Can I have dual citizenship in Bulgaria?
This is a question that we normally get in Foreigner BG, there is confusion about the possibility to get Bulgarian citizenship and keep your original one this question is answered in the Bulgarian nationality law.
And the law states that it depends, there are certain cases and conditions that allow citizens of other countries to get Bulgarian nationality without giving up all other nationalities.
Is important to highlight that Bulgarian citizenship is primarily based on jus sanguinis (right of blood). Also called Citizenship By Descent meaning that those born to at least one Bulgarian parents are entitled to citizenship by descent, regardless of the country of birth.
Dual citizenship is not tolerated in Bulgaria and for that reason, the applicant to Bulgaria citizenship has to provide evidence that he/she has either been released from foreign citizenship or is currently undergoing such procedure.
The option of having both nationalities in Bulgaria exists for:
1- Spouses of Bulgarian citizens;
2- Citizens of an EU Member State, or a state party to the European Economic Area Agreement, the Confederation of Switzerland or
3- For countries which have entered into similar international agreements with the Republic of Bulgaria (eg North Macedonia).
Dual citizens are treated as Bulgarian citizens when they enter Bulgarian territory and acquire the rights and duties of Bulgarian citizens.
According to Article 3 in the Law, ‘any Bulgarian citizen who is also a citizen of another state shall be considered as only a Bulgarian citizen in the application of the Bulgarian legislation unless otherwise provided for by law.’
There are very few cases when the law provides ‘otherwise’ to the disadvantage for people with dual citizenship.
According to the Constitution among the conditions for the election of members of the national parliament is the requirement that the ‘person must be a Bulgarian citizen who does not have another citizenship’; the same is true for presidential candidates.
Bulgarian citizenship can be acquired by birth, by descent, by naturalization, for extraordinary contribution to Bulgarian State, and on some other grounds. and this is regulated in the LAW FOR THE FOREIGNERS IN THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA.
