You never have to give up Bulgarian citizenship because you took another one: Bulgaria allows dual citizenship. If another country requires it, you can ask to be released, provided you live permanently abroad and hold, or are acquiring, a foreign citizenship. You apply in person in Sofia or at a Bulgarian consulate, and you stop being Bulgarian on the day the President signs the decree, within a 6-month time limit for the Ministry. You can apply to restore it later.
Last Updated on November 8, 2026 by Immigration Team
At a glance
| Do you have to give it up? | No. Bulgaria allows dual citizenship. You only give it up if you choose to, usually because another country requires it |
| Who can apply | Bulgarian citizens who live permanently abroad and have, or are acquiring, another citizenship |
| Where to apply | In person at the Ministry of Justice in Sofia, or at a Bulgarian embassy or consulate |
| Time limit | 6 months for the Minister of Justice to put your case to the President |
| Result | A decree of the President; your children are released only if you ask for it |
| Can you get it back? | Yes, through restoration |
Do you really need to give it up?
Usually not. Bulgaria does not take away your citizenship when you become a citizen of another country. In Bulgaria you are simply treated as a Bulgarian citizen. Law
People give up Bulgarian citizenship when another country requires it: they naturalise somewhere that does not accept dual citizenship and must prove they are no longer Bulgarian. Austria and Japan are examples. Others give it up for tax, military or professional reasons in their new country. Practice
Think before you do it. You lose your Bulgarian passport and, with it, your EU citizenship, unless you hold another EU passport. Practice
Who can apply for release
You can ask to be released from Bulgarian citizenship if you live permanently abroad and you either already hold a foreign citizenship, or can show that you have started the procedure to acquire one. Law
That second option matters: many countries ask for proof of release before they grant their citizenship. You can apply in Bulgaria as soon as you have proof that their procedure has started. Law
How to apply
- Prepare the documents. The application and every document must be in Bulgarian, so foreign documents need a certified translation and, where required, legalisation or an apostille. Law
- Apply in person. You submit the application yourself at the Ministry of Justice in Sofia, or at a Bulgarian embassy or consulate, which gives its own opinion on your application. Law
- The interview. When you submit the documents, you have a short interview. Law
- Review. The Citizenship Council at the Ministry of Justice gives its opinion after checks by the Ministry of Interior and the State Agency for National Security. Law
- The decree. Within 6 months, the Minister of Justice proposes a decree to the President. You stop being a Bulgarian citizen on the day the decree is issued. Law
If the other country is waiting for proof, tell us its deadline early. Six months is the legal maximum, and planning around it avoids losing your place in their procedure. Practice
Your children
Your release does not automatically release your children. Children under 14 are released only if you apply for them too, and children aged 14 to 18 must also agree. If only one parent applies, the other parent must consent. Law
When the state can take citizenship away
Release is voluntary. Separately, the law lets the state end citizenship in two narrow cases, and only for people who became Bulgarian by naturalisation: Law
- Revocation of naturalisation, within 10 years, if citizenship was obtained with untrue or concealed facts, or a required change was not reported. There is no time limit where terrorism is involved.
- Deprivation of citizenship, after a final conviction for a grave offence against the Republic, if the person is abroad.
In both cases, the person must not become stateless. Citizens by birth cannot lose their citizenship this way. Law
Questions
I live in Bulgaria. Can I give up my citizenship?
No. Release is only for Bulgarian citizens who live permanently abroad.
I became a citizen of another country. Have I lost Bulgarian citizenship?
No. You lose it only by a decree of the President. Until then you remain Bulgarian, whatever other passports you hold.
Can I change my mind later?
Yes. A person released from Bulgarian citizenship can apply to have it restored. Read: Restoring Bulgarian citizenship
Can I apply from abroad?
Yes, in person at a Bulgarian embassy or consulate.
Another country asking for proof?
Tell us which country and its deadline. We will check whether you really need to give up Bulgarian citizenship, and if you do, prepare the application so the decree arrives in time. Ask an advocate
Related routes
Legal basis
- Law
- Law
- Law
Sources
This page gives general information and is not legal advice. Immigration rules change and individual circumstances matter. Reading it does not create a lawyer–client relationship.