People whose Bulgarian origin is shown through an ascendant relative can obtain Bulgarian citizenship by a facilitated type of naturalisation. The authorities check the family link and also assess whether the person belongs to the Bulgarian community.
Who qualifies
A non-citizen who is of Bulgarian origin can be naturalised under the Bulgarian Citizenship Act. "Bulgarian origin" is not the same as being a "Bulgarian citizen": it denotes belonging to the ethnic Bulgarian community, which is shown by at least one ascendant relative up to the third degree inclusive.
What to prepare
You must put together a detailed file: civil-status documents of the ascendant (birth certificates, historical records, other certificates), the applicant's identity documents, and supporting material confirming both the family link and the belonging. How well this file is built is decisive.
Filing and duration
Applications are lodged in Bulgaria or through a Bulgarian diplomatic mission abroad. The procedure then runs for nine to twelve months from the filing with the Ministry of Justice.
Further points the authorities weigh
Alongside the documentary evidence of origin, the Ministry of Justice's Consultative Council also examines:
- whether the applicant speaks Bulgarian;
- whether the applicant sees themselves as being of Bulgarian origin;
- at least one more criterion being satisfied: belonging to a Bulgarian community or minority abroad, coming from a place that historically formed part of Bulgaria or the Bulgarian Exarchate, or bearing a surname that fits the traditional Bulgarian family-name system.
The value of expert handling
Courts have not settled how to read the notion of "Bulgarian origin". Panels differ, and some apply extra substantive criteria to the person who first held the right. The outcome depends directly on the quality of the file and the arguments made at filing.
Our support
We go through the documents you have, spot gaps, collect further evidence and draft a reasoned application. Get in touch and we will make a first assessment of your case.
Examples from our work
Questions we are often asked
- Which documents does citizenship by descent require?
- Required are documents proving Bulgarian origin, such as birth certificates and civil status records, which must be legalised and translated into Bulgarian. For a more remote ancestor, a certificate from the State Agency for Bulgarians Abroad may be needed.
- How much time does citizenship by descent take?
- Averaging 6–18 months, the Ministry of Justice procedure varies with how complete the submitted documents are and how busy the institution is at the time.
- How can Bulgarian citizenship be acquired by descent?
- A person whose parent is a Bulgarian citizen or of Bulgarian origin (one parent is enough) can request citizenship by descent from the Ministry of Justice, without having lived in Bulgaria beforehand.
Please note
Nothing here is legal advice; it is general information. As the law is amended from time to time, contact us if you need an up-to-date, binding view of your own case.
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