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ID card for Bulgarians abroad

How a Bulgarian citizen living abroad gets a new ID card at an embassy or consulate: documents, fees in euro, validity, children aged 14 to 18, and applying together with a passport.

Last checked: 26 October 20262 min readOfficial sources

On this page
  1. Step by step
  2. Validity
  3. Fees
  4. Children aged 14 to 18
  5. ID card and passport together
  6. Online application
  7. Documents you need
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. Official sources

You apply for an ID card at the consular section of a Bulgarian embassy or consulate general. You must apply in person: your photo and signature are taken, the card is produced by the Ministry of Interior in Sofia and sent to the mission. That is why it takes longer than in Bulgaria.

processing
up to 45 days
accelerated — up to 30 days
fee
€35.34
adult, 10 years
validity
10 years
age 14–18 — 4 years
age
from 14
under 18 — with a parent

Step by step

  1. Book an appointment

    Most missions in Europe and the US use consulatebg.eu: you fill in the application online and use its number to book a slot. Some missions book their own way — check the mission’s page.

  2. Come in person

    Bring your current ID card or passport. If you have no valid document, bring a Bulgarian birth certificate showing your personal number (EGN). You sign the application in front of the consular officer.

  3. Pay the fees

    A €20 consular fee plus the Ministry of Interior fee, both paid when you apply.

  4. Wait

    Up to 45 days, up to 30 days with the accelerated service, plus delivery to the mission. Check whether the card has been issued with the Ministry of Interior’s issued-and-uncollected documents search or at consulatebg.eu/status.

  5. Collect the card

    In person, by a person named in the application, or with a specific notarised power of attorney. Your old ID card is handed back to the mission.

Validity

The ID card is issued for 4 years to people aged 14 to 18 and for 10 years to people aged 18 to 70. Over 70, it is issued for 10 or 30 years. Each citizen may hold only one ID card.

Fees

At the mission you pay two fees: a €20 consular fee under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Tariff No. 3 and the Ministry of Interior fee under Tariff No. 4. For an adult aged 18 to 70 that comes to €35.34. There is no Ministry of Interior fee for a first card at age 14–16 or after 70. The full list is in the “Fees” box.

The accelerated service (up to 30 days) doubles the Ministry of Interior fee. It is only available if the mission offers courier forwarding and you paid for delivery when applying.

Children aged 14 to 18

The child applies in person and signs the application. It is enough for one parent to attend and sign their consent in front of the consular officer. Bring the child’s Bulgarian birth certificate with EGN, the parent’s identity document and the child’s previous documents. More in the guide on children’s documents.

ID card and passport together

You can apply for both in one visit. You submit two separate applications and pay a separate consular fee and Ministry of Interior fee for each. For an adult, for example: a 5-year passport €47 and an ID card €35.34, €82.34 in total.

ID card or passport
ID cardPassport
Validity, adult10 years5 or 10 years
Fee abroad, adult€35.34from €47
Travelwithin the EUworldwide
Under 18, who signsthe child and one parentthe child and both parents

Before travelling outside the EU on an ID card, check the entry rules of the country concerned.

Online application

You can also apply online through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ e-services system if your last document was issued on an application made in person within the last 59 months and you have a qualified electronic signature or an electronic identity. The fee is the same — €20 plus the Ministry of Interior fee. You collect the card in person at the mission after returning the old one. Online applications are not possible after a change of EGN, sex or citizenship, or a significant change in appearance.

Documents you need

  • Application — filled in online when booking or at the mission, signed in front of an officer
  • Current ID card, passport or driving licence (original and copy)
  • If you have no valid document — Bulgarian birth certificate with EGN (original and copy)
  • If lost, stolen or damaged — declaration under Art. 17(1) of the Regulation and a police document, if available
  • For a child aged 14–18 — birth certificate with EGN and the attending parent’s identity document
  • For a disability of 50% or more — medical board decision (TELK or NELK), original and copy

Frequently asked questions

Can I collect the ID card in Bulgaria?

Yes, if you ask for it when applying. A representative or a person named in the application collects it from the Bulgarian Identity Documents Directorate, 48 Knyaginya Maria Luiza Blvd, Sofia, and hands back the old card.

Can I apply at an honorary consul?

We found no official confirmation of this. Please contact the embassy or consulate general for your area.

Is there an express service abroad?

No. The fastest option is the accelerated service — up to 30 days, and only with paid courier delivery to the mission.

Does a 14-year-old living abroad have to have an ID card?

Missions issue ID cards from age 14, signed by the child and one parent. Whether and when it is compulsory for a child living permanently abroad, check with the consular section.

Official sources

This information is for guidance only. For official instructions, fees and deadlines, refer to the source cited or to the institution concerned.