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When a Bulgarian citizen’s child is born abroad, the local authorities first draw up a birth record. Within 6 months the parents must hand it in at a Bulgarian embassy or consulate, or directly at the municipality of their permanent address in Bulgaria. The municipality draws up a Bulgarian birth record, enters the child in the population register, assigns a personal number (EGN) and issues a birth certificate.
- deadline
- 6 months
- from the foreign record
- fee
- free
- registration and first certificate
- via the mission
- about 3 months
- faster at the municipality
Which municipality registers the birth
The municipality of the mother’s permanent address if she is a Bulgarian citizen. If the mother is a foreign national, the father’s permanent address is used (Art. 72(2) of the Civil Registration Act). The permanent address is the one shown on the ID card. A parent with no permanent address in Bulgaria must register one first.
Two ways to apply
| Through an embassy or consulate | Directly at the municipality | |
|---|---|---|
| Who applies | one parent, in person | a parent in person or a representative |
| How documents travel | diplomatic post | handed in at the desk |
| Time | about 3 months | usually up to 7 days (Sofia) |
| Registration fee | none | none |
| Certificate | at the municipality or via the mission | at the municipality |
A power of attorney for someone in Bulgaria can be certified at the consular section.
Documents from the foreign country
You need a certified copy or extract of the foreign birth record. What else is required depends on the issuing country:
Multilingual extract
If the country is party to the 1976 Vienna Convention (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and others), ask for a multilingual extract — form A. It needs no legalisation and usually no translation, although the municipality may ask for one.
Apostille
Without a multilingual extract, if the country is party to the Hague Convention, the record is apostilled by the authority designated there.
Legal assistance treaty
If Bulgaria has a treaty with that country exempting civil status documents from legalisation, no apostille is needed.
Legalisation
In all other cases the record is certified by that country’s foreign ministry and then by the Bulgarian embassy there.
Translation
A document that is not multilingual is translated into Bulgarian — by a translator registered with the consular section (which certifies their signature), or in Bulgaria with the translator’s signature notarised.
What happens next
- within 6 monthsApply at the missionrequest, foreign record, parents’ IDs
- up to 3 monthsMission sends to the Ministryby diplomatic post
- up to 15 daysMinistry forwards to the municipalityof the permanent address
- Record, EGN, certificatethe child is entered in the register
The original birth certificate is usually collected in person at the municipality or by a representative. Some missions (Madrid, for example) can issue an electronic duplicate once the birth is registered, which you can use to apply for the child’s passport.
The child’s names
The municipality enters the name exactly as in the foreign record. If you want the child to have a name in the Bulgarian form (first name, patronymic and surname), tell the local registrar when the foreign record is drawn up, if local law allows it.
The Act also gives two later options on the parents’ written request: adding a patronymic if the foreign record has none (Art. 9(2) and 76(3)), and entering the patronymic and surname with the -ov/-ev endings and the gendered form — within three years of birth (Art. 9(3)). Any other change of name requires a court decision. The Embassy in Madrid, for example, issues a certificate on forming the names under Bulgarian rules when the Spanish record has two surnames.
Documents you need
- Request or application on the mission’s form, with the parents’ permanent address in Bulgaria
- Certified copy or extract of the foreign birth record (original and copy)
- Multilingual extract (form A), or apostille/legalisation depending on the country
- Bulgarian translation if the document is not multilingual
- Parents’ identity documents (originals and copies)
- Written request for a patronymic or the -ov/-ev endings, if you want them
- If someone in Bulgaria applies for you — notarised power of attorney
Frequently asked questions
What if I miss the 6-month deadline?
The birth can still be registered. If a mission learns of the birth, the law requires it to request the documents from the local authorities itself. Apply as soon as you can — without registration the child has no EGN and no Bulgarian documents.
Do I need a translation if I have a multilingual extract?
As a rule, no: multilingual extracts under the Vienna Convention need neither legalisation nor translation. The municipality may still ask for a translation if the details are unclear.
Do both parents have to go to the mission?
No. One parent can hand in the documents. If you apply directly at the municipality, a representative can do it.
Is the child automatically a Bulgarian citizen?
A child with at least one Bulgarian parent is Bulgarian by descent. Registering the birth is how this is recorded and how the child gets an EGN.
Official sources
- МВнР: Гражданско състояние — брак, раждане и смърт в чужбина
- Закон за гражданската регистрация (чл. 9, 70–72, 76)
- Административен регистър: консулска регистрация на актове за гражданско състояние
- Посолство в Мадрид: гражданско състояние
- Посолство в Брюксел: регистриране на раждане в чужбина
- Столична община: услуги по гражданско състояние, срокове и такси
- МВнР: консулски такси (Тарифа № 3)
This information is for guidance only. For official instructions, fees and deadlines, refer to the source cited or to the institution concerned.