Nationality rules differ enormously between countries, and this is not a page that can tell you whether you qualify. Some countries pass citizenship down indefinitely; others stop at one generation born abroad, require registration before a deadline, or do not permit dual nationality at all. What follows is how to find out for Bulgaria, and what to settle before you spend anything.
Quick facts
Bulgaria has four consular offices in the United States, in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. With more than one, the office that matters is the one whose district covers your state of residence — and that is not always the nearest.
Bulgarian consular offices in the United States
Applications and enquiries go through the office whose district covers your state, though the decision itself is taken in Bulgaria:
The questions that decide your case
- How far down does descent run? Through a parent is common; through a grandparent is much rarer; through a great-grandparent is unusual anywhere.
- Is there a deadline? Several countries require a child born abroad to be registered within a set period, after which the claim is lost.
- Does Bulgaria permit dual nationality? Yes, and for citizens by birth it is constitutionally protected. Article 25(3) of the Constitution says no one shall be deprived of Bulgarian citizenship acquired by birth. Taking U.S. citizenship changes nothing by itself.
- Does the line pass through either parent? Some nationality laws were paternal for decades and were reformed later, sometimes with retroactive effect.
- What obligations come with it? Military service and tax residence attach to nationality in some countries regardless of where you live.
Documents a claim by descent normally rests on
- Birth certificates establishing the unbroken line, each certified for use abroad.
- Marriage certificates covering every change of surname in that line.
- The ancestor’s Bulgarian passport, identity card or other proof of nationality.
- Evidence of whether and when an ancestor naturalised elsewhere, which in some countries breaks the line.
- Translations into Bulgarian where required.
Before spending money on this
Ask the consular office what Bulgarian law actually allows in your circumstances before engaging anyone to help with it. Genealogists and specialist firms exist and can be useful where records are old or scattered, but they are not a substitute for knowing whether the claim exists at all — and that answer is free.
If your own immigration position in the United States is unresolved, take advice from an immigration lawyer before approaching any foreign authority.
Bulgarian citizenship and the U.S. oath
Article 25(3) of the Constitution is short and absolute: no one shall be deprived of Bulgarian citizenship acquired by birth. The Law on Bulgarian Citizenship contains no provision losing citizenship on acquiring a foreign one; what it has is article 20, under which a Bulgarian permanently living abroad may ask to be released.
Leaving is harder than staying. Release is not automatic and not a formality: the application goes to the Ministry of Justice, through the Citizenship Council, and is granted or refused by decree of the President of the Republic. Refusals happen.
So a Bulgarian-American remains Bulgarian whether or not they want to, until a presidential decree says otherwise. That matters for anything Bulgaria attaches to its nationals — and it means Bulgaria will treat you as Bulgarian on Bulgarian territory.
Checked on 7 October 2026 against the Constitution published by the National Assembly and the statutory basis recorded in the Bulgarian state administration's official service register.
Office names, addresses and telephone numbers on this page come from our directory, and the count above is taken from the same records as the listing. Procedural rules come from the authority itself — always confirm with the office that covers you. Apostille status checked against the HCCH official status table on 2026-10-05.