Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
The Consular Relations Directorate affixes Apostilles on civil status records and certifies sworn translator signatures.
- • Birth, Marriage, and Death certificates (duplicates)
- • Certificates of marital status and family relations
- • Certification of the sworn translator's signature
- • Consular legalization for non-Hague member states
Ministry of Justice (MoJ)
Competent authority for all notarial deeds, court decisions, and judicial administration records.
- • Certificates of criminal record (Свидетелство за съдимост)
- • Notarized powers of attorney, declarations, agreements
- • Court judgements, decrees, and commercial register extracts
- • Copies of notary deeds verified by regional court clerk
Ministry of Education / NACID
Apostille authentication on all educational qualifications and academic transcripts issued in Bulgaria.
- • Higher education university diplomas and European diploma supplements
- • Secondary school graduation diplomas and transcripts
- • Vocational qualification and specialized training certificates
- • Verification against the National Educational Register
Key Document Preparation Rules
To avoid document rejection by state ministries or foreign embassies, verify the mandatory seals prior to submission:
Documents Issued in Bulgaria for Abroad:
- • Civil Status Acts: Must be issued as a duplicate format for abroad with a rectangular stamp from the issuing municipality.
- • Court & Notarial Acts: Must have certification from the relevant District Court (Районен съд) verifying the notary's signature.
- • School & University Diplomas: Must carry certified true copies and official university rector/dean seals.
Documents Issued Abroad for Use in Bulgaria:
- • Hague Convention Countries: The document must already have an Apostille affixed in the country of origin.
- • Bilateral Legal Assistance Treaties: Exempt from Apostille; requires only certified sworn translation into Bulgarian.
- • All Other Countries: Full consular chain legalization through the Bulgarian Embassy in the respective country.
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