Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Interest of foreign citizens in Bulgarian passports is growing

Photo: library

The number of applications for obtaining Bulgarian citizenship has doubled for 3 years, according to data by the Ministry of Justice. In 2020, there were 11,447 applications, in 2021 - 20,094, in 2022 – 20,825. Until November 24, 2023, a total of 23,439 applications were submitted.

There is also a drastic rise in the number of citizens of Turkey who want Bulgarian passports. For 3 years, their number has grown nearly 10 tenfold. In 2020, 660 Turks applied for citizenship. In 2023, their number already reached 5,935.

Many naturalization applicants file forged or false documents, the Ministry of Justice reports. This leads to great delays in processing, as the Citizenship Council assigns additional checks taking about 8-9 months, BGNES reports.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Photo: Consulate General of Bulgaria in New York

NYC Bulgarian Professionals Network organizes a meeting in New York

NYC Bulgarian Professionals Network is organizing the first NYC Bulgarian Professionals Happy Hour for the year. The event will take place in New York. "I welcome the initiative... and I will gladly join again", announced Bulgarian diplomat..

published on 1/21/25 9:36 AM

Bulgaria and Montenegro discuss cooperation under the "Destination Balkans" initiative

The potential for the development of Sofia and Plovdiv within the framework of Bulgaria’s "Destination Balkans" initiative was one of the topics discussed during a meeting between Bulgaria's Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh, Montenegro’s..

published on 1/21/25 9:08 AM
Monument to Dabko Dabkov in the center of Varna

150 years since the birth of architect Dabko Dabkov, who left a bright mark on Varna

The Municipality of Varna is organizing a celebration for the 150th anniversary of the birth of great architect Dabko Dabkov (21.01.1875 - 08.04.1945). The anniversary will be marked today with a discussion in the municipality at 16:00 on the topic..

published on 1/21/25 7:10 AM