Getting married or registering a civil partnership abroad: Information based on your answers
Marriage in Bulgaria
Contact the Embassy of Bulgaria before making any plans to find out about local marriage laws, including what documents you’ll need.
You should get legal advice and check the travel advice for Bulgaria before making any plans.
What you need to do
You’ll be asked to provide a certificate of no impediment (CNI) to prove you’re allowed to marry.
Local registry offices in Bulgaria do not accept UK-issued CNIs. You must get a UK-issued CNI then exchange it for a locally-issued CNI.
Get a UK-issued CNI
You can normally get a CNI by giving a notice of marriage at your local register office or registrar in the UK. Find your local office or registrar in England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey or Guernsey.
A CNI issued in Scotland is valid for 3 months. A CNI issued in England, Wales or Northern Ireland will not expire. Check with your local register office to find out how long a CNI is valid if you live in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. You should also check with the local authorities in Bulgaria to find out how long a CNI is valid under local law.
Exchange your CNI for a locally-issued one
Email consular.sofia@fcdo.gov.uk to ask to exchange your UK-issued CNI for a locally-issued one.
Legalisation and translation
Once you have your CNI, you must contact the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get it legalised (certified as genuine).
Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2 Alfred Nobel Street
Sofia
Bulgaria
Telephone: +359 2 807 64 23
Telephone: +359 (0) 887 563 987
You should also check with the local authorities in Bulgaria to find out if you need to provide legalised and translated copies of any other documents.
The names on all documents you provide must appear exactly as they do on your passports - if not, the authorities may refuse to allow the marriage to go ahead. You may need to provide evidence if the name on your passport is different to your birth certificate (for example marriage certificate or deed poll).
Naturalisation of your partner if they move to the UK
Your partner can apply to become a British citizen once they’ve lived in the UK for 3 years.
Your answers
- Is your partner of the opposite sex, or the same sex?
- Opposite sex
- Change Is your partner of the opposite sex, or the same sex?