---
title: "Bulgarian Citizenship for 1989 Emigrants: Apply or Renew?"
url: https://yeniversiyon.pages.dev/en/bulgarian-citizenship-for-1989-emigrants/
lang: en
published: 2026-10-02
description: "Many 1989 emigrants never lost Bulgarian citizenship. Check your status first: document renewal, registering children, and restoration or origin routes."
source: BulgaristanVatandas.com (https://bulgaristanvatandas.com)
---
# Bulgarian Citizenship for 1989 Emigrants: Apply or Renew?
**Most people who left Bulgaria in 1989 may never have lost their Bulgarian citizenship. If so, you do not need a new citizenship application. Your documents are renewed and children born abroad are registered with Bulgaria. If citizenship was lost, you can restore it or apply through Bulgarian origin. Which route fits is assessed case by case, based on your file.**
This article explains what 1989 emigrants should check first, which procedure applies in which situation, and how name differences are handled.
## Are 1989 emigrants still Bulgarian citizens?
In the summer of 1989, tens of thousands of people left Bulgaria for Türkiye. Many left with a Bulgarian passport or with papers issued by the Bulgarian authorities. In the following years most settled in their new country and later took its citizenship.
Bulgarian law today allows dual citizenship. Acquiring another citizenship therefore does not, on its own, end Bulgarian citizenship. What matters is whether the person was **formally released from or deprived of** Bulgarian citizenship. This differs from person to person:
- **Never lost it:** The Bulgarian civil record still shows you as a citizen. Expired ID cards and passports are renewed.
- **Released or deprived:** The route is restoration of citizenship or an application based on Bulgarian origin.
- **Unclear:** The Bulgarian records are researched first, and the route is chosen from the result.
> **Important:** Many people assume "I left in 1989, so my citizenship is gone" and never check. Having your record searched before applying saves both time and money.
## How to check your status first
1. **Gather your papers:** an old Bulgarian passport, ID card, school or military papers, and documents given at departure.
2. **Collect records from your home country:** for example, a civil registry extract and any citizenship papers (e.g. Türkiye).
3. **Search the Bulgarian civil record:** the municipality of your place of birth is asked about the status of your entry.
4. **Decide the route:** if the record is active, renewal; if it is closed, restoration.
We can carry out this search on your behalf with a power of attorney.
## If you kept your citizenship: renewal and registration
If your citizenship continues, the task is not a new application but updating your records:
- **Renewing ID and passport:** Applications are made in Bulgaria or at a Bulgarian consulate. We cover this in [how to get a Bulgarian passport](/en/how-to-get-a-bulgarian-passport/).
- **Address registration:** A registered address in Bulgaria is required. If your old one was removed, a new one is declared.
- **Registering your children's births:** Children born abroad are Bulgarian citizens if you were a Bulgarian citizen when they were born. They need a birth registration, not a citizenship application. See [birth registration and Bulgarian citizenship for children](/en/birth-registration-bulgarian-citizenship-for-children/).
- **Marriage and divorce records:** A marriage made abroad is registered if it has not been entered in Bulgarian records.
Birth registration usually takes 2-3 months when documents are complete. A new citizenship application takes 1.5-3 years in practice, so renewal is much faster.
## If you no longer have citizenship: restoration and origin route
If the records show citizenship ended, there are two routes:
| Route | When it fits | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Restoration of citizenship | The person was once a Bulgarian citizen and it ended | Old records and departure papers matter |
| Application through Bulgarian origin | No record is found or the person applies by origin | A [certificate of Bulgarian origin](/en/certificate-of-bulgarian-origin/) is requested |
Applications go to the Ministry of Justice in Sofia or through consulates. The total time in practice is 1.5-3 years. Which route suits you is assessed case by case from your documents. For the general picture see our [citizenship services page](/en/services/citizenship/).
## How is this different from the 1951 emigrants?
Most people who left in 1951 are no longer alive, because so much time has passed. Today's applicants are usually their children or grandchildren, and they apply **through origin**. Details are in [can 1951 Bulgarian emigrants obtain citizenship](/en/can-1951-bulgarian-emigrants-get-citizenship/).
Most 1989 emigrants are still living and hold their own documents. So the person's own record is researched first, and the origin route becomes a second option if needed. In short: for 1951 the question is "can a descendant become a citizen?", while for 1989 it is "is my citizenship still valid?".
## Name changes and the name equivalence certificate
In the mid-1980s, the names of Bulgarian citizens of Turkish origin were forcibly changed in Bulgaria. After emigrating, many people used their original names in their new country. As a result, the same person can appear under one name in Bulgarian records and another in the home-country registry.
Documents issued under different names cause problems with the Bulgarian authorities. The document that shows the names belong to the same person is the **name equivalence certificate**. We explain how it is obtained in [what is a name equivalence certificate](/en/name-equivalence-certificate-bulgaria/). If your child's birth registration or your own ID renewal involves a name difference, prepare this certificate at the start.
Which documents were issued under which name is different in every family, so the name issue is also assessed case by case.
## Which documents help?
| Document | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Old Bulgarian passport or ID card | Shows that citizenship continued and your identity data |
| Birth certificate (from Bulgaria) | Shows the municipality of your record and your original name |
| Papers issued at departure | Documents the date and circumstances of leaving |
| Civil registry extract from your home country | Shows the name used there and family links |
| Marriage and children's birth records | Needed to register family records in Bulgaria |
You may not have all of these. Missing papers are often completed from Bulgarian archives or from the civil registry offices of your home country. The first review shows what is missing.
## How does the process work?
1. Your documents and family details are collected.
2. Your Bulgarian records are researched.
3. Depending on the result, renewal, birth registration or a citizenship application is chosen.
4. Documents are prepared with apostille and sworn Bulgarian translation.
5. The application or registration is filed and followed. You can follow a citizenship application through the [file status checking system](/en/bulgarian-citizenship-file-status-check-launched/).
## Common mistakes
- Applying for new citizenship without checking the record first.
- Throwing away or losing old Bulgarian papers. An old passport and ID are very valuable.
- Sending documents without noticing a name difference.
- Postponing the registration of children's births for years.
## Moving forward with advice
Finding out the state of your record is the first step. You can have your papers assessed through our [free document review](/en/document-review/) or speak to an expert by [booking an online appointment](/en/online-appointment/).
## Frequently asked questions
I emigrated in 1989. Is my Bulgarian citizenship still valid?
In many cases yes, because taking another citizenship does not automatically end Bulgarian citizenship. The exact answer depends on your Bulgarian civil record and is assessed case by case.
If my citizenship continues, do I need to apply again?
No. In that case you renew your ID and passport and update your record. This takes much less time than a citizenship application.
Can my children born abroad be Bulgarian citizens?
If you were a Bulgarian citizen when the child was born, the child is a citizen by birth. Only the birth needs to be registered with Bulgaria.
My names differ between Bulgarian and home-country records. What should I do?
A name equivalence certificate shows that the names belong to the same person. Its scope is determined case by case according to the difference in your records.
What can I do if my citizenship has ended?
You can restore citizenship or apply through Bulgarian origin. Which one fits is decided after your documents are reviewed.