This matter is regulated by the Bulgarian Citizenship Act as the law
defines the terms and conditions for the acquisition, loss and restoration of
Bulgarian citizenship.
Bulgarian citizenship shall be governed also by the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria by law and by
international treaties in force at the onset of the facts or events related to
citizenship.
Bulgarian citizen who is a citizen of another country are considered
only Bulgarian citizens in the implementation of the Bulgarian legislation,
unless the law provides otherwise.
There are three possibilities for obtaining Bulgarian citizenship:
1. Acquisition of Bulgarian citizenship by origin
- Bulgarian citizen by origin each of whom at least one parent is a
Bulgarian citizen.
- Bulgarian citizen by origin is and any person who is fathered by a
Bulgarian citizen or originating from a Bulgarian citizen has been established
by judicial decision.
2. Acquisition of Bulgarian citizenship by birth
- Bulgarian citizen by birth shell be any person born in the Republic of
Bulgaria, if not entitled to citizenship of origin.
- It is considered born on the territory of Bulgaria child found on this
territory, whose parents are unknown.
3. Acquisition of Bulgarian citizenship by
naturalization
A person who is not a Bulgarian citizen may acquire Bulgarian
citizenship if on a date of filing the application for naturalization:
- is an adult – at least 18 years old
- not later than 5 years has been given permission to reside in Bulgaria
- has not been convicted of a crime of general character of the
Bulgarian court against him and not prosecuted for such offense unless
rehabilitated
- has income or occupation, which enables him to withstand in Bulgaria
- speak Bulgarian, which establishes a procedure established by the
Minister of Education and Science and
- is released from their citizenship or will be released from it at the
time of acquisition of Bulgarian citizenship
A person who is not a Bulgarian citizen, meets the requirements of Art.
12, item 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and not less than 3 years from the date of
application for naturalization has obtained permission for permanent residence
in Bulgaria can acquire Bulgarian citizenship if they meet the one of the
following:
- not less than three years has continued to be legally married to a
Bulgarian citizen
- was born in Bulgaria
- permit for permanent residence is received before coming of age 18
years old
A person granted refugee status or asylum before no less than three
years from the date of filing the application for naturalization may acquire
Bulgarian citizenship if they meet the requirements of Art. 12, item 1, 3, 4
and 5.
A person granted humanitarian status not later than five years from the
date of filing the application for naturalization may acquire Bulgarian
citizenship if they meet the requirements of Art. 12, item 1, 3, 4 and 5.
Stateless person can acquire Bulgarian citizenship if they meet the
requirements of Art. 12, item 1, 3, 4 and 5 and not less than three years of
the date of filing the application for naturalization has a permanent residence
in Bulgaria.
A person who is not a Bulgarian citizen may acquire Bulgarian
citizenship through naturalization, without any conditions under Art. 12, item
2, 4, 5 and 6 if it meets one of the following requirements:
- is of Bulgarian origin
- is adopted by a Bulgarian citizen under conditions of full adoption;
- one of his parents is a Bulgarian citizen or has died as a Bulgarian
citizen.
A person who is not a Bulgarian citizen may acquire Bulgarian
citizenship without the conditions of Art. 12, if the Republic of Bulgaria is
interested in naturalization or if the person has special merits to the
Republic of Bulgaria in public and economic sphere, in science, technology,
culture and sport.
Children under 14 years of age shall acquire Bulgarian citizenship if
their parents or living accept Bulgarian citizenship or if only one of their
parents do so if the other is a Bulgarian citizen. Under the same conditions of
children 14 – to 18 years of age shall acquire
Bulgarian citizenship if they so wish.
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