# Bulgaria Citizenship Requirements Bulgaria's ordinary naturalisation clock starts with permanent or long-term residence permission. Language evidence, livelihood and conduct are required, with limited exceptions to releasing another citizenship. Scope: Selected adult ordinary naturalisation requirements under Article 12 of the Bulgarian Citizenship Act, as published through June 2026; descent, marriage-related reductions, protection and exceptional grants are separate. Jurisdiction: Bulgaria: Bulgarian citizenship. Sources reviewed 2026-09-17; review due 2026-12-16. General information, not legal advice or a finding of eligibility. Requirements depend on the route, applicant and filing date. Verify the official instructions before applying. ## Five years since settled permission The ordinary applicant must be an adult and have obtained permanent or long-term residence permission at least five years before applying. This is not five years from any first visit or temporary residence permit. Evidence: conditional. [Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Bulgaria: Bulgarian Citizenship Act: consolidation through State Gazette No. 55 of 16 June 2026](https://mjs.bg/home/normdoc/2134446592). Source location: Article 12(1)(1)-(2). ## Livelihood, criminal and security checks Income or an occupation must support the applicant in Bulgaria. Bulgarian convictions or pending proceedings for intentional public-prosecution offences can disqualify, subject to rehabilitation. Serious public-order, public-morality, public-health or national-security concerns require refusal even where other conditions are met. Evidence: conditional. [Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Bulgaria: Bulgarian Citizenship Act: consolidation through State Gazette No. 55 of 16 June 2026](https://mjs.bg/home/normdoc/2134446592). Source location: Article 12(1)(3)-(4) and Article 19. ## Release rule and nationality exceptions Release from the previous citizenship is normally required, or must occur upon Bulgarian acquisition. Exceptions include spouses of Bulgarian citizens, EU/EEA/Swiss citizens and citizens of countries covered by a reciprocal treaty. Another country's retention rules still need checking. Evidence: conditional. [Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Bulgaria: Bulgarian Citizenship Act: consolidation through State Gazette No. 55 of 16 June 2026](https://mjs.bg/home/normdoc/2134446592). Source location: Article 12(1)(6) and 12(2). ## Education or citizenship-language evidence Specified Bulgarian school or higher-education documents can establish language knowledge; other applicants use the Ministry-regulated certification process. The published written exam has 20 questions in 60 minutes, requiring 12 correct answers. The regulation provides an oral alternative for blind applicants, specified disability groups and those over 70. Evidence: conditional. [Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science / Institute of Education: Ordinance No. 5 of 3 September 1999 on Bulgarian language knowledge for citizenship, through 2015 amendments](https://io.mon.bg/sites/default/files/uploads/docs/2015-03/NAREDBA_5.pdf); [Institute of Education, Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria: Bulgarian language citizenship examination scheduled for 18 September 2026](https://io.mon.bg/node/600). Source location: Ordinance 5 Articles 2-6; September 2026 examination notice on format and pass threshold. ## No verified CEFR equivalence The regulation describes elementary normal communication, and the exam notice states a question-based pass score. Neither reviewed source maps that requirement to a CEFR level. No A1, A2 or B1 equivalent is asserted. Evidence: not established. [Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science / Institute of Education: Ordinance No. 5 of 3 September 1999 on Bulgarian language knowledge for citizenship, through 2015 amendments](https://io.mon.bg/sites/default/files/uploads/docs/2015-03/NAREDBA_5.pdf); [Institute of Education, Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria: Bulgarian language citizenship examination scheduled for 18 September 2026](https://io.mon.bg/node/600). Source location: Ordinance 5 Article 6(2); examination notice, assessment criteria. ## Personal filing, interview and decree The application is filed personally with the Justice Ministry or a Bulgarian diplomatic or consular representation, with an interview. Naturalisation is effected by a presidential decree taking effect when issued; satisfying residence alone does not confer citizenship. Evidence: conditional. [Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Bulgaria: Bulgarian Citizenship Act: consolidation through State Gazette No. 55 of 16 June 2026](https://mjs.bg/home/normdoc/2134446592). Source location: Articles 29(1)-(3) and 36. ## Scope and limitations - Some family, birthplace, descent and protection cohorts qualify under different provisions. No five-year total immigration-to-citizenship guarantee or ordinary investment shortcut is inferred. - The residence constraint includes long-term residence permission as expressly stated in its qualification; it must not be displayed as a permanent-residence-only rule. - The language regulation's displayed consolidation is through 2015, and it remains linked by the official September 2026 exam notice. Disability, overseas examination and education-proof arrangements require the applicable procedure, not a universal written-test assumption. ## Explore this passport - [Passport rank and travel access](https://multipassrank.com/passport/bulgaria) - [Tax residence & income](https://multipassrank.com/passport/bulgaria/taxes) - [Country-profile JSON, including sources and scoped requirements](https://multipassrank.com/api/v1/country-profiles/BG) - [Multiple-citizenship policy guide](https://multipassrank.com/dual-citizenship-countries) [Canonical page](https://multipassrank.com/passport/bulgaria/citizenship)