Bulgaria: Information on whether a woman acquires Bulgarian nationality if her husband and children are Bulgarian nationals, and on whether she must renounce her Russian nationality in order to acquire Bulgarian nationality
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 October 1992 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | BGR11806 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Bulgaria: Information on whether a woman acquires Bulgarian nationality if her husband and children are Bulgarian nationals, and on whether she must renounce her Russian nationality in order to acquire Bulgarian nationality, 1 October 1992, BGR11806, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ad4538.html [accessed 18 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to the Embassy of Bulgaria in Ottawa, a woman is eligible for Bulgarian nationality if her husband is a Bulgarian national (2 Oct. 1992). A woman will be granted Bulgarian nationality if she can submit to a Bulgarian diplomatic representation a proof of her marriage, fill out the prescribed forms and pay a fee (Ibid.). Once the documentation is sent to Bulgaria, it can take four to six months before Bulgarian nationality is granted (Ibid.).
The Embassy indicated that Bulgaria recently adopted a new law on nationality, a copy of which will be sent to you as soon as it becomes available to the DIRB in Ottawa.
According to the 1968 Bulgarian law on nationality, a foreign national who contracts marriage with a Bulgarian national is eligible for Bulgarian nationality (Groffier 1987, 24). While foreign nationals would usually need to renounce their former nationality under Article 8 of the 1968 law in order to be eligible for Bulgarian nationality, Article 4 states that a person who marries a Bulgarian national might acquire Bulgarian nationality regardless of conditions specified in Article 8 (Bulgaria: Law on Citizenship 8 Oct. 1968). According to Article 25(1) of the most recent Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, adopted on 12 July 1991, Bulgarian nationality may still be acquired by naturalization (Blaustein and Flanz 1992, 91).
In 1990, Bulgaria reportedly amended its nationality law in order to accommodate dual nationality and revoked treaties which prohibited the simultaneous holding of two nationalities (Bulgarian Telegraph Agency 21 Nov. 1990; Daskalova 1989, 9; Sofia Domestic Service 17 Sept. 1990). A 1989 law amending and supplementing the 1968 Bulgarian nationality law also states clearly that it permits dual nationality (Sipkov 1990, 1).
According to Article 6 of the Law on the Citizenship of the RSFSR, modified in January 1992 following the dissolution of the USSR, marriage of a Russian national to a foreign national does not affect Russian nationality status (Rossiiskaia Gazeta 6 Feb. 1992).
Corroborative or additional information is currently unavailable to the DIRB in Ottawa.
References
Blaustein, Albert P. and Gisbert H. Flanz, eds. 1992. "Republic of Bulgaria," Constitutions of the Countries of the World. Updated by G.H. Flanz and edited by Albert P. Blaustein and Gisbert H. Flanz. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Oceana Publications, p. 91.
Bulgaria: Law on Citizenship. 8 October 1968. Translated for International Legal Materials from the official text in Durzhaven Vestnik, Sofia, No. 79, 11 October 1968.
Bulgarian Telegraph Agency [Sofia, in English]. 21 November 1990. "Treaties Prohibiting Dual Nationality Rejected." (FBIS-EEU-90-226 23 November 1990, p. 10)
Daskalova, Svetla. 1989. Democracy and Humanism: The Groundwork of Change in Legislation. Sofia Papers.
Embassy of Bulgaria, Ottawa. 2 October 1992. Telephone Interview with a Representative.
Groffier, Ethel. 1987. Mariages et régimes matrimoniaux étrangers. Montreal: éditions Claude Ananou, p. 24.
Rossiiskaia Gazeta [Moscow]. 6 February 1992. "Law on the Citizenship of the RSFSR," enacted on 23 January 1992. (Unofficial IRB/DIRB translation from original Russian texts)
Sipkov, Ivan. 1990. Introductory Note, Law Amending and Supplementing the Law on Bulgarian Citizenship. Prepared for International Legal Materials. Comments on the official text published in Durzhaven Vestnik, Sofia, No. 38, 19 May 1989.
Sofia Domestic Service [in Bulgarian]. 17 September 1990. "Ministers Recommend Dual Citizenship Rights." (FBIS-EEU-90-181 18 September 1990, p. 8)
Attachments
Blaustein, Albert P. and Gisbert H. Flanz, eds. 1992. "Republic of Bulgaria," Constitutions of the Countries of the World. Updated by G.H. Flanz and edited by Albert P. Blaustein and Gisbert H. Flanz. Dobbs Ferry, NY: Oceana Publications, p. 91.
Bulgaria: Law on Citizenship. 8 October 1968. Translated for International Legal Materials from the official text in Durzhaven Vestnik, Sofia, No. 79, 11 October 1968.
Bulgarian Telegraph Agency [Sofia, in English]. 21 November 1990. "Treaties Prohibiting Dual Nationality Rejected." (FBIS-EEU-90-226 23 November 1990, p. 10)
Daskalova, Svetla. 1989. Democracy and Humanism: The Groundwork of Change in Legislation. Sofia Papers. Groffier, Ethel. 1987. Mariages et régimes matrimoniaux étrangers. Montreal: éditions Claude Ananou, p. 24.
Rossiiskaia Gazeta [Moscow]. 6 February 1992. "Law on the Citizenship of the RSFSR," enacted on 23 January 1992. (Unofficial IRB/DIRB translation from original Russian texts)
Sipkov, Ivan. 1990. Introductory Note, Law Amending and Supplementing the Law on Bulgarian Citizenship. Prepared for International Legal Materials. Comments on the official text published in Durzhaven Vestnik, Sofia, No. 38, 19 May 1989.
Sofia Domestic Service [in Bulgarian]. 17 September 1990. "Ministers Recommend Dual Citizenship Rights." (FBIS-EEU-90-181 18 September 1990, p. 8)
