Persons with refugee status have the right to apply for Bulgarian citizenship three years after receiving international protection in Bulgaria, and persons with humanitarian status – five years after receiving international protection in Bulgaria.

Documents for Bulgarian citizenship are submitted to the Ministry of Justice, Directorate “Bulgarian Citizenship” at 1 “Slavyanska” Street, Sofia, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on working days. Before submitting an application at the above address, you must make an appointment online at http://publicbg.mjs.bg/BgSubmissionDoc/.

• Sample application (downloaded from the Internet or written on site in Bulgarian when applying);
• Birth certificate or, if you do not have one, a certificate that replaces the missing document issued by the State Agency for Refugees (see section II. Civil registration and personal documents, item 5.4.);
• A decision from the State Agency for Refugees certifying your refugee or humanitarian status;
• Criminal record certificate (see section Civil registration and personal documents, item 5.3.);
• A document from the prosecutor’s office that no criminal proceedings have been initiated against you for an intentional crime of a general nature;
• Certificate from an employer that you work legally or from the relevant tax office for declared income for the previous year, as well as a document for paid mandatory insurance;
• Document for proficiency in the Bulgarian language, issued by the Ministry of Education and Science or a notarized copy of a diploma for a completed degree of education in Bulgaria (primary, secondary or higher);
• A medical document issued by a medical advisory committee of the medical institution serving you at your place of residence, certifying that you do not suffer from acute, contagious and infectious diseases;
• Sample declaration (downloaded from the Internet or filled in on the spot);
• An official document certifying your name change, if any, and an official identity document for a person with different names.
• Autobiography;
• Current passport size photograph – 1 copy;
• Photocopy of your identity card;
• Proof of payment of state tax in the amount of BGN 100 to the account of the Ministry of Justice BNB – TSU, IBAN: BG09 BNBG 9661 3000 1737 01, BIC: BNBG BGSD.

The document for proficiency in the Bulgarian language is issued by the Center for Assessment in Pre-school and School Education at the Ministry of Education and Science. If you have a certificate or diploma for a completed Bulgarian language course, you must take it for recognition to the center in question, which is located at: Sofia, 125 “Tsarigradsko shose” blvd., bl. 5, fl. 2, between 9:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. It is necessary to fill out an application on site or on the Internet at the following link: http://copuo.bg/page.php?c=24&d=19. It is necessary to present an identity card as well as a notarized copy of the certificate or diploma. If you do not have a diploma or it is not recognized for citizenship purposes, you must take a Bulgarian language test at the Center for Preparing Students for Olympiads, located at: Sofia, Dragan Tsankov Blvd. 21A on a pre-arranged day and hour.

After submitting the citizenship documents, an interview date is set. It takes place in the Bulgarian language between 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on weekdays at the Directorate of Bulgarian Citizenship, which is located at 5 Aksakov Street, Sofia. The Ministry of Justice must issue a decision on the application for Bulgarian citizenship within 18 months. If it is positive, the President of Bulgaria issues a decree granting citizenship. To receive the decree, it is necessary to pay BGN 250. Negative decisions cannot be appealed.

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. Applications for minor refugees and persons with humanitarian status are completed by their parents or guardians.