---
title: "Bulgarian Marriage Certificate: How to Get It and Where It Is Used"
url: https://yeniversiyon.pages.dev/en/bulgarian-marriage-certificate/
lang: en
published: 2026-10-02
description: "How to obtain a Bulgarian marriage certificate or extract after your marriage is registered, where it is used, and what to do if it is lost."
source: BulgaristanVatandas.com (https://bulgaristanvatandas.com)
---
# Bulgarian Marriage Certificate: How to Get It and Where It Is Used
**A Bulgarian marriage certificate is issued by the municipality after your marriage has been entered in the Bulgarian civil register. In Bulgarian it is called "удостоверение за сключен граждански брак", a certificate of a concluded civil marriage. If you married abroad, the marriage must be registered first. After that you can request the certificate or a register extract.**
This guide explains what the document is, how to obtain it, where it is used and what to do if it is lost.
## What is the Bulgarian marriage certificate?
In Bulgaria civil registers are kept by municipalities. Once a marriage is entered, related documents can be issued. The two most requested are:
- **Marriage certificate (удостоверение за сключен граждански брак):** an official document confirming that the marriage was concluded.
- **Marriage register extract:** a copy of the data in the entry, such as the spouses' names and the date and place of the marriage. Some institutions ask for the extract instead of the certificate.
Which one you need depends on the institution requesting it. Ask in advance which one they expect; it saves time.
## The marriage must be in the Bulgarian register first
If you married abroad, you cannot get the Bulgarian certificate straight away. First the marriage has to be entered in the Bulgarian civil register: **вписване на брак, сключен в чужбина**. We explain it in [registering a foreign marriage in Bulgaria](/en/registering-a-foreign-marriage-in-bulgaria/). In short, you apply to the municipality with the international marriage extract, an apostille and an official Bulgarian translation.
If the marriage was concluded in Bulgaria, this step is not needed. You can request the certificate directly.
## How to get the certificate
1. **Make sure the marriage is in the register.** For marriages abroad, the notification must be completed first.
2. **Identify the right municipality.** The application is normally made at the municipality that keeps the entry or where the permanent address is registered.
3. **Submit a request.** The civil status officer (**длъжностно лице по гражданското състояние**) receives your request for a certificate or extract.
4. **Show ID.** The applicant's ID or passport is needed. If someone applies on your behalf, a notarised power of attorney is required.
5. **Collect the document.** If everything is in order it is usually ready quickly, though times vary between municipalities.
If you cannot be in Bulgaria, a person you authorise by power of attorney, or we, can apply for you.
## What information does the document contain?
It generally shows the spouses' names, the date and place of the marriage and the entry number. For a marriage concluded abroad, it shows that the marriage was entered in the Bulgarian register. When you receive the document, check the Cyrillic spelling of the names and the dates straight away; correcting them later takes longer.
## Where is it used?
| Use | Why it is requested |
|---|---|
| **Family reunification and residence for the spouse** | Proof of marriage for a foreign spouse who seeks residence as a family member of a Bulgarian citizen. See [residence through a Bulgarian spouse](/en/residence-permit-through-bulgarian-spouse/) |
| **Registering a child** | To show that the parents are married when the birth is registered. See [birth registration and Bulgarian citizenship for children](/en/birth-registration-bulgarian-citizenship-for-children/) |
| **Surname procedures** | To reflect a surname change after marriage in ID and passport. See [surname change after marriage](/en/surname-change-after-marriage-bulgarian-records/) |
| **Public institutions** | Proving marital status for tax, social security, inheritance or property matters |
| **Divorce procedures** | Without the marriage entry it is harder to record a divorce in Bulgarian registers. See [recognition of a foreign divorce in Bulgaria](/en/recognition-of-a-foreign-divorce-in-bulgaria/) |
If you will use the certificate in another country, check beforehand whether that country asks for an apostille or a translation.
## Applying from abroad
If you live outside Bulgaria you can obtain the certificate without travelling. There are two routes: a notarised power of attorney, or a request through a consulate. The power of attorney is apostilled and used together with its official Bulgarian translation. The certificate is then sent to you or handed over. If you will use it in your country of residence, an apostille and translation may be needed as well; ask the receiving institution.
## What if the certificate is lost?
The register entry stays with the municipality, so losing the paper does not erase your marriage. To get a replacement:
- Apply to the municipality that holds the entry and ask for a **new certificate or extract**.
- Your ID or passport is enough; someone acting for you needs a power of attorney.
- If you do not know which municipality holds the entry, the record must be traced first. We can do that for you.
The new document replaces the old one. You do not need the original in your hands.
## What if there is a mistake in the document?
If a name, date or surname is wrong, a correction is requested from the municipality. Mistakes happen most often when names are transcribed into Cyrillic. If needed, a [name equivalence certificate](/en/name-equivalence-certificate-bulgaria/) is prepared. Fixing an error early prevents problems later with family reunification or a child's registration.
## Surname and children: take care
The spelling in the marriage certificate becomes the base for later Bulgarian documents. If one spouse takes the other's surname, how it appears matters. When a child's birth is registered, the municipality compares the parents' names with the marriage entry; a difference can stop the procedure. We suggest checking the certificate against all of your ID documents once you receive it.
## Why get professional support?
Finding the right municipality, registering the marriage first, keeping names consistent and obtaining the document from abroad all take time. Our [birth and marriage notification service](/en/services/birth-and-marriage-registration/) handles the process for you. You can send your papers for a [free document review](/en/document-review/) or [book an online appointment](/en/online-appointment/).
## Frequently asked questions
I married abroad. Can I get the Bulgarian certificate right away?
No. The marriage must first be entered in the Bulgarian civil register. After that you can request the Bulgarian certificate or an extract.
Is the certificate the same as a marriage register extract?
Not exactly. The certificate confirms that the marriage was concluded; the extract reproduces the data in the entry. Which one you need depends on the institution.
My certificate is lost. What should I do?
Apply to the municipality that holds the entry and ask for a new copy. The entry stays in the register, so a replacement is issued.
Do I need it for my spouse's residence?
A foreign spouse who seeks residence as a family member of a Bulgarian citizen must prove the marriage. We confirm in a first consultation which document your file needs.
Can someone else apply for me?
Yes. A person you authorise by notarised power of attorney, or our advisory team, can apply on your behalf.