CITIZENSHIP IN BULGARIA BY ORIGIN

It will be easy for foreign citizens, whose ancestors were Bulgarians, to obtain citizenship or permanent residence in Bulgaria based on their origin. An important condition: ancestors must be in a straight line (parents, grandparents, etc., but not uncles and aunts). The main document that is required for this is a certificate of Bulgarian origin. You should get it first. To do this, you need to contact the State Agency for the Affairs of Bulgarians Abroad. This is the only organization that has the right to issue such documents.

• First of all, these are certificates issued by state organizations containing official information about the origin of the applicant and / or his ancestors
• Identities provided by the Bulgarian diaspora are also suitable - but only if we are talking about an organization of Bulgarians abroad officially registered and entered in the Register of the State Agency for the Affairs of Bulgarians Abroad. In this case, the certificate must accurately and in detail indicate the data of the organization that issued it.
• It is possible to provide documents issued by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church containing information on the nationality of the applicant.

To apply, you must first make an appointment with the State Agency for the Affairs of Bulgarians Abroad on the website https://www.aba.government.bg. You need to select the date of the visit for submitting documents, then confirm your email address, fill out an application for submission of an application and confirm it. Applications in State Agency for the Affairs of Bulgarians Abroad are accepted every weekday from 9 to 15 hours. Changes to the work schedule are reported on the website. You can also submit an application to the consular or diplomatic service of the Republic of Bulgaria in another country. In the application, the foreigner indicates information about himself: name, date and place of birth, nationality, citizenship, marital status, education, profession, information about relatives (including those living in Bulgaria), plans regarding the place of residence in the country, etc. Also in the application it is necessary to indicate why the certificate is required: for the purpose of submitting it to the Ministry of Justice for obtaining citizenship or to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for obtaining a permanent or long-term residence permit. A sample application is available for download on the State Agency for the Affairs of Bulgarians Abroad website.

Various documents act as proof of origin.

The application should be accompanied by:
• A copy of the identity card, which indicates citizenship, address registration.
• Birth certificate (if it is not in Bulgarian, translation and legalization will be required).
• Declaration on National Consciousness. In the declaration, you must indicate your data, data of parents, as well as declare your own Bulgarian consciousness, origin. A sample is available for download on the Agency's website. The signature must be certified by a notary.
• Documents proving Bulgarian origin (birth certificates, certificates from archives, other documents indicating the nationality of the applicant and his ancestors). All documents issued outside Bulgaria must be translated into Bulgarian and legalized.
• If the applicant changed his surname, then in addition, he must also provide a certificate of this - translated and legalized.


The processing time of the application may vary depending on the number of those who wish to obtain a certificate. After a positive decision is made, you will be issued a certificate required to obtain a Visa D, temporary residence permit, permanent residence permit in Bulgaria or citizenship. The certificate holders can easily obtain citizenship on the basis of their origin. However, they do not need to live in Bulgaria, take exams and renounce their existing citizenship. Temporary residence permit and permanent residence permit are also easier for ethnic Bulgarians to obtain than for ordinary foreigners.