Topic: Birth and Marriage Registration
Does a Child Born in Bulgaria Get Bulgarian Citizenship?
Being born in Bulgaria does not give a child citizenship automatically. Learn how the descent rule works, the exceptions and the right way to secure citizenship.
Published on 6 min read
On this page
No. Being born in Bulgaria does not by itself make a child a Bulgarian citizen. Bulgaria follows the principle of descent: a child is a Bulgarian citizen, wherever born, if at least one parent is a Bulgarian citizen. If both parents are foreign nationals, a child born in Bulgaria takes the citizenship of the parents. Birth on the territory counts only in exceptional cases, such as unknown parents or a child who would otherwise be stateless.
Birth on the territory versus descent
- Jus soli (place of birth): Everyone born in the country becomes a citizen. The United States and Canada apply this rule.
- Jus sanguinis (descent): Citizenship passes from the parents. Bulgaria and most European countries apply this rule.
So the idea that “if we give birth in Bulgaria, our child will be an EU citizen” is wrong. The opposite also matters: if a parent is a Bulgarian citizen, the child is a Bulgarian citizen even when born in your home country or anywhere else.
When is a child born in Bulgaria a Bulgarian citizen?
| Situation | Is the child Bulgarian? |
|---|---|
| Mother or father is a Bulgarian citizen | Yes, by birth (place of birth is irrelevant) |
| Both parents foreign, living in Bulgaria on a residence permit | No, the child takes the parents’ citizenship |
| Parents unknown | Yes, as an exception |
| Parents stateless or the child cannot acquire another citizenship | Yes, under the conditions of the law |
Example family situations
| Situation | Result |
|---|---|
| Foreign couple works in Bulgaria; the child is born there. | The child is not Bulgarian; takes the parents’ citizenship. Residence is handled together with the parents. |
| Mother is Bulgarian, father foreign; child born in Bulgaria. | The child is a citizen by birth; the birth is registered by the Bulgarian authorities. |
| Mother is Bulgarian; the child was born abroad. | The child is a citizen by birth; the foreign birth is reported to Bulgaria. |
| A grandparent was Bulgarian but the parents are not citizens; child born in Bulgaria. | Not a citizen by birth. The parent’s origin and eligibility must be examined first. |
The deciding factor is not the place of birth, but the parent’s citizenship on the day of birth.
What if one parent is a Bulgarian citizen?
If the child was born in Bulgaria, the birth is entered directly by the Bulgarian authorities where the birth took place and the child receives an EGN. If the child was born abroad, the birth must be reported to Bulgaria, which takes 2-3 months. We describe the steps in birth registration and Bulgarian citizenship for children.
If the parents are foreign nationals
A child born in Bulgaria to foreign parents lives in Bulgaria on the basis of the parents’ residence rights. If a parent holds a residence permit, the child’s residence is arranged through family reunification; see family reunification for children. If the parents later obtain permanent residence and then citizenship by naturalisation, minor children can be included in the application.
Questions families often ask before a birth in Bulgaria
Will the child get a Bulgarian passport? Only if the child is a Bulgarian citizen. Being born in Bulgaria is not enough. Once citizenship is clear, the passport application follows the steps in getting a Bulgarian passport for a child.
How is the name written? In a Bulgarian birth certificate the name is written in Cyrillic. When it is entered in your home-country record, check the differences between the Cyrillic and Latin spellings from the start. Otherwise the child’s name may appear in two forms in different records.
What is needed to use the Bulgarian birth certificate abroad? It generally needs an apostille and a translation. The child’s registration in your home country is made separately; we confirm the current documents the authority asks for before you apply.
Statelessness and the unknown-parent exception
Jus soli applies very narrowly in Bulgaria. If the child’s parents are unknown, or the child would otherwise be stateless, birth in Bulgaria can be the basis of citizenship. These situations are rare and each is assessed separately. For an ordinary family with foreign parents the exception does not apply; the child carries the parents’ citizenship. Exact conditions should not be generalised without looking at the file.
What to check before giving birth in Bulgaria
For a foreign family planning a birth in Bulgaria:
- Right to stay: A stay over 90 days requires a visa or residence permit. The permit should be valid around the time of birth.
- Health cover: Learn in advance what insurance covers for delivery and costs.
- Registration of the child: The child is also reported to the parents’ home country through its consulate.
- Travel document: The child gets a passport according to the parents’ citizenship; a Bulgarian passport does not arise at this stage.
If the family is of Bulgarian origin, clarifying the parent’s citizenship before the birth decides the route. Our article on conditions for Bulgarian citizenship gives the general framework.
Your own checklist
- Was the child’s mother or father a Bulgarian citizen on the day of birth?
- Do you hold a Bulgarian document (ID, passport or citizenship certificate)?
- Are the parents’ names in the birth certificate written the same as in Bulgarian records?
- If the parents are married, has the marriage been entered in the Bulgarian records?
- If the birth was abroad, has the 6-month reporting period passed?
If you answer “yes” to the first two, the child is very likely a citizen by birth and what remains is registration. If you answer “no” to the first, a different route is needed, whatever the place of birth.
The real ways to make your child a Bulgarian citizen
- The parent is already a Bulgarian citizen: Birth registration. The fastest route.
- The parent is of Bulgarian origin but not yet a citizen: The parent applies first. Children born after citizenship are citizens by birth; those born earlier apply with the parent or afterwards.
- The family has no Bulgarian origin: Long-term residence, permanent residence and naturalisation. This takes years and involves conditions such as language and residence.
If you have a Bulgarian-origin parent or grandparent, we can determine the shortest route in a free preliminary review. See our birth and marriage registration and citizenship services for all options.
Frequently asked questions
If we give birth in Bulgaria, will our child be an EU citizen?
No. If neither parent is a Bulgarian citizen, being born in Bulgaria gives no citizenship; the child takes the parents’ citizenship.
My spouse is Bulgarian and our child was born abroad. Is the child a citizen?
Yes. Place of birth does not matter; if one parent is a Bulgarian citizen, the child is a citizen by birth. Reporting the birth to Bulgaria is enough.
Is a Bulgarian birth certificate issued for a child born in Bulgaria?
Yes, a Bulgarian birth certificate is issued for every birth in Bulgaria. But if the parents are foreign nationals, it does not give the child citizenship.
Do I need a residence permit to give birth in Bulgaria?
A stay over 90 days requires a visa or residence permit. The child’s stay after birth also depends on the parents’ residence status.
Does being born in Bulgaria make later citizenship easier?
Place of birth alone gives no advantage. If there is Bulgarian origin or a Bulgarian parent, the process relies on that link. Foreign families follow residence and naturalisation steps with the parents; growing up in Bulgaria helps mainly as proof of residence.
