Information for British Citizens Planning to Marry in Bulgaria

The information on this website on marrying in Bulgaria is provided as a general guide and is based upon information provided to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office by the relevant local authorities. The information on this website is therefore only up to date and accurate to the extent that such authorities provide us with timely and accurate information. Accordingly the Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not guarantee that this information is accurate and will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information. British nationals wishing to obtain information about marriage in Bulgaria must also contact the relevant local authority, and/or the Bulgarian Embassy in London, to be sure of the requirements that they need in order for their ceremony to go ahead.

Our current information is that the Bulgarian authorities require a Certificate of No Impediment to Marriage to be produced at the local Registry Office. You can get this document from the British Embassy in Sofia. The reason for obtaining this document is to satisfy the Bulgarian authorities that you are free to marry.

Marriages in Bulgaria are subject to a residency requirement. One of the parties to the marriage should be either a citizen of Bulgaria or a long-term resident (please check the Residence Permits section of the website: Living in Bulgaria ).

Generally speaking a marriage should be recognised as valid in the UK provided it was contracted in accordance with the laws of the country/state where it took place and the couple had the capacity to marry under their law of domicile.  To simply matters, you will probably find it useful to have an official translation made of the Bulgarian marriage certificate.

If you are resident in Bulgaria you need to start the procedure by giving a Notice of Marriage at the Consular Section of the British Embassy at least three weeks prior to the intended marriage. In order to do that you will have to swear an Affidavit in front of HM Consul or Vice Consul to confirm that:

a) you are a British Citizen
b) you are not in any prohibited, by the local law, degree of relationship with your future spouse
c) you have for three weeks immediately preceding the date of placing the Notice of Marriage had your usual residence within the consular district of the British Embassy at Sofia
d) are over 18 years old
e) to the best of your knowledge, there is no other lawful hindrance to the proposed marriage

You will also need to complete a Marriage Formalities Form giving basic information about yourself.

In the event that you or your future spouse are widowed or divorced, you will need to produce the relevant papers, confirming that the previous marriage is no longer valid (Death Certificate or Decree Absolute).

Your Notice of Marriage will be posted on the Consular Section notice board for 21 clear days.  Thereafter, subject to no objections to the marriage being raised, you will be asked to take an oath [solemnly and sincerely affirm] an Affidavit containing personal details such as your name, British passport number, place and date of birth and the names of your parents, in English and Bulgarian.  Along with the dual language Affidavit the British Embassy will issue a Certificate of No Impediment in Bulgarian language for you.

The fees* for providing the above documents are as follows:

1) Placing a Notice of an Intended Marriage   £63   BGN 140
2) Dual-Language Affidavit                           £53   BGN 120
3) Issuing a Certificate of No Impediment      £63   BGN 140

* Please note that all fees are payable in local curency only. Cash payments, credit and debit cards are accepted. If you are not resident in Bulgaria, you should obtain a Certificate of No Impediment from your local Registrar in the UK. Based on that, we will issue a translated version in Bulgarian language, after you have sworn the dual-language Affidavit, fees 2) and 3) above refer.

Once you have your dual-Language Affidavit and Certificate of No Impediment issued (in Bulgarian language), you will need to legalise them at the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Legalisation Office of the MFA is on 2 Alfred Nobel Street in Sofia and their opening hours are Monday to Friday 10.00 – 15.00 h.

In addition, you are required to obtain a Bulgarian Health Certificate by having a blood test in Bulgaria. This can be done by going to any clinic of your choice in Bulgaria and asking for a general check-up for marriage.

 

Registering a birth

We can register births of British citizens in Bulgaria and issue certified copies in UK format.

Documentary evidence to be produced:

• Child’s full Foreign birth certificate
• Parent’s long form UK birth certificate or naturalisation/registration certificate
• Parent’s British passport
• Marriage certificate (if nationality is gained through the father and the child is born before 01/07/2006 and evidence of termination of any previous marriages)
• Correct fee

If you wish to register the birth of your child, please complete the application form for the registration of a birth.

NB: All the documents must be originals. If the documents are in Bulgarian or other foreign language, you should produce certified translations.

If both parents are British but not married at the time of the child’s birth they must both complete Statutory Declarations of Paternity.

If only the mother is British and the child is born after 01/01/1983 – documents as above. If foreign father’s details are to be on the certificate, we need to see documentary evidence of his date and place of birth eg passport, ID card.

If father is British and is married to a foreign mother, after the child’s birth, documents as above PLUS Statutory Declarations of Paternity and the father must fill in domicile questionnaire. Documentary evidence of mother’s date and place of birth should be seen.

If mother is British and married but the husband is not the father and the putative father’s details are to be entered, we need a rebuttal from the husband stating that he is not the father of the child or a letter from the mother’s solicitors confirming length of separation or court papers, eg divorce papers confirming that there are no children etc.

If your child was born in Bulgaria, you will obtain a Bulgarian birth certificate which will be accepted as an original legal document in the UK if you have an official translation and legalisation of the document. According to Bulgarian law, a dual-national child (eg. British and Bulgarian) will have their father's name on the Bulgarian birth certificate, whereas a child whose parents are both British can omit the father's name from the birth certificate.

If one or both parents are British you can directly apply for a British passport of your child with the British Passport Processing Centre in Düsseldorf.

What are the necessary documents for a first-time application?

• Completed C2 Application Form (signed and countersigned);
• Two identical photos (one countersigned)
• Child’s birth certificate
• Both parents’ birth certificates
• Both parents’ passports (if the parent giving nationality was naturalised, please supply the Naturalisation Act)
• Marriage certificate
• Correct fee paid in BGN