A free PDF guide — the five grounds of the Act
A guide to citizenship ofBulgaria by descent
A passport of the European Union through Bulgarian roots. No investment, no move and no language examination: the Act exempts descendants of Bulgarians from the requirements as to residence, income and renouncing the citizenship they hold. We set out the five grounds and the timetable of each.
- PDF in English
- Free of charge
- Verified on 11.08.2026
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This material is for information and is not a legal opinion. Whether a ground exists is proved with documents.
01 / The essentials first
What decides your path to a Bulgarian passport
Four things that settle which ground is yours and how long the case will take.
- Five grounds, and they are not alike
Establishing citizenship, naturalisation by descent, a parent who is a citizen, restoration, and the applicant’s children. Each has its provision in the Citizenship Act, its own timetable and its own outcome.
- There is no language examination
For descendants of Bulgarians the Act requires neither a language examination nor residence in the country nor proof of income. Nor do you have to give up the citizenship you hold.
- Kinship runs to the third degree
The ground comes from a Bulgarian ancestor in the ascending line. What matters is evidencing both the kinship and the ancestor’s Bulgarian origin with documents.
- The times in the Act and the times in practice
The Act allows 30 days for the certificate and from 6 to 12 months for the Minister’s submission. In practice the whole cycle takes 24-36 months, allowing for the preparation of documents.
02 / Checking the ground
Which of the five grounds is yours
Three questions about the ancestor, their citizenship and whether the chain held. At the end — the ground with its provision in the Act and the time the Act allows for it.
03 / The two main procedures
Establishing or naturalising
The difference is fundamental: in one the citizenship is confirmed from birth, in the other granted afresh on the Minister’s submission.
The values were checked against the official material on 11.08.2026. Only the rows for which there is no official wording are marked separately.
| Criterion | EstablishingYou already hold citizenship | NaturalisationBy Bulgarian descent |
|---|---|---|
| The provision of the Act | arts. 8 and 39 of the Citizenship Act | art. 15(1)(1) of the Citizenship Act |
| What happens | a status held from birth is confirmed | citizenship is granted afresh |
| The condition | the chain of citizenship in the family was never broken | evidenced Bulgarian origin |
| The time under the Act | 30 days for the certificate | up to 9 months for the Minister’s submission |
| The outcome | a certificate, then the personal number and a passport | a decree of naturalisation, then the documents |
| Language and residence | not required | not required |
| Who it suitsA BRIDGES estimate | The line is clean in the documents | The origin can be proved, but the chain was broken |
- The provision of the Act
- arts. 8 and 39 of the Citizenship Act
- art. 15(1)(1) of the Citizenship Act
- What happens
- a status held from birth is confirmed
- citizenship is granted afresh
- The condition
- the chain of citizenship in the family was never broken
- evidenced Bulgarian origin
- The time under the Act
- 30 days for the certificate
- up to 9 months for the Minister’s submission
- The outcome
- a certificate, then the personal number and a passport
- a decree of naturalisation, then the documents
- Language and residence
- not required
- not required
- Who it suitsA BRIDGES estimate
- The line is clean in the documents
- The origin can be proved, but the chain was broken
Filing on the wrong ground means a refusal and another cycle, so the ground is settled from the documents before the work begins.
04 / The country
What the country looks like
Briefly about the country and about what sets the terms of the programme.
- SofiaThe cover of the guide: the country and the key terms of the programme.
- The essentials firstWhat to know before the calculation: the key facts of the programme.
- The terms of the optionsThe parameters of the programme in one table, on the official terms.
- The road mapThe process step by step — from the check to the documents.
- The check on the applicantWhat is examined before the status is granted, and where people stumble.
- The limitsThe limits that bear on the timings and the sum.
- Your teamWho runs the case and what each specialist answers for.
05 / The order of things
How the process runs
The ground is settled first: the documents, the timetable and the authority you file with all follow from it.
- Settling the ground
We go through the family history: which of the five grounds is yours. A mistake here costs a year, so the ground is fixed before the documents are gathered.
- The archive search
The documents on the ancestor’s birth and Bulgarian origin are raised. Some records are in Bulgarian archives, others in the countries the family lived in.
- The certificate of Bulgarian origin
For naturalisation by descent, Bulgarian origin is certified in the prescribed way — a separate document and a separate stage.
- Filing the application
The documents go to the Ministry of Justice of Bulgaria or through a consulate; completeness is checked before filing.
- Consideration and the Minister’s submission
The time depends on the ground: from 6 to 12 months under the Act. Then follows the decree granting citizenship.
- The personal number, the ID card and the passport
After the certificate or the decree the unified civil number, the identity card and the passport are arranged.
07 / Documents
What has to be proved
The hard part is proving not the kinship but the ancestor’s Bulgarian origin.
- The ancestor’s Bulgarian origin
The principal document of the case. Evidenced by birth records, church books, archive certificates and documents of the period.
- The line of descent
Every link between you and the ancestor is evidenced by civil status records. A missing link halts the case.
- No criminal record
Certificates from the country of nationality and the countries of long residence. The requirements are standard and the certificates have a limited life.
- Legalisation and translation
The documents are apostilled and translated into Bulgarian by a sworn translator. The requirements as to form are strict.
The archives may be in several countries, so the search is planned with time to spare.
08 / The limits
What to take into account
Five limits that decide the real timetable and whether the case can be done.
The real timetable is longer than the statutory oneIn practice 24-36 months
The Act allows 30 days for the certificate and up to 12 months for the Minister’s submission, but the whole cycle with the documents and the queues takes considerably longer.
There is no investment programmeBulgarian citizenship is not sold
The former investment scheme is closed. The grounds in force are descent, a parent who is a citizen, and restoration under the Act.
Proving origin is harder than proving kinshipDocuments of the period are needed
Proving that the ancestor was in fact Bulgarian is often harder than showing the chain of kinship. The archives may be in several countries.
A mistake in the ground costs a yearFive procedures with different timetables
Filing on the wrong ground means a refusal and another cycle. The ground is settled from the documents before the work begins.
The Minister decidesMeeting the conditions does not guarantee a decree
On naturalisation the decision follows a submission by the Minister of Justice. Establishing citizenship, by contrast, is a right once the ground is proved.
09 / Your team
Who runs your case
The work is led by specialists in the European grounds and in archive research.
The editorial record
The material was prepared and checked by
- First published
- 11 August 2026
- Last updated
- 11 August 2026
The official sources
- The Bulgarian Citizenship ActThe National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria · checked 11.08.2026The primary source for every ground: articles 8, 15, 17, 18, 26, 35 and 39.
- The Ministry of Justice of Bulgaria — citizenshipМинистерство на правосъдието · checked 11.08.2026The authority that receives the applications and makes the submission granting citizenship.
- The State Agency for Bulgarians AbroadДържавна агенция за българите в чужбина · checked 11.08.2026The certificate of Bulgarian origin — a separate stage for naturalisation.
10 / Common questions
Questions about citizenship of Bulgaria
Is Bulgarian needed?
No. For descendants of Bulgarians the Act provides for no language examination. That sets Bulgaria apart from Hungary, where the language is required for naturalisation through an ancestor.
Do I have to live in Bulgaria?
No. For this category the Act lays down no requirement as to residence, income or the renunciation of your present citizenship.
How distant may the ancestor be?
The ground comes from a Bulgarian ancestor in the ascending line; in practice this means kinship to the third degree. What matters is whether the origin can be proved with documents.
How long does it take?
Under the Act — 30 days for the certificate and from 6 to 12 months for the Minister’s submission, depending on the ground. In practice the whole cycle takes 24-36 months.
What does it cost?
The Act requires no investment or contribution. The costs are the archive search, the legalisation, the translations and the legal work — from about €15,000 all in.
Do I have to renounce my present citizenship?
No. For descendants of Bulgarians the Act expressly exempts you from that requirement.
What does a Bulgarian passport give?
It is citizenship of the EU: the right to live, work and study in any country of the Union, access to education and health care, and visa-free travel on an EU passport.
Where do I start?
With the family history and the documents: which of your ancestors was Bulgarian, what survives and which of the five grounds applies in your case.
Free of charge
Take the guide and an analysis of your ground
We will send the PDF with the five grounds and go through your family history.
- The five grounds of the Act, with their provisions and timetables
- What evidences Bulgarian origin
- The times in the Act and the real times in practice
- An analysis of your own situation for a ground