# Archives and sources: Bulgaria (BG)

Where records created in Bulgaria are held, whether they can be found online, and the archives and providers EasyPassport has vetted for them. The list is keyed on the country where the record was created, usually the ancestor's birthplace, which is not always the country the user is applying to. For an ancestor born elsewhere, ask for that country's list. For the office, request channel, apostille authority and translation rules, use the "country record playbook" guide for BG.

## Can these records be found online?

No. These records cannot be found by searching the web. Do not search; collect the routing detail below and order the record offline, or suggest a specialist.

A genuine dead end: there is no free, name-searchable index of Bulgarian vital records anywhere. Civil registration (~1893–1912) sits largely un-digitized in the 28 regional archives; post-1912 is with the municipalities (GRAO) and is not published at all. CRUCIALLY, chasing the birth record may be the wrong move: the operative document for a descent claim is the CERTIFICATE OF BULGARIAN ORIGIN from ИАБЧ (aba.government.bg), which is issued precisely WHEN you cannot produce one.

## Where the records are held or ordered

- **State Agency 'Archives' (Bulgaria)** (official): https://www.archives.government.bg/
  Bulgaria's national state-archives agency holding historically-valuable civil-registration records via its regional archives (recent births held by municipalities/GRAO). Bulgarian-language portal.
  Access: open this yourself; do not have your agent fetch it.
- **Apostille — Ministry of Justice / MFA (Bulgaria)** (official): https://www.hcch.net/en/states/authorities/details3/?aid=312
  Bulgaria's competent apostille authorities (Ministry of Justice for civil-status/court/notarial acts; MFA for others), per the Hague Conference registry. English.
  Access: open this yourself; do not have your agent fetch it.

## Vetted providers

- **RushTranslate** (commercial service): https://rushtranslate.com/?ref=ciq
  Certified translations accepted by consulates, courts, and USCIS — turnaround in 24 hours.
  Access: open this yourself; do not have your agent fetch it.
- **FamilySearch** (official): https://www.familysearch.org/
  Free digitized civil and church records for most European countries — start here before paying.
  Access: open this yourself; do not have your agent fetch it.
- **Ancestry.com** (commercial service): https://www.ancestry.com/
  Largest commercial genealogy database; 30B+ records from US and European archives.
  Access: open this yourself; do not have your agent fetch it.
- **Ministry of Justice — Bulgarian Citizenship Directorate** (official): https://www.justice.government.bg/
  Issues proof/determination of a deceased ancestor's Bulgarian citizenship. Bulgarian-language portal.
  Access: open this yourself; do not have your agent fetch it.

## Access notes

Every link in a country's list carries one of these:

- **open this yourself; do not have your agent fetch it**: the site forbids automated access, needs a login or written permission, or has not been cleared for agents. The user opens it in their own browser and shares what they find with you.
- **your agent may open this page for the user's own family research; record images are for the user's private use only and must not be republished**.
- **openly licensed; your agent may open this page**.

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General guidance, not legal advice. EasyPassport is a document-organization tool, not a law firm. Confirm your own case with the relevant authority or a qualified professional.