Timeframe
Full cycle — up to 2 years
12–24 months, depending on how complete your documents are
EU passport
Bulgarian citizenship
We arrange a Bulgarian passport by descent — confirmation of a USSR archival civil record, filing of documents in Sofia or at a consulate, support until you receive your ID card and international passport.
Bulgarian citizenship — how it works
Bulgaria is a full EU member state with a stable legal system and a structured citizenship procedure.
A Bulgarian passport gives you full EU citizen status — the right to live, work and do business in any European Union country, as well as visa-free freedom of movement across the Schengen Area. Since 2025 Bulgaria has been a full member of Schengen.
We will help you prepare all the necessary documents and guide you through the citizenship process.
Cost
Package cost — from 4000 €
Payment in three instalments over the course of the process
Language
No Bulgarian language exam
Only a standard interview (~20 questions)
Schengen 2025
Full member of Schengen
Visa-free freedom of movement across the whole EU zone
Procedure
7 steps to citizenship
Full support at every stage — from confirming your descent to obtaining your internal documents.
- 01
Signing the contract, paying the advance
The contract can be concluded in person or remotely. All we need from you is a photo (scan) of your international passport.
- 02
Confirming Bulgarian descent
A search for a USSR archival civil record stating Bulgarian ethnicity (“болгарин” / “болгарка” — Bulgarian). If necessary, we send requests to archives and Bulgarian communities. The search takes 3–4 weeks on average. You receive an official scan of the confirming document.
In parallel, a filing date is booked.
- 03
Paying the second instalment
After confirmation of Bulgarian descent is received.
- 04
Preparing and filing the documents
Filing takes place at the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice (Sofia) or through the Bulgarian Consulate at your place of residence.
An interview (~20 standard questions) is held at filing: at the consulate in your native language, at the Ministry with an interpreter.
Once filed, you receive a case number (at the Ministry) or a receipt of acceptance (at the consulate).
- 05
Paying the third instalment
After the documents are filed with the Ministry of Justice or the consulate.
- 06
Awaiting the citizenship decree
The review period is 12–24 months. During this time your identity is verified and the absence of legal violations is checked.
- 07
Receiving the decree and obtaining documents
Once the decree is issued, our lawyers help you obtain the full set of internal documents of a Bulgarian citizen — the set is shown below in the “Client documents” section. It is issued within ~2 weeks.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Bulgarian citizenship
How long does it take to obtain Bulgarian citizenship?
The case review period at the Bulgarian Ministry of Justice is 12 to 24 months. Before filing, there is the stage of confirming Bulgarian descent (a search for a USSR archival civil record) — 3–4 weeks on average. After the decree is issued, obtaining the internal documents (EGN personal number, ID card, international passport) takes about 2 more weeks.
How much does obtaining Bulgarian citizenship cost?
The cost depends on the complexity of the case and the amount of archival work needed to confirm Bulgarian descent. On average, our support costs from 4,000 to 9,000 euros. Payment is made in three instalments: an advance on signing the contract, after descent is confirmed, and before the documents are filed.
Do I need to take a Bulgarian language exam or prove my language skills?
No Bulgarian language exam is required. At filing, there is a standard interview of about 20 questions. At the Bulgarian consulate the interview is held in your native language; at the Ministry of Justice in Sofia — with an interpreter. We prepare you for the interview in advance.
Where are the documents filed — at the Ministry of Justice in Sofia or at a Bulgarian consulate?
Filing is possible in two places. At the Ministry of Justice in Sofia — the basic set of documents: international passport, birth and marriage certificates, certificate of change of surname (if any), certificates from a general practitioner and from a psychoneurological dispensary. At the Bulgarian consulate at your place of residence — additionally an internal passport, certificates from a narcologist, a Wassermann test and an HIV-negative certificate. Once filed, you receive a case number (at the Ministry) or a receipt of acceptance of documents (at the consulate).
Can Bulgarian citizenship be passed on to children?
Yes, Bulgarian citizenship is passed on to children. Since 2025 Bulgaria has been a full member of the Schengen Area, which gives the right to live, study and work in all EU countries.
What is confirmation of Bulgarian descent and how is it found?
It is a search for a USSR archival civil record stating the Bulgarian ethnicity of your ancestor (for example, “болгарин” or “болгарка” — Bulgarian). If necessary, we send requests to archives and Bulgarian communities. The search takes 3–4 weeks on average. The result is an official scan of the confirming document, which becomes the basis for filing the citizenship case.
What are the advantages of Bulgarian citizenship?
Bulgaria is an EU country and, since 2025, a full member of the Schengen Area. Bulgarian citizens have the right to live, work and study in all European Union countries. Bulgarian citizenship is full legal membership of an EU state, not a temporary status. Citizenship is passed on to children. An Alliance Consulting lawyer guides you at every stage.
Client documents
What you get at the end
The full set of documents of a Bulgarian citizen — from the citizenship certificate to the biometric passport.
Bulgarian citizenship certificate
Bulgarian birth certificate
Driving licence
Marriage certificate
Bulgarian ID card
Bulgarian biometric passport
Other Alliance Consulting services
The full range of support for relocating and obtaining status in the European Union.
Romanian citizenship
EU citizenship by descent — from the first consultation to the oath in Bucharest.
Learn moreSRL registration in Romania
Company formation, registered address, accounting and tax — turnkey.
Learn morePassive income in the EU
Income from Romanian real estate: rentals and transaction support.
Learn moreNeed advice on Bulgarian citizenship?
The first step is to check whether you have a ground: Bulgarian roots and the documents that prove them.
Leave a request. We will go through your family tree free of charge and tell you whether the package can realistically be assembled and what to look for in the archives.
If there is no ground, we will say so directly rather than drag things out.
- Telegram / WhatsApp
- +40 775 249 442
- Our offices
- Constanța: Bulevardul Mamaia 203 (3rd floor, office 6)
Năvodari: Aleea D30, Nr.8
Daily, 9:00–20:00