Passport of Romania or Bulgaria: what to choose in 2026

Theoretically, yes, if there are grounds on both lines. In practice this is rare. Bulgaria and Romania do not prohibit their citizens from holding other passports. But running two businesses in parallel is expensive and time-consuming. I recommend choosing one direction - the one where the foundations are stronger.

No. Neither Bulgaria nor Romania require a language test to obtain citizenship by descent. Language is only needed if you go through naturalization after residence - there are different conditions.

No. There are no residency requirements after receipt in either country. You can live anywhere. The passport must be renewed once every 10 years - this can be done through the consulate.

This can be solved, but it is more difficult. For Bulgaria, we work with church books of Bulgarian parishes, collective farm archives, and military documents from the Soviet period. For Romania - with archives in Bucharest, regional archives of Moldova, metric books. It is important to understand: the absence of a document does not always mean a dead end - sometimes there are indirect sources.

Partially. We collect and legalize documents remotely. Bulgaria: final submission and receipt - via consulate or travel. Romania: Mandatory personal presence to take the oath of citizenship. Without this step, citizenship will not be issued.

Realistic with a full package of documents and without comments from the Ministry of Justice. I've seen cases closed in 7 months. There may be delays with additional requests or if the archive takes a long time to respond. Allow 9-14 months for safe planning.

The case is suspended or denied admission. You'll have to replenish it and re-serve it - to the end of the line. This adds 1-2 years to an already long process. This is why we check documents so carefully before submitting.

Citizenship by descent program - yes, if you have Bulgarian roots. Sanctions restrictions apply to financial transactions and entry into a number of countries, but not to the right to citizenship based on ethnic origin. Document collection and submission are operating as normal.

Yes. This is one of the key rights of an EU citizen - freedom to work in any country of the union without work permits, without quotas, without restrictions on profession. This applies to all 27 EU countries in full.

Bulgaria has been included in the US Visa Waiver Program since March 2024. This means: entry via ESTA - online authorization for a few dollars, without a visa, up to 90 days. Romania is also in VWP. Both passports work the same.

There is no direct connection. Tax residency in Russia is determined by days of stay (183+ days per year), not citizenship. Obtaining a Bulgarian passport does not in itself change your Russian tax status. But if you are planning to move, you need separate advice on tax planning.

Yes. Minor children are included in the parent's application in both countries. Adult children (over 18) submit separate applications - but with a simplified package if the parent is already a citizen. A spouse's roots do not count - only one's own line of descent.