Path to EU Citizenship

Overview

The most common route to obtaining citizenship in Bulgaria is general naturalization. General naturalization requires maintaining permanent residency status for 5 full years, passing a state language exam (or obtaining an exemption through a language course leading to the minimum A1 level), and declaring income within Bulgaria. The same requirements apply to those who obtained residency through the Bulgaria Golden Visa (permanent residency by investment of €512,000 in a regulated investment fund).

We build a year-by-year roadmap from your initial residency permit through to naturalisation eligibility, coordinating documentation at each milestone.

Who this is for

• Families planning a full, permanent relocation to the EU
• Investors wanting a second passport for travel and mobility
• Individuals seeking long-term security for future generations

What's included

• Multi-year naturalisation roadmap
• Language and integration requirement guidance
• Continuous residency compliance tracking
• Final citizenship application and interview preparation

Are there potential risks of legislative changes?

A recent example of adverse legislative change occurred in Portugal, which had applied a relaxed route to citizenship eligibility after just 5 years of temporary residency. Bulgaria's framework is already stricter, since citizenship eligibility requires permanent residency status rather than temporary residency.

How long does it take for the citizenship application to be processed?

Under Art. 35 of the Citizenship Act, applications under general naturalization are processed within 12 months. Once the application is approved, the next stage is the Vice President's decree. There is no strict deadline for issuing the decree; however, it is assumed that applicants should take steps to renounce their prior citizenship before the Vice President issues the decree.

Applications for children of any age are processed within 9 months.

Do I need to renounce my prior citizenship?

The requirement is to provide evidence that you have initiated the process of renouncing your prior citizenship, rather than evidence that the renunciation has been completed. You only need to provide this evidence after the Citizenship Council, part of the Ministry of Justice, confirms that your Bulgarian citizenship application has been approved.

Language requirement

Applicants of Bulgarian origin are exempt from the language requirement. General naturalization applicants, however, must pass a state examination or obtain an exemption, which is granted through a remote language course.