Civil Marriage: Documents and Procedure

To conclude a civil marriage in Bulgaria, you need ID cards, a declaration under Art. 9, Para. 1 of the Family Code, and a medical certificate valid for 30 days. The application is submitted in person by both parties at the municipality of the permanent address of one partner, and the ceremony in a ritual hall often costs between 15 and 61 € depending on the municipality, while the issuance of the marriage certificate is free of charge.

Who Can Enter into a Civil Marriage

According to the Family Code, a marriage can be entered into by a person who has reached 18 years of age, and exceptionally — a person at 16 years of age with permission from a regional judge 1. Marriage is concluded by the mutual, free, and explicit consent of both parties, expressed personally and simultaneously before the civil status officer 2. Only civil marriage produces legal consequences — a religious ceremony, if any, has no legal value and is usually held separately after the municipal ceremony.

Required Documents

• Identity documents of both future spouses (ID cards)
• Declaration under Art. 9, Para. 1 of the Family Code stating that no obstacles to marriage exist (obtained from the municipality)
• Medical certificate for entering into marriage — valid for 30 days from the date of issuance 3
• Declaration for the choice of property regime after marriage (statutory community, separation, or marriage contract)
• Divorce documents or a copy of a death certificate from a previous marriage, if applicable
• ID cards of two adult witnesses for the day of the ceremony

Property Regimes Between Spouses

The declaration of choice for a property regime is one of the steps most often underestimated, yet it determines how property acquired during the marriage will be managed and distributed. The Family Code provides for three possible regimes, and the choice is made in writing when submitting the marriage documents.

• Statutory community regime — property acquired during marriage by either spouse is joint marital property and belongs to both, regardless of whose name it is registered under
• Statutory separation regime — each spouse is the owner of the property they acquire during the marriage and manages it independently
• Marriage contract — the couple defines their own terms for property relations before or during the marriage, including maintenance and distribution in the event of a divorce

If the couple does not make an explicit choice, the statutory community regime applies automatically. Changing the regime later is possible but requires a separate administrative and notarial procedure, so it is more practical to consider the decision carefully before the wedding.

Submitting an Application at the Municipality

The application for civil marriage is submitted in person by both parties at the municipality or district of the permanent address of one of the two. Unlike procedures in some other countries, Bulgarian law does not set a fixed mandatory waiting period between submitting the documents and the ceremony — the date is coordinated with the specific municipality according to their free schedule, so it is good to check and book your desired date at least a few weeks, and in peak months (May, June, September) — even earlier.

Ritual Fees

Exact amounts differ significantly between municipalities — for example, in Sliven Municipality a ritual in a hall is 36 €, a solemn ritual is 61 €, and an off-site ritual is 82 € 4, while in a smaller municipality like Krumovgrad the hall ritual is 18 €. 5. Check the current tariff of your chosen municipality before planning your budget.

Choice of Date and Location

Many municipalities offer a ceremony in the city hall, and some allow an off-site ceremony elsewhere for an additional fee. In larger cities, the most desired dates (e.g., round or symbolic numbers) are filled months in advance — for one popular date in Sofia alone, over 100 bookings were registered in advance 6. If you plan an off-site ceremony, clarify in advance whether the presence of an official is required and what the location requirements are.

1. Check available dates in the desired municipality as early as possible, especially for popular dates
2. Clarify the fee for an off-site ceremony, if applicable
3. Choose two witnesses and prepare their identity documents
4. Plan a backup option for bad weather for an outdoor ceremony
5. Order medical certificates close to the date — they are valid for only 30 days

Civil Marriage with a Foreign Citizen

When marrying a foreign partner, additional documents are required — a certificate of marital status from the respective country with translation and legalization, a legislative reference on the conditions for entering into marriage in the partner's home country, and a passport translated into Bulgarian 7. The legalization procedure takes more time, so it is good to start preparations at least 2–3 months in advance.

• Certificate of marital status issued by a competent authority in the foreign country, with an apostille or legalization
• Official translation of documents by a sworn translator recognized in Bulgaria
• Copy of a passport or other internationally recognized identity document
• Reference from the Ministry of Justice regarding the requirements of the foreign partner's home country, if required by the municipality

On the Day of the Ceremony

Arrive at least 15–20 minutes early with the identity documents of the couple and the witnesses. The ceremony usually lasts between 15 and 30 minutes, including the oath, signing the act, and the presentation of the civil marriage certificate.

Formalities take minutes but remain valid for a lifetime.

Changing Your ID Card After Marriage

If one of the spouses decides to change their surname after the marriage, the Law on Bulgarian Identity Documents obliges every citizen to submit an application for a new ID card within 30 days of the name change 8. The fee for a standard service (up to 30 days) for an ID card with 10-year validity for persons between 18 and 70 years old is approximately 15.34 €, for a fast service (up to 3 working days) — approx. 30.68 €, and for an express service (up to 8 working hours) — approx. 76.70 € 9.

While waiting for the new ID card, the old document with the previous surname remains temporarily valid for identification in most administrative services, but it is recommended not to delay the change — numerous banking, notarial, and labor law procedures require an up-to-date identity document matching the new surname in the marriage certificate.

What to Plan After the Ceremony

After signing the act, you can immediately receive your civil marriage certificate — the service is free and usually provided right after the ritual 10. If changing your surname is part of your plans, prepare for the subsequent issuance of a new ID card within the deadline. If you are planning a separate celebration, share the exact time of the ceremony in the daily schedule of your wedding website so guests know exactly when to arrive.

Besides the ID card, consider updating other documents and institutions where your old name appears — bank accounts, employment contract, health insurance book, driver's license, and social profiles. Many institutions require the presentation of the civil marriage certificate as grounds for the change, so it is a good idea to request several copies on the day of the ceremony.