International Adoptions in Bulgaria

Overview

The Family Code of the Republic of Bulgaria allows the adoption of Bulgarian children by parents who are not Bulgarian citizens. The basic guideline is that the adoption should be made in the interest of the child.
 
Additional requirement in the international adoptions is that there should be a preliminary consent received from the Minister of Justice of Bulgaria. The adoptive parents are to submit an application to the Minister of Justice requesting his consent to adopt a specific Bulgarian child. Attached to the application there should be proofs that the adoption is in the child’s interest, as well as information about the adoptive parents, such as age, health, assets, previous convictions, etc. All that must be accompanied by declarations from the natural parents with their consent to the child’s adoption, or consent from the chief physician of the children establishment if the child is being adopted from such an establishment.
 
After receiving the Minister’s consent the adoptive parents are to apply to the First Regional Court in Sofia which is supposed to assess all gathered proofs and to pronounce itself on the application for adoption.
 

LIST of documents, required for an international adoption in Bulgaria
 
  • Adoptive Home Study

  • Motivation for adoption

  • Adoptive Father

  • Adoptive Mother

  • Marital Relationship

  • Home

  • Employment

  • Finances

  • Net worth

  • Interests

  • Religion

  • Health

  • Ability to raise children

  • References

  • Recommendation

  • Physician’s report:

  • Medical and physical examination

  • Psychiatric condition

  • Birth certificates of both adoptive parents
 
  • Marriage certificate
 
  • Criminal and traffic report
 
  • Proof of financial assets
 
  • Declaration of intent stating that the adoptive parents will not use the child for medical experimentation.
 
All the documents should be legalized with an apostle. (PDF file)

 
The Bulgarian Consulate only makes the last certification of the documents and is not involved in the adoption procedure. The adoptive parents have to go through the procedure by themselves or by proxies – attorney or an agency, specialized in international adoptions.