Huge amount of foreigners trying to get Bulgarian citizenship for special merits
The world is in turmoil. The war in Ukraine doesn’t seem to end anytime soon. Iran and Israel are on the verge of full-scale conflict. The situation around China and Taiwan is also worrying. At the same time, people from around the world are looking for a safe haven in the EU. But to settle in the European Union, one needs to at least have a residence permit. For those who can afford it, EU citizenship is of course the best option. But getting EU passport is not an easy endeavour. The EU Golden Passport schemes were slaughtered by the EU commission. The other logical option is to reside X years and then apply for citizenship. But this is not easy neither. And of course, time is of extreme importance. Nobody likes waiting years and years to become eligible for full EU citizenship. Knowing all that, many foreigners have found out about the Bulgarian citizenship for special merits program.
Breath of fresh air
For qualifying candidates, in today’s world of restrictions, Bulgarian citizenship for special merits is a breath of fresh air. In case they are considered to be potentially of interest for the Bulgarian state, the whole procedure takes only a few months and there are zero strings attached. Too good to be true? Well, not really. The key here is the word “qualifying”.
Eligible or not? Many foreign candidates mistakenly think of citizenship for special merits as for citizenship by investment.
We receive hundreds of enquiries from foreigners, willing to obtain Bulgarian special merits citizenship. What we see is that many of them, probably the majority, are trying to offer something in order to receive citizenship. We often hear things like “I will bring my business to Bulgaria and pay millions in taxes if I can get Bulgarian passport“. Is this the correct approach? Absolutely not!
Bulgarian citizenship for special merits is not a “deal” with the government
Citizenship for merit is exactly what it is. It is not citizenship for money, for taxes, for business, whatsoever. Citizenship for special merits is given wholeheartedly by the Bulgarian President if he (and the governmental officials) considers that the candidate deserves it for his “services” to the Bulgarian state. In short, the candidate has to demonstrate his potential, not his contribution. This is the key, the core principle of the special merits citizenship.
Of course, we don’t expect from the foreign candidates to fully comprehend the idea behind the special merits citizenship program. The lawyers from VD&A are the most capable team in Bulgaria, who can successfully build up the case of the qualifying candidates and bring them to a successful end. Obtaining Bulgarian citizenship for special merits is an art, not a business. Only those who an realise that will be rewarded with the golden prize – Bulgarian passport.