certificates. Newly issued birth certificates are not considered sufficient evidence of Bulgarian origin.

The Ministry of Justice distinguishes between “Свидетельство о Рождении” and “Справка о Рождении.” The “Справка о Рождении” is not accepted.

If any of your ancestors were born in 1940 and their birth record indicates “bolgar,” “bolgarka,” or any other synonymous term denoting Bulgarian ethnicity, you must apply with this particular birth certificate. In the event that your original birth certificate is lost, you may attempt to obtain a duplicate copy rather than applying with a newly issued certificate.

It’s important to note that a newly issued birth certificate can still be used for applying for permanent residency based on origin.

Bulgaria issues one passport to Russians every day – EURACTIV.com

Bulgarian Turks

Citizens of Turkey who lost their Bulgarian citizenship due to the migration processes in the last decades can apply for restoration of Bulgarian citizenship by providing “Passeport D’Emigratoin” and a birth certificate. Their descendants can apply for Bulgarian citizenship by origin based on their ancestors lost Bulgarian citizenship.

If you do not satisfy the restoration requirements, you can follow the standard two staged route. You have to provide a few other certificates from the Turkish administration:

Certificate of migration
Certificate of name identification
Certificate of family tree (now available on the website of the Turkish authorities)

When the Bulgarian Turks were migrating from Bulgaria to Turkey, the Turkish authorities acknowledged their dates of entry. This is confirmed by the Certificate of migration. Since the names of the Bulgarian Turks were slightly changed after they registered with the Turkish administration, the Certificate of name identification is used to confirm the names. The three certificates need to be apostille legalized in Turkey before you forward them to us.

Additionally, our law firm will help you obtain extracts from the Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages with the local municipality where your ancestors were born. You may find more details about the pricing of this service here.

Is an appointment required to apply for Bulgarian citizenship?

Appointments are not necessary for the following cases:

Non-EU citizens with a valid residence permit in the Republic of Bulgaria
Citizens of EU member states
Citizens of the EEA and the Swiss Confederation

If you do not fall under the above categories, you have to book an appointment on the Ministry of Justice’s website to apply for Bulgarian citizenship by origin.

In case you cannot wait for an appointment in Sofia, you may also apply at the nearest Bulgarian embassy or general consulate. Although D visa applications should be submitted in your country of residence or citizenship, Bulgarian citizenship applications can be made at any Bulgarian embassy or general consulate regardless of your current citizenship or residence status.

Is it possible to skip the appointment requirements?

Absolutely, our team can guide you through the application process without the need for booking an appointment with the Ministry of Justice.

Application for Bulgarian Citizenship by origin

When submitting an application for Bulgarian citizenship by origin, an interview will be conducted with the applicant as long as the set of application documents have been provided. The interview is conducted in Bulgarian by officials of the Minister of Justice, following an approved questionnaire. If you are not fluent in Bulgarian, a member of our team can accompany you during your Bulgarian citizenship interview.

Within 14 days of the submission of the application and the interview, an expert check will be conducted to ensure the compliance of the documents with the requirements of the law. If non-compliance is found, the applicant will be notified via a message published in the Directorate’s automated information system and given two months to remedy the irregularities.

If you have already submitted your Citizenship application and there is no status update for quite some time, we will check the status of your application with the Ministry of Justice. You may first check your application status online here using your reference number and PIN before contacting us.

What documents I have to provide to apply for Bulgarian citizenship by origin?

Application form;
Birth Certificate;
Documentation confirming Bulgarian origin, such as birth or death certificates, indicating at least one ancestor of Bulgarian origin within three generations;
Police clearance certificate from home country and country of residence;
Several additional certificates which will be prepared by our law firm.

If you are unable to provide evidence of your Bulgarian origin, our team can assist you in obtaining extracts from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages with the local municipality where your ancestors were born, or records from the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. In the event that no records can be located, our team can help you establish your Bulgarian origin through a specially designated court procedure.

Language requirements

Applicants for Bulgarian citizenship by origin are not obliged to undergo a Bulgarian citizenship language exam. Those applying based on Bulgarian descent are exempt from this requirement. Their citizenship interview can also be conducted in English, or a translator may be employed.

Who is the Service Suitable For?

This service is ideal for non-Bulgarian citizens of Bulgarian descent who wish to apply for Bulgarian citizenship within the next 3 to 6 months.

Although the application process is standardized, we recommend initiating it promptly after contacting our team. Bulgarian legislation is frequently updated, and delaying your application could lead to unexpected complications. For example, a recent discussion introduced in 2024 proposed requiring Bulgarian language proficiency for all applicants (currently, those of Bulgarian origin are exempt). As global trends increasingly mandate language proficiency for naturalization, it’s likely this requirement will be implemented in the near future.

How Much Does It Cost to Obtain Bulgarian Citizenship?

The cost of obtaining Bulgarian citizenship depends on the complexity of your case and the number of documents required to prove your Bulgarian ancestry. Our pricing structure is as follows:

Eligibility Assessment: 500 EUR (deductible from the next payment)
First Adult Applicant: Starting at 2,000 EUR
Additional Adult Family Members: Approximately 1,000 EUR each
Minors Under 18 Years Old: Approximately 1,000 EUR each

For more detailed information on pricing and payment options, please contact us directly.

What Should I Do if My Bulgarian Citizenship by Origin Application Was Refused?
If your citizenship application by origin was refused, our team will assist you in establishing your Bulgarian ethnicity through court proceedings. This legal process offers a structured and objective way to prove your Bulgarian origin, even if your initial application was denied.

Next steps

To obtain more information about applying for Bulgarian citizenship by origin, please feel free to contact us.