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As a rule, immigrants apply for Bulgarian citizenship for a wide list of advantages it provides. Among the main privileges are freedom of movement in Europe and the world, official work in the EU countries, international business development, access to developed health care and education systems, banking structures.
Those who move here with a residence permit and have been living here for ten years or more, as well as those who demonstrate the required level of social integration, can obtain a Bulgarian passport in the general order. The faster status of a citizen is granted to key investors who have invested in the country from 511 300 EUR and to repatriates (those who have an ethnic relation to the people of the Republic).
Contact migration specialists to apply for a Bulgarian passport in just 4-12 months. A personal Relocation Compass lawyer will check your documents and draw up a personalized action plan for simplified acquisition of a second EU citizenship.
Information on refistration the status of a citizen of the Republic of Bulgaria is provided in the national law “For Bulgarian Citizenship” of 1999. Important points are also regulated by the Constitution of the country and international treaties. For participants in the naturalization procedure (ordinary and accelerated), the legal act “For aliens” is also relevant. It lists the grounds and rules for formalizing the status of temporary and permanent resident.
In general, the migration policy of Bulgaria is quite loyal, as the legislation has a large number of grounds for opening a residence permit and participating in the naturalization process. Among the popular ones is residency for financially independent persons, pensioners and investors. Those who are ready to invest solid capital in the economy of the state can reduce the waiting period for citizenship by half. The country also allows repatriates to obtain a passport as quickly and easily as possible – they are subject to minimum requirements.
Children who have at least one of their parents with the same document can obtain a Bulgarian passport, as well as:
The list of requirements for the applicant depends on the basis on which he/she acquires Bulgarian citizenship. In any case, those who apply for a passport not by birthright need to be of legal age and law-abiding. In addition, immigrants undergo a medical examination to ensure that they are free of communicable diseases dangerous to society. Standard naturalization requires renunciation of previous citizenship, passing a language test, and demonstrating financial security.
The basic list of documents for citizenship in Bulgaria, includes:
Documents issued abroad are usually translated into Bulgarian and notarized. Sometimes an apostille may be required.
There are three main options for obtaining a passport in Bulgaria – standard naturalization, accelerated procedure for financial investments in the economy of the republic and by origin. The easiest way to obtain citizenship is for repatriates who do not need to open a residence permit, live in the country long before acquiring the status, learn a new language and provide proof of income. It is enough to present documents proving the candidate’s ethnic belonging to the people of the republic.
General naturalization is an option that suits everyone who has a reason to move and stay in Bulgaria for a long time. It is a long procedure that requires settling in the country and having strong ties with it. Naturalization can be accelerated by investing in the republic in accordance with local laws. It is impossible to directly buy Bulgarian citizenship even for a large amount. Also, in the country there is no passport issuance through childbirth. A child born in the republic receives the citizenship of his parents (or one of them).
The repatriation program provides an opportunity to restore the status of Bulgarian citizen by “blood right” in a simplified procedure. To do so, it is sufficient to prove that you have at least one ancestor of Bulgarian origin in your family tree. It is allowed to be related up to the third generation in the direct ascending line inclusive – you can participate in the procedure as a grandson or great-grandson of the respective relative.
In the twentieth century on the territory of modern Bulgaria were active migration processes, caused by the country’s participation in the major wars of the century and repeated changes in its territorial boundaries. Therefore, it is possible to find the necessary roots for participation in the repatriation program for many foreigners from different parts of the world. The main thing is to conduct a competent legal analysis of the biography, with what the specialized experts help.
When applying for a Bulgarian passport through repatriation, you do not need to move to the republic and observe the period of sedentary (residence) in it, as in the case of naturalization. You are also exempted from language testing and demonstration of income. It is enough to be over 18 years of age, have no criminal record and document your ethnicity. Repatriates, unlike naturalized foreigners, have the right to keep their previous passport.
You can check your chances of participating in the repatriation program at a free consultation with Relocation Compass international law specialist. It takes a maximum of one year to apply for a second passport in Bulgaria with the help of migration lawyers, and you will avoid going through complicated bureaucratic procedures and large expenses.
It is not possible to directly obtain Bulgarian citizenship for investment. The state program of “golden passports” was suspended in March 2022. However, those who invest in the country’s economy from one million leva (approximately 500 thousand EUR) can immediately obtain the status of permanent resident. Thanks to this, the period of residency is reduced by half – up to 5 years instead of the standard 10 on general naturalization. It is possible to make a financial contribution to the rights under concession agreements, shares and units of collective investment schemes, alternative investment funds, private and public companies.
The final amount of investment required for Bulgarian residence permit depends on the chosen investment option and can be up to 3 000 000 EUR. At the same time, you subsequently apply for citizenship in compliance with the general requirements of naturalization, except for the period of residence, which is reduced. You will need to learn the national language, provide information on income and renounce your native citizenship. Also, in the country there is an opportunity to open a residence permit for investment in a smaller amount – from 128 000 EUR, which will be the basis for the start of the standard procedure of naturalization.
You can apply for Bulgarian citizenship in the standard procedure after 5 years of residence in the country with a permanent resident card. You must have a permanent residence permit or a residence permit (long-term residence permit). Permanent residence is also granted after five years of residence in the country with an immigration type residence permit. The total period of residence for naturalization is usually 10 years from the date of moving on the primary residence permit (8 years – for spouses of citizens of the republic). It is possible to open a temporary resident card on one of these grounds:
One observance of the term of naturalization in Bulgaria is not enough. You also need to have a legal and permanent source of livelihood, pass the state language exam and give up your passport in your home country. Spouses of Bulgarians and citizens of EU, EEA and Swiss countries can retain their former citizenship.
The table below summarizes the characteristic features of the different ways of acquiring a Bulgarian passport.
Method of citizenship processing | Waiting period | Average program cost, EUR (administrative fees) | Renunciation of former citizenship |
---|---|---|---|
Naturalization | 10 | from 600 | + |
Repatriation | 4–12 months | from 15 | – |
Investments | 5 | from 512 000 | + |
Restoration of citizenship in Bulgaria by roots step by step is as follows:
Repatriation is the easiest way to obtain a Bulgarian passport. You can submit a request and wait for a decision in your home country without changing your usual way of life. You will not have to learn the Bulgarian language and integrate into the society. Also attractive is the possibility to obtain a second citizenship with the same status in your home country, which is not available to naturalized immigrants.
Relocation Compass migration specialists offer step-by-step support for quick and easy passport application in Bulgaria. You can delegate most of the tasks to professionals in the field of international law and guaranteed second citizenship in the European Union without unnecessary worries and efforts.
Naturalization in Bulgaria consists of the following steps:
Granting a Bulgarian passport is denied to those who have not fulfilled at least one of the conditions of the relevant procedure or who do not meet the requirements for the applicant. Requests are often rejected due to formal mistakes during the formation of the dossier or during the interview. It is also possible to be rejected for reasons of national security.
Article 22 of the Bulgarian Citizenship Act provides for the cancellation of naturalization if it is found that a participant in the program has committed fraudulent acts, provided false documents or concealed from the authorities important data about him/herself. A passport may be revoked in case of committing a serious crime, for example, related to terrorism and extremism.
A Bulgarian passport gives you the right to conduct business and official employment in all EU countries, as well as access to the following advantages and benefits:
There are no agreements between Bulgaria and other states on mutual recognition of dual citizenship. When naturalizing in the republic, it is necessary to renounce the passport in the home country. The right to a second (or multiple) citizenship is available to those who receive it upon repatriation, as well as to EU citizens, husbands and wives of Bulgarians. There is no information regarding the notification by the country’s authorities of the issuance of national passports by foreigners in official sources. After obtaining the second citizenship you will be for each of the states only its citizen.
According to immigrants’ feedback, Bulgarian passport issuance is a rather labor-intensive procedure that requires certain legal knowledge. The candidate will need to understand the list of required documents, to know where to seek missing certificates and statements, make an appointment at the competent authorities in time. It is also important to properly prepare for the interview in order to understand what questions you will need to answer.
The price of Bulgarian citizenship registration, as reported by immigrants, also depends on cooperation with specialists. Relocation Compass lawyers help to save maximum time and money, as they take on most of the tasks of the program. With their participation, you will not need to understand all the legislative aspects on your own, and you will have to wait only 4-12 months.
Migration specialists provide comprehensive assistance in obtaining Bulgarian citizenship through a simplified procedure. A personal lawyer finds an individual approach to each situation, taking into account the wishes and peculiarities of the candidate’s file. Relocation Compass specialists know all aspects of international law, which guarantees a successful result in a short period of time.
Your participation in the procedure is minimized, at any time you can ask clarifying questions and inquire about the progress of the case. You can sign up for a free legal consultation right now to check your chances of obtaining a Bulgarian passport in 2025.