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Bulgarian Citizenship by Origin (naturalization of persons of Bulgarian origin, Art. 15 Bulgarian Citizenship Act)

Bulgaria · Eastern Europe

Source: Mobility Asset DatabaseLifecycle: UnknownEntitlement CitizenshipCitizenship by Descent

Program facts from the CitizensOS Mobility Asset Database. Unknown facts are shown as Unknown, never as zero.

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Publication state
Mobility Asset Database
Lifecycle status
Unknown
Facts checked through
Sep 21, 2026
Source snapshots
Database edition

Identity and current status

The route identity and current status.

Present
Year establishedPublished
1999
Governing lawPublished
Bulgarian Citizenship Act (in force 20 February 1999), Article 15; last amended State Gazette No. 61 of 29 July 2025
Responsible authorityPublished
Ministry of Justice — Bulgarian Citizenship Directorate

What the program provides

What the program gives the holder.

Present
What the program providesPublished
Claim Bulgarian citizenship through a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent of Bulgarian origin and gain an EU passport with no residence requirement

Best suited for

Who the program tends to suit. Research only, never a personal recommendation.

Absent

No governed customer claim is present for this section.

Eligibility

Personal qualifications an applicant must establish.

Present
Minimum agePublished
18 years
Clean criminal record requiredPublished
Yes
Local health insurance requiredPublished
No
Nationality restrictionsPublished
No
Basic eligibilityPublished
Proof of descent from at least one ascendant of Bulgarian origin up to the third degree (parent, grandparent or great-grandparent)
Type of remote employmentPublished
Not applicable
Generational limitPublished
3
Ancestral connectionPublished
3rd Generation Limit: at least one parent, grandparent or great-grandparent must be of Bulgarian origin, proven by official documents (a separate origin certificate from the Agency for Bulgarians Abroad is no longer required since 2021)
Unbroken chain of citizenshipPublished
Not required: the ancestor must be of Bulgarian origin; Bulgarian citizenship need not have passed down the line

Household inclusion

How spouses and children are treated.

Present
Family sponsorshipPublished
No
Spouse includedPublished
No
Children includedUnknown
Unknown
Child age limitUnknown
Unknown
ChildrenPublished
Children of a Bulgarian citizen are Bulgarian by descent (Art. 8) and can be registered once the parent is naturalized. Spouses do not qualify through the origin route; they may naturalize after 3 years of marriage and residence (Art. 13).

Documents

Evidence categories and filing documents.

Absent

No governed customer claim is present for this section.

Process and timeline

How you apply and how long it takes.

Present
Processing timePublished
39.1 weeks
Can apply without travelingPublished
Yes
How you applyPublished
In person at the Ministry of Justice in Sofia or at a Bulgarian embassy/consulate abroad
Required in-person stepPublished
Personal filing and interview at a Bulgarian embassy/consulate or the Ministry of Justice
What the processing time measuresPublished
Statutory 9-month deadline (since 2021 amendment) for the Minister of Justice's proposal, followed by presidential decree; older MoJ guidance said at least one year
Official application routePublished
https://publicbg.mjs.bg/BgInfo/

Costs and investment

Fees, income and savings thresholds, and investment amounts.

Present
Minimum investmentPublished
None required
Minimum passive investment (July 2026)Published
None required
Minimum active investment (July 2026)Published
None required
Processing feeUnknown
Unknown
Application feePublished
$180
Total cost to applyPublished
$180
Monthly income requiredPublished
None required
Monthly pension income requiredPublished
None required
Monthly rental income requiredPublished
None required
Savings requiredPublished
None required
Proof of sufficient fundsPublished
No
Local bank deposit requiredPublished
No
Minimum local bank depositPublished
None required
Fees paidPublished
Before approval
Cost notesPublished
State fee reported as BGN 300 (≈ EUR 153) after an increase from BGN 30; older MoJ checklist showed BGN 30 plus EUR 50 when filed at an embassy. Translation/legalisation costs extra.

Presence and maintenance

Stay, renewal, and how long the status lasts.

Present
Stay required to keep statusPublished
None
Physical presence requiredPublished
No
In-country visit requiredPublished
No
Move-in windowPublished
0 months
Length of residencyUnknown
Unknown
Residency is lifetimePublished
Yes
RenewablePublished
No
Maximum durationUnknown
Unknown
Maximum duration is lifetimePublished
Yes
Stay rule (Sept 2026)Published
Citizenship: no presence required to keep it
Tax residency rulePublished
Residents staying more than 183 days in any 12-month period, or whose centre of vital interests is in Bulgaria, will be considered tax residents
Personal income taxPublished
10%

Rights and onward pathways

Work, healthcare and other rights, and the path to permanent residence and citizenship.

Present
Time to permanent residencyUnknown
Unknown
Time to citizenshipPublished
Immediate
Work for a local employerPublished
Yes
Start a businessPublished
Yes
Remote or freelance workPublished
Yes
Local healthcare accessPublished
Yes
University accessPublished
Yes
Can buy landPublished
Yes
Local bankingPublished
Yes
Permanent residence timeline basisPublished
Not applicable
Citizenship timeline basisPublished
Immediate upon approval

Risks, limitations, and uncertainty

Notes on changes, conflicts, and limits.

Present
Plan B note (Sept 2026)Published
No residence, income or renunciation requirement; dual citizenship allowed for origin applicants. Separate route: a child of a Bulgarian citizen parent is Bulgarian by birth (Art. 8) and only needs registration.

Sources, freshness, and conflict disclosure

Where the CitizensOS Mobility Asset Database took these facts from.

Present
Official program websitePublished
https://justice.government.bg/
Plan B sources (Sept 2026)Published
https://www.bulgarian-citizenship.org/bulgarian-citizenship-law/ | https://www.bulgarian-citizenship.com/bulgarian-citizenship-by-origin/ | https://www.bulgarian.llc/bulgarian-citizenship-by-naturalization-2026-legal-guide/ | https://www.mfa.bg/upload/2125/Bulgarian%20citizenship.pdf

Every fact on this page comes from the CitizensOS Mobility Asset Database (Sep 21, 2026 edition). A blank is shown as Unknown.

This anonymous dossier is read-only research. It does not establish personal fit, eligibility, legal or tax advice, filing, approval, residence, citizenship, or a held Right.