Birth and Marriage Registration

The child of a Bulgarian citizen is a Bulgarian citizen from birth. A birth abroad is registered at the municipality of the mother’s permanent address (the father’s, if the mother is a foreigner); the registration period is 6 months. Once registered, the child receives an EGN, and the EGN and passport usually take 2-3 months. Marriages and divorces are also entered in the Bulgarian civil register.

For the new generations of families who emigrated from Bulgaria at different times, registering births and marriages in Bulgaria is the most important step towards the rights inherited from their ancestors. Today it is the service most requested by third-generation descendants. This page explains birth registration, marriage registration, recognition of a divorce and surnames in plain language.

Why does registration matter?

Once births and marriages that took place in your home country (for example Türkiye) or elsewhere are entered in the Bulgarian civil registers, the way opens to many procedures, above all Bulgarian citizenship. If the record is missing, a child who is a Bulgarian citizen still cannot get a Bulgarian ID or passport. The process starts with locating your ancestors’ birth records in Bulgaria and first requires obtaining a pasavan.

In practice, registration gives you these benefits:

The child can obtain a Bulgarian ID number (EGN) and passport.
As a Bulgarian citizen, the child can enjoy the right to live, study and work in EU countries.
Through the marriage record, a foreign spouse can apply for residence and family reunification.
Consistent family records make later inheritance, property and citizenship procedures easier.

What is birth registration?

Birth registration means entering the birth of a child born abroad in the Bulgarian civil records. The basics are:

If either parent is a Bulgarian citizen, the child is a Bulgarian citizen from birth. No separate citizenship application is needed; the registration records it.
Registration is made at the municipality of the mother’s permanent address. If the mother is a foreigner, the municipality of the father’s permanent address applies.
The registration period is 6 months. To avoid missing it, prepare the documents without delay after the birth.
On registration the child receives an EGN (the Bulgarian personal number). For more, see our article what is an EGN.
The EGN and passport process usually takes 2-3 months.

Documents required

Foreign birth certificate (such as the birth record from the civil registry in your country)
Apostille
Official Bulgarian translation
ID document of the Bulgarian parent

For apostille and translation details, see our civil registry extract and apostille guide. For a step-by-step explanation, read birth registration and Bulgarian citizenship for your child.

Birth registration step by step

Obtain the documents. Get the birth record or certificate from the civil registry in your country. If the child was born in another country, you need that country’s birth certificate.
Apostille and translation. The document is apostilled, then officially translated into Bulgarian.
Identify the right municipality. The permanent address of the mother, or of the father if the mother is a foreigner, decides.
Submit the application. The file is submitted to the municipality (or through a consulate).
Registration and EGN. Once the record is made, the child receives an EGN.
Passport. After the EGN, you apply for the Bulgarian passport. The usual period is 2-3 months.

If one parent is a foreigner

The child is a Bulgarian citizen from birth even if only one parent is a Bulgarian citizen. If the mother is a foreigner and the father is Bulgarian, the municipality is set by the father’s permanent address. If the mother is a Bulgarian citizen, her address decides. Having another nationality does not remove the child’s Bulgarian citizenship; for dual citizenship see the advantages of dual citizenship. For all citizenship procedures, see our citizenship services.

After birth registration

Once the record is complete, a Bulgarian passport can be issued for the child. We explain how in getting a Bulgarian passport for a child. If the child is over 18 the situation differs; see adult children. For a child born in Bulgaria, read this article.

What is marriage registration?

A marriage made abroad is valid from the date it was made. To appear in the Bulgarian records, however, it must be reported. The report is made through the municipality or the consulate and is entered in the Bulgarian civil register. The application needs the apostille and official Bulgarian translation of the marriage certificate.

Marriage registration matters in these cases:

The marital status of the Bulgarian spouse must be correct in the records.
The foreign spouse will use the marriage record for family reunification or residence.
The link of children born of the marriage must be documented.

Marriage registration step by step

Obtain the marriage record or certificate.
Have the document apostilled.
Have it officially translated into Bulgarian.
Have the documents entered in the Bulgarian civil register through the municipality or consulate.
After registration, request the Bulgarian marriage certificate; it is used for residence, family reunification or surname procedures.

If either spouse was married and divorced before, recognition of the divorce usually comes first, followed by registration of the new marriage. We work out the right order for your file at the preliminary assessment.

For details, see registering a marriage in Bulgaria and how to obtain a Bulgarian marriage certificate. For residence through marriage, see our family reunification service.

Who makes the registration and how?

The person registering is most often the Bulgarian parent or spouse. If the person lives abroad, the procedure can be carried out by power of attorney. The power of attorney must be notarised, apostilled and officially translated into Bulgarian. With your power of attorney, we take care of collecting the documents, translating them, submitting them to the municipality and following up.

The registrations affect each other: it is usually expected that the parent’s own record is in order first, then the marriage, and last the child’s birth. If the parent’s Bulgarian record has a difference in a name or birthplace, the child’s file runs into the same problem. To review your own record first, you can use the free document review.

Family reunification and residence

Marriage registration is often the first step for a foreign spouse to obtain residence in Bulgaria. A foreign spouse of a Bulgarian citizen can receive an “EU citizen family member residence card”; continuous residence is granted for up to 5 years and the card is issued within 3 months. After 5 years of continuous legal residence, permanent residence is possible. For residence options, see our residence permit page.

Recognition of a divorce in Bulgaria

A divorce judgment given in another country is recognised directly in Bulgaria under Articles 117 and 118 of the Private International Law Code (КМЧП). That means no separate court decision is required; the registrar examines the conditions and records the judgment. The documents are:

A certified copy of the judgment
A certificate of finality
A notarised declaration
Apostille and official Bulgarian translation

If the registrar finds that the conditions are not met, the application can be refused. In that case you go to court. If the divorce is not recorded, the person continues to appear as married in the Bulgarian records, which can cause problems for a new marriage or other procedures. For the process, see recognition of a divorce in Bulgaria.

Surname after marriage

A surname change after marriage may be written differently in the records of your home country and in Bulgarian records. How the surname will appear in the Bulgarian records is determined by the marriage certificate and the person’s declaration. For letter differences (for example Latin and Cyrillic spellings) and name mismatches, a name equivalence certificate may be needed. You can find the details in surname after marriage and Bulgarian records.

Which document for which procedure?

Procedure	Basic documents	Note
Birth registration	Birth certificate, apostille, official translation	Municipality of the mother’s permanent address
Marriage registration	Marriage certificate, apostille, official translation	Through the municipality or consulate
Recognition of a divorce	Copy of judgment, certificate of finality, notarised declaration	КМЧП Art. 117-118
Surname or name difference	Name equivalence certificate	If names are spelled differently

Check the date and accuracy of every document at the start; a document with a spelling error delays the whole process.

Pasavan (serves as the birth document)
A recognised marriage record
Residential address
An appointment for the pasavan
Civil registry record
Name equivalence certificate

This list is for procedures based on your ancestors’ records. For direct birth, marriage or divorce registration, see the table above.

Why work with us?

With our expert team and experience, we provide quality service at affordable prices for every procedure related to Bulgaria. With a power of attorney from individuals or organisations, we complete the procedures in the shortest possible time.

You can reach us by phone on +90 288 606 09 69 or on WhatsApp at +90 541 975 29 89. We are available on weekdays from 09:00 to 18:00 in summer and from 09:00 to 17:00 in winter, and on Saturdays from 10:00 to 16:00; for the days we are closed, see our public holidays and closing days page.

How does the process work?

Preliminary assessment: we review your situation and documents and determine the right application route.
File preparation: we take care of obtaining, translating and notarising the documents.
Application: we submit your complete file to the competent authority.
Follow-up: we follow the process until it is concluded and keep you informed of every development.

Common mistakes

Forgetting the 6-month registration period
Applying at the wrong municipality (the mother’s permanent address decides)
Submitting documents without an apostille or official translation
Not entering the divorce judgment in the Bulgarian record
Not resolving differences in the spelling of first names and surnames at the start

Frequently asked questions

What is a pasavan?

The pasavan is the document showing the birth record of your ancestor born in Bulgaria. It must be obtained first for birth and marriage registration.

Who can register?

The children and grandchildren of families who emigrated from Bulgaria can register their own births and marriages in the Bulgarian civil registers. With your power of attorney, we carry out this procedure on your behalf.

How long does birth registration take?

The EGN and passport process following birth registration usually takes 2-3 months. The time may vary with the completeness of the documents and how busy the municipality is.

At which municipality is a birth registered?

At the municipality of the mother’s permanent address. If the mother is a foreigner, the municipality of the father’s permanent address applies. The registration period is 6 months.

Is a marriage made abroad valid in Bulgaria?

Yes, it is valid from the date it was made. To have it entered in the Bulgarian civil register, it is reported through the municipality or the consulate with apostilled and translated documents.

How is a foreign divorce judgment recognised in Bulgaria?

It is recognised directly under КМЧП Art. 117-118. The registrar examines the conditions. A certified copy of the judgment, a certificate of finality and a notarised declaration are needed; if it is refused, you go to court.

Is a child born abroad a Bulgarian citizen?

If either parent is a Bulgarian citizen, yes; the place of birth does not change citizenship. For the child to appear in the Bulgarian records, the birth must be registered at the municipality.

Can I have the registration done by power of attorney?

Yes. With a notarised, apostilled and translated power of attorney, we can run the whole process on your behalf, from collecting the documents to submitting them at the municipality. We tell you at the preliminary assessment which stage requires your personal presence.

Fill in the form below for a free preliminary assessment; our specialist will call you and explain the route for your file. If your documents are ready, you can also upload them for a free document review. To talk to us, you can book an online appointment.