Bulgaria is most often associated with the sea, the sun and is the standard of a quiet and measured life. At the moment, it has become much easier to obtain citizenship of this state. But the procedure for becoming a resident has its own nuances and peculiarities, which you should think about in advance.
Bulgarian Citizenship Law. Who can apply for citizenship
Not every Russian can become an official resident of this resort state. The law offers for familiarization a number of conditions that are decisive when deciding on the registration of citizenship.
The following points are typical for both Russian and Ukrainian citizens:
| Way | Conditions |
| Bulgaria as a place of birth or origin |
|
| Naturalization | This group of persons has its own, special conditions, failure to comply with which entails a refusal to issue citizenship:
|
Who cannot become a citizen of Bulgaria
The Law on Bulgarian Citizenship in Chapter 3, Section 2, Article 23 deals with situations where naturalization can be canceled due to a number of circumstances.
Citizenship can be deprived or refused to apply if:
- An individual has committed an act that is an infringement on the rights, freedoms and integrity of the state as a whole. Actions must be carried out against the people and the republic itself and be of a criminal nature;
- The person initially provided false information about himself. True, in order to recognize the falsity of the information, a decision of the court of the republic must be obtained;
- Information was hidden that would have prevented the obtaining of the residence of the resort country.
One of the above reasons will lead to an immediate refusal of registration. If citizenship was issued before the relevant circumstances were revealed, the procedure will be canceled, and the offender will be expelled from the state.
Ways to obtain Bulgarian citizenship
The Bulgarian law provides for several possible options for obtaining the citizenship of the republic at once. It all depends on the circumstances surrounding the individual citizen.
Citizenship by birth (“soil right”)
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Children who were born on the territory of this state have the advantage in obtaining citizenship. If a child was found without legal representatives, he / she receives a residence permit automatically.
The same applies to children whose both parents, or at least one of them, are citizens of the country. If the parents of the child, in principle, do not have citizenship of any state in the world, their baby can become a resident of Bulgaria.
Soil law only works in the case of a minor child.
Origin ("blood right")
Origin is the residency of a particular country. A child becomes a citizen of Bulgaria if both of his parents or at least one of them are citizens.
If the baby was adopted by persons with a residence in Bulgaria, then he receives the citizenship of the adoptive parents. But only if it is provided for by international relations between states. The child retains the citizenship of his homeland and Bulgaria, or a choice is made in favor of the citizenship of the southern state.
As a result of marriage
Marrying a Bulgarian citizen guarantees that the procedure for obtaining residency will be simplified. So, spouses from different countries are required to live legally in the country for 3 years, without leaving, periodically extending the residence permit.
With knowledge of the Bulgarian language, successful passing of the exam and the presence of an official source of income on the territory of the country, a citizen can obtain citizenship.
By naturalization
The method of naturalization involves a simplified procedure for obtaining citizenship. For this it is not at all necessary to have Bulgarian parents or to be born on the territory of the state. It is necessary to live for 10 years on the territory of the country, mainly without leaving.
After 5 years, a citizen can receive a certificate with the assignment of permanent residence status. After another 5 years, you can apply for citizenship.
Persons who have an advantage in such a situation:
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- Invest money in the economy;
- Are valuable contributors or specialists;
- They carry out training on the territory of the country.
If a person falls into one of these categories, the procedure is straightforward.
For investment
Bulgaria is a European country in dire need of investment. The main source of income for the state is tourism. However, the economy strives for development, and for this, funds are attracted from investors who come from other countries.
Investors can go through a simplified procedure for obtaining citizenship. To do this, they invest 1 million leva in the country's economy, which corresponds to 512,000 euros. The main task is to find employment for the Bulgarian people and create jobs for them.
6 months after the introduction of funds into the economy, the citizen receives the status of permanent residence. And even after 5 years, he can obtain citizenship. The simplified procedure for obtaining citizenship applies not only to the investor, but also to his family members.
When buying real estate
Individuals who have become the owners of real estate in Bulgaria can apply for a simplified procedure for obtaining residence. Six months after the acquisition of real estate, the citizen receives the status of a permanent place of residence. And after 5 years, citizenship is issued.
There are two conditions under which residency is possible:
- Accommodation for 5 years in the country without leaving the country;
- The value of the property must be at least EUR 500,000.
Education
A person who is studying at a higher education institution in the country has the advantage in obtaining citizenship. Individuals who in the future will become narrow and demanded specialists have special advantages.
By presenting a diploma and passing the Bulgarian language proficiency test, they have a better chance of passing the procedure for obtaining citizenship.
In what cases is dual citizenship possible?
Bulgaria is loyal to the second citizenship of its subjects. However, at the time of registration of residency, it is still proposed to renounce the original citizenship. Refusal to undergo this procedure does not mean that a person cannot become a citizen of the republic.
Procedure
In order to obtain the citizenship of this state, it is necessary to perform a number of consecutive steps.
Necessary documents and requirements for them
The package of documents must contain the following originals and copies:
- Foreign passport;
- International passport;
- A document confirming permanent residence in Bulgaria for a certain period;
- A document confirming the basis for obtaining citizenship (for example, a certificate of ownership of real estate);
- Police certificate stating that the person has been on the territory of the state without a break for 5 years or more;
- A certificate from the police that the person did not carry out unlawful actions against the state and its integrity.
Each document must have at least two photocopies certified by a Bulgarian notary.
Before applying, it is important to draw up an application for passing the exam in the knowledge of the Bulgarian language. This means that in the near future the citizen will be called for testing.
If citizenship is being issued for a child, you should also submit the baby's birth certificate.
Where to go when applying for citizenship
A citizen of the Russian Federation or a Ukrainian, when registering citizenship, must comply with the following procedure:
- Collect the required package of documents;
- Report to the police station. Here they will issue a certificate of the time spent on the territory of the country and of the absence of offenses;
- Make photocopies of all papers;
- Pay the state fee;
- It is necessary to appear at the Ministry of Justice and submit a package of documents;
- Receive a certificate stating that a package of documents for registration of residence has been submitted;
- Wait for the due date.
Do not be afraid to hand over documents to employees of the Ministry. The papers will be returned immediately upon consideration. To avoid losing your documents, it is important to check the package you received.
Cost and terms. How to check the status of your business for citizenship
The cost of the state fee for registration of citizenship is 100 lev. The receipt of payment of the fee must be provided to the employee.
The terms for obtaining citizenship vary from 3 weeks to several months: it all depends on the specific situation. Together with a certificate of acceptance of documents, an employee of the Ministry of Justice and its territorial branch issues a number. Using this serial number on a special portal, you can follow the status of the appeal.
As soon as the citizenship document is produced, the corresponding status will appear. You just need to come to the office where the documents were submitted. You can do this without even waiting for a phone call.
You can resort to the help of a special company for 1500 euros and higher. She will take care of all the paperwork, attendance at the department of the Ministry of Justice, and so on. The applicant is required to draw up a power of attorney for an employee in the company, as well as pay the cost of the service.
There are a lot of similar companies, but you should trust the trusted ones, the data about which are available in a special Bulgarian register.
Possible reasons for refusal, and what to do in this case
Renunciation of citizenship can occur in the following situations:
- Did not provide any important documents;
- For a citizen there are offenses that are directed against state integrity and his interests;
- The citizen has repeatedly violated the law of Bulgaria, carried out unlawful acts.
In such a situation, there is only one way out - to make an infusion of investments into the economy of the state. If a person does not have such a volume of funds, then, unfortunately, the idea of citizenship will have to be abandoned.
Bulgarian citizenship can be obtained even without a long period of stay in the country. A citizen who has not committed illegal acts and received a residence permit has a real chance of citizenship.
