---
title: "Can I Get Bulgarian Citizenship Through My Father?"
url: https://yeniversiyon.pages.dev/en/bulgarian-citizenship-through-a-father/
lang: en
published: 2020-01-02
updated: 2026-10-02
description: "If your father was a Bulgarian citizen, you may already be one. Birth registration or application, required documents and the 1.5-3 year timeline explained."
source: BulgaristanVatandas.com (https://bulgaristanvatandas.com)
---
# Can I Get Bulgarian Citizenship Through My Father?
**If your father was a Bulgarian citizen when you were born, you are a Bulgarian citizen by birth. Only your birth must be reported to Bulgaria. If he became a citizen later, or your origin must be proven, you apply instead. The origin route has no Bulgarian language requirement, and your father's death does not remove your right.**
Many families whose father came from Bulgaria ask the same question: "He emigrated and my papers are in my home country. Can I get citizenship?" The answer depends on your father's citizenship status and on your date of birth. This article explains which route fits you, in plain language.
## How do I get Bulgarian citizenship through my father?
In Bulgarian law, descent is the basis. A child whose parent is a Bulgarian citizen is a Bulgarian citizen by birth. So first answer this question: **Was your father a Bulgarian citizen when you were born?**
| Situation | Route | What is done |
|---|---|---|
| Father was a Bulgarian citizen at your birth | Birth registration | The birth is entered in the Bulgarian civil register and an EGN is issued |
| Father became a citizen after your birth | Application | A minor applies with the parent, an adult applies alone |
| Father emigrated, status unclear | Citizenship status check | The Ministry of Justice records are checked |
| Father has passed away | Through records | If his citizenship appears in the records, children can benefit |
## Birth registration or application?
This is the point most people confuse.
- **Birth registration:** Used when your father was already a Bulgarian citizen before you were born. You do not ask for citizenship again; you register a right you already hold. It usually takes 2-3 months. See [birth registration and Bulgarian citizenship for children](/en/birth-registration-bulgarian-citizenship-for-children/).
- **Application:** Used when your father became a citizen later, or when your origin must be proven with documents. The application is made to the Ministry of Justice (Sofia) or through consulates. In practice the whole process takes 1.5-3 years.
If you are over 18, you apply in your own name. We explain this in [Bulgarian citizenship for adult children](/en/bulgarian-citizenship-for-adult-children/).
> Important: On the origin route you do not need to speak Bulgarian. There is no requirement to live in Bulgaria either.
## What if my father has died?
Your father's death does not end your right. What matters is that he appears in the records as a Bulgarian citizen. So the first step is a **citizenship status check**: Bulgarian records are searched using your father's name, place and date of birth. If a record is found, his children may benefit from it.
## Required documents
The file depends on the records. Most applications need:
1. Your civil registry extract and birth certificate.
2. Your father's civil registry extract and, if available, his Bulgarian ID or passport details.
3. A [name equivalence certificate](/en/name-equivalence-certificate-bulgaria/) if your name and your father's name are spelled differently.
4. Apostille and official Bulgarian translation of the documents. The [civil registry extract and apostille guide](/en/civil-registry-extract-and-apostille-guide/) helps with preparation.
5. A [certificate of Bulgarian origin](/en/certificate-of-bulgarian-origin/) if origin must be proven.
Names, surnames and birth dates must match across documents. This is the most common cause of delays and refusals.
## Step by step
1. **Clarify the situation:** Compare the date your father became a citizen with your birth date.
2. **Check the records:** Search for your father's record in Bulgaria.
3. **Collect documents:** Civil registry extract, birth certificate, equivalence certificate if needed.
4. **Apostille and translation:** Prepare the documents with official translation.
5. **Choose the right route:** Birth registration or application.
6. **Submit the file:** Through the municipality, a consulate or the Ministry of Justice.
7. **Follow up:** Check the file status regularly.
## What about my mother?
If your mother is a Bulgarian citizen, the same right comes from her. See [can I get Bulgarian citizenship through my mother](/en/bulgarian-citizenship-through-mother/). If both parents are registered, we choose the stronger file together.
## Common situations
**Father of Bulgarian origin, but no citizenship record.** If your father emigrated and does not appear as a citizen, the problem is usually the paperwork; the right does not disappear. His origin is documented and an application is prepared on the origin route.
**Father became a citizen after the child was born.** The child is not a citizen by birth. For a minor, the application is made together with the parent. A child over 18 applies alone.
**Mother foreign, father Bulgarian.** Birth registration may be enough. A birth abroad is registered at the municipality of the mother's permanent address; if the mother is foreign, the father's address is used. The child receives an EGN on registration. See [what is an EGN](/en/what-is-egn-bulgarian-personal-number/).
**Names spelled differently.** The father's name in Bulgaria and in your home country often differ. A name equivalence certificate removes the gap.
## After you apply
After the file is submitted, the records are reviewed. If documents are missing, the process takes longer. When the decision is positive, your citizenship is recorded and you can apply for a Bulgarian ID card and passport. Read about [rights and obligations after the application](/en/rights-and-obligations-after-bulgarian-citizenship/).
Citizenship by investment was abolished in 2022. Be careful with anyone offering it. If you have a right through your father, the origin route is the correct one.
## Frequently asked questions
Do I need to speak Bulgarian if my father was a citizen?
No. There is no Bulgarian language requirement on the origin route, and no requirement to live in Bulgaria.
How long does it take?
A citizenship application takes 1.5-3 years in practice. If only a birth registration is needed, it takes 2-3 months.
My father left Bulgaria long ago. Do I still have a right?
You may. First, your father's citizenship record in Bulgaria is checked. If it is found, your route becomes clear.
My father has died. Can I still apply?
Yes. If his citizenship appears in the records, his death does not block your right.
Can my spouse and children also become citizens?
Minor children have a separate route. For a spouse, different conditions apply through marriage.