Our client is building an IT business, and his CIS passport was holding him back as much as any competitor: some contracts were harder to win, payment systems harder to connect, a team in Europe harder to hire.
In IT this friction is expensive. Payment providers are cautious about founders from several countries, some platforms are easier for EU citizens, and relocation and hiring in Europe depend on status. At the same time, the client is of Bulgarian descent, which gives him a right to Bulgarian citizenship and an EU passport.
We gathered and confirmed the evidence of Bulgarian descent and completed the citizenship process. With an EU passport the founder now deals with partners and payment systems as a citizen of the Union, and many barriers have fallen away. Below we explain what exactly changed for the company.
Case at a glance
Situation, solution and outcome in seven lines
Client
IT entrepreneur with Bulgarian heritage
Objective
Remove CIS passport barriers for IT business
Program
Bulgaria, citizenship by descent (through Bulgarian heritage, EU passport)
Key Considerations
Passport affects contracts, payments, and relocation
Logic
EU passport opens European business infrastructure
Solution
Bulgarian citizenship by descent
Result
EU passport and removed business barriers
Client story
Client's Story
Where they started
The client was building an IT business and increasingly encountered limitations not related to the product or team, but to his passport. CIS citizenship created friction where EU passport holders faced none: difficulty entering certain contracts, integrating payment systems, and establishing relationships with European partners.
Why the standard route did not work
In IT, these frictions are costly. Payment providers are cautious with founders from certain jurisdictions, some contracts and platforms favor EU residents and citizens, and relocating and hiring teams in Europe faces visa and status barriers. The founder's passport became an invisible brake on growth.
What BRIDGES had to solve
The client had Bulgarian heritage—a strategic solution. Bulgarian citizenship by descent meant an EU passport, through which the founder gained access to European business infrastructure on different terms: as an EU citizen, not an entrepreneur from a third country. Many barriers tied to a CIS passport were removed.
Why a standard answer would not do
The client came to BRIDGES to leverage heritage for business growth: obtain a Bulgarian passport by descent and through it remove status barriers hindering his IT company.
My CIS passport became a brake on business: contracts were harder in some cases, payment systems were cautious, bringing a team to Europe was a hassle. Dmitry showed me that my Bulgarian heritage was the solution: an EU passport changes the rules for a founder. We obtained citizenship by descent, and many barriers simply disappeared—for partners and systems, I'm now an EU citizen. A passport through heritage truly became a business boost, not just a second document.
Key Considerations
Key Considerations
There was no threat here—the task was to remove an invisible brake on IT business growth. The CIS passport created friction with contracts, payment systems, and team relocation—not because of business quality, but because of the founder's status. The key was recognizing Bulgarian heritage as a strategic tool and realizing the right to an EU passport that changes conditions for the company.
Founder's passport affects contracts and payment systems
01Friction with relocation and team hiring in the EU
02Barriers tied to founder status, not product quality
03Bulgarian heritage as grounds for EU passport
04Proving Bulgarian descent for citizenship
The logic of the solution
How the matter progressed: from checks to result
The chart is built from the facts of this matter and shows the logic of the work without decorative or unverified data.
01
Stage 1
We identified that the passport was hindering the business. First, we established that the client's friction arose not from the product or team, but from the founder's status—a CIS passport. This pointed to the solution: change the status, not the business.
02
Stage 2
We saw a boost for the company in Bulgarian descent. We approached descent pragmatically: Bulgarian descent entitled the client to an EU passport, which opened European business infrastructure. This was strategic rather than sentimental value.
03
Stage 3
We proved Bulgarian descent. We gathered and confirmed evidence of the client's Bulgarian roots according to the authority's requirements—the foundation for citizenship by descent.
04
Stage 4
We obtained citizenship by descent. The client completed the procedure and obtained Bulgarian citizenship, and with it, an EU passport. His status as a founder changed fundamentally.
05
Stage 5
We removed status-related business barriers. With an EU citizen passport, many frictions disappeared: smoother contracts and platforms, greater confidence with payment systems, easier team relocation and hiring in the EU. The invisible brake loosened.
Takeaway. the founder's passport is a factor for IT business. EU citizenship based on Bulgarian descent removes CIS passport barriers, transitioning the founder to EU citizen status and opening European business infrastructure.
How we handled the case
How we handled the case
The work was split into verifiable stages so that every conclusion rested on documents.
01
We identified that the passport was hindering the business
First, we established that the client's friction arose not from the product or team, but from the founder's status—a CIS passport. This pointed to the solution: change the status, not the business.
02
We saw a boost for the company in Bulgarian descent
We approached descent pragmatically: Bulgarian descent entitled the client to an EU passport, which opened European business infrastructure. This was strategic rather than sentimental value.
03
We proved Bulgarian descent
We gathered and confirmed evidence of the client's Bulgarian roots according to the authority's requirements—the foundation for citizenship by descent.
04
We obtained citizenship by descent
The client completed the procedure and obtained Bulgarian citizenship, and with it, an EU passport. His status as a founder changed fundamentally.
05
We removed status-related business barriers
With an EU citizen passport, many frictions disappeared: smoother contracts and platforms, greater confidence with payment systems, easier team relocation and hiring in the EU. The invisible brake loosened.
06
We secured the boost for growth
As a result, the passport by descent worked as a development tool: the client gained not only a second citizenship, but also conditions for IT business where the barriers of a CIS passport no longer hindered growth.
How the work went
From first contact to the result
01We identified that the passport was hindering the business
02We saw a boost for the company in Bulgarian descent
03We proved Bulgarian descent
04We obtained citizenship by descent
05We removed status-related business barriers
06We secured the boost for growth
The sequence and timing reflect this specific case and depend on how complete the documents are and on the decisions of the competent authorities.
Expert comment
In IT, the founder's passport means far more than it seems. It is not merely a document—it is a factor that affects contracts, how payment systems treat you, and how easily you can build a team in Europe. With a CIS country passport, a founder encounters friction where a competitor with an EU passport does not—not because of product quality, but simply because of status. This is an invisible brake on growth. This client had Bulgarian descent, meaning a legitimate right to an EU passport. I always show entrepreneurs the practical side of such descent: it is not a tribute to the past, but a business tool. We proved the descent, obtained citizenship, and many barriers fell away—he became an EU citizen in the eyes of partners and systems. A passport by descent truly works as a boost for an IT company. Descent is a strategic asset if used wisely.
Outcome
What the client received
What was required
How we did it · Result
Remove business barriers
change of founder's status through EU passport · frictions disappeared
Leverage descent
proof of descent · foundation for citizenship
Obtain EU passport
citizenship by descent · EU citizen status
Boost for growth
passport as a tool · open EU infrastructure
Boost for growth
passport as a tool · open EU infrastructure
What was: An IT entrepreneur was hindered by a CIS passport—friction with contracts, payment systems, team relocation—and he had Bulgarian descent. What we did: identified that the passport was slowing the business; saw a boost in the descent for the company; proved Bulgarian descent; obtained citizenship by descent; removed status-related business barriers; secured the boost for growth. What the client received: an EU passport and removed barriers for IT business.
Conclusion: the founder's passport is a factor for IT business. EU citizenship based on Bulgarian descent removes CIS passport barriers, transitioning the founder to EU citizen status and opening European business infrastructure.
The client's IT business received a boost—because we converted his Bulgarian descent into an EU passport that changed the conditions for contracts, payments, and team, instead of fighting the barriers of the previous passport.
Bulgarian citizenship by descent removes visa and banking barriers for an IT business in the EU. We will check whether this route is open to you.
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FAQ
Questions people ask in a similar situation
01How does an EU passport help IT business?
It removes barriers tied to the founder's passport: smoother contracts and platforms, greater confidence with payment systems, easier team relocation and hiring in the EU. The founder is perceived as an EU citizen.
02Why does a CIS passport hinder an IT entrepreneur?
It creates friction not because of the product, but because of status: some contracts are more complex, payment systems are more cautious, and team relocation runs into visa issues. This is an invisible brake on growth.
03Ancestry-based passport - is it about business or ancestors?
It is a practical business tool. EU citizenship through Bulgarian ancestry changes conditions for a company, opening European business infrastructure to the founder.
04What is required for Bulgarian citizenship through ancestry?
Prove Bulgarian descent. From 2026, evidence is submitted directly to the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice. Specific requirements should be clarified with the competent authority.
05Will an EU passport eliminate all business barriers?
It eliminates barriers tied to founder status - the passport. Other business issues are resolved separately, but an EU passport removes the status-related friction of a CIS passport.
06Which documents were key in this case?
We identified that the passport was hindering the business. First, we established that the client's friction arose not from the product or team, but from the founder's status—a CIS passport. This pointed to the solution: change the status, not the business. We saw a boost for the company in Bulgarian descent. We approached descent pragmatically: Bulgarian descent entitled the client to an EU passport, which opened European business infrastructure. This was strategic rather than sentimental value.
07Why did the standard route not suit the client?
In IT, these frictions are costly. Payment providers are cautious with founders from certain jurisdictions, some contracts and platforms favor EU residents and citizens, and relocating and hiring teams in Europe faces visa and status barriers. The founder's passport became an invisible brake on growth.
I lead the international tax practice at BRIDGES and work at the intersection of tax residence, cross-border reporting and banking compliance. I assess how citizenship, residence, relocation or a new ownership structure may affect the client's tax obligations, banking profile and capital.
My work covers tax residence, CRS and FATCA requirements, source of funds and the questions a bank may raise. These elements should be considered together, because inconsistencies between documents, declarations and the underlying circumstances can create risks after a status has been obtained or an account has been opened.
During the consultation, you will receive an assessment of the tax and banking implications of the proposed decision. Where further work is required, I determine the financial documentation and personally oversee the tax and compliance aspects of the BRIDGES project.
Prepared on the basis of BRIDGES practice and reviewed by a subject-matter expert.
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Names and certain details have been changed to protect client confidentiality. The result described reflects one specific situation and is neither a public offer nor a guarantee of a similar outcome. Programme terms are stated as of 2026 and may change - please confirm current parameters with a BRIDGES consultant.
