You have been accepted to study at a Bulgarian university, completed the admission process, and are now preparing for your Student Visa D interview. One of the documents that can cause the most confusion is the criminal record certificate, especially when you are a citizen of one country but have been living, studying or working in another.
For example:
- You are a Ukrainian citizen who has been living in the United States.
- You are a British citizen who has lived in the UAE for several years.
- You are a Mexican citizen currently residing in the United States.
- You are an Indian citizen who has been studying or working in another country.
- You recently returned to your home country after spending several years abroad.
In these situations, a common question is:
Do I need a criminal record certificate from my country of citizenship, my country of residence, or from both countries?
The answer depends on your individual circumstances, and this is something that should be checked carefully before your Visa D interview.
What Does Bulgaria Require?
According to information published by the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning initial applications for long-term residence, the applicant must provide a:
criminal record certificate issued by the country of which the foreign national is a citizen OR by the country of their habitual residence.
This distinction is important.
Your country of citizenship is normally the country whose passport you hold.
Your country of habitual residence is the country where you actually and lawfully live on an ongoing basis.
Therefore, the country where you have spent the most recent years of your life may be relevant even if you are not a citizen of that country.
What Happens If You Have Lived in Two Countries?
Consider this example:
A student is a citizen of Country A, but for the last four years has been legally residing and studying in Country B.
The student is accepted to a Bulgarian university and now needs to apply for a Bulgarian Student Visa D.
In this situation, the student should not automatically assume that a criminal record certificate from Country A is the only document that could be relevant simply because Country A issued their passport.
Their residence in Country B may also be important.
Likewise, obtaining only a certificate from Country B without considering the requirements connected with the student's citizenship may not always be the best approach.
This is why we recommend reviewing the applicant's complete recent residence history before preparing the criminal record documents.
Do You Need Criminal Record Certificates From Both Countries?
Not necessarily.
Bulgarian requirements refer to a criminal record certificate from the applicant's country of citizenship or country of habitual residence for the initial application.
However, the competent Bulgarian diplomatic or consular authority may request additional documents depending on the circumstances of an individual application.
Therefore, when an applicant has lived for a significant period in another country, it may be advisable to confirm with the Bulgarian embassy or consulate whether they expect:
Option 1: A criminal record certificate from the country of citizenship;
Option 2: A criminal record certificate from the country of habitual residence; or
Option 3: Criminal record certificates from both countries in the particular circumstances of the applicant.
Preparing two certificates can sometimes provide a more complete record of the applicant's recent history, but applicants should not assume that two certificates are a universal requirement for every Bulgarian Student Visa D application.
Example: Citizen of Country A Living in Country B
Let's take a practical example.
Citizenship: Country A
Current residence: Country B
Residence in Country B: Last 5 years
Purpose of travel to Bulgaria: University studies
The applicant may have spent very little time in their country of citizenship during the last five years.
A criminal record certificate from Country A establishes their criminal record status there, but their recent life has primarily taken place in Country B.
For this reason, the criminal record certificate from the country of habitual residence can be particularly relevant.
Before ordering documents, however, the applicant should confirm the required certificate or certificates with the Bulgarian diplomatic or consular mission responsible for the Visa D application.
What If You Recently Moved?
Another common situation is when a student has recently changed countries.
For example:
2019–2025: Lived in Country A
2025–2026: Living in Country B
2026: Accepted to study in Bulgaria
Determining the applicant's habitual residence can be less straightforward in this situation.
The Bulgarian consulate may consider factors such as:
- how long you have lived in each country;
- your current legal residence status;
- where you study or work;
- whether you hold a residence permit;
- when you moved;
- where you are currently permanently or habitually residing; and
- where you will submit your Visa D application.
This is why it is important to provide your educational or immigration consultant with your full residence history, rather than simply your nationality.
The Country of Your Visa D Interview Also Matters
A Bulgarian long-stay Visa D application involves a mandatory personal interview.
If you are applying in a country other than your country of citizenship, your legal residence there can therefore become an important part of the application.
For example:
Passport: Ukrainian
Current legal residence: USA
Visa D interview: Bulgarian Embassy/Consulate in the USA
The applicant should make sure that their residence documentation, Visa D application and criminal record documentation are consistent with their actual circumstances.
Make Sure You Obtain the Correct Type of Criminal Record Certificate
Another important issue is the type of criminal record certificate.
Depending on the country, there may be several different documents available:
- local police clearance;
- regional/state criminal record check;
- national criminal record certificate;
- federal background check;
- certificate of good conduct;
- police clearance certificate;
- criminal history report.
Not all of these documents necessarily serve the same purpose.
For an immigration procedure, it is important to obtain an official certificate from the competent authority that is suitable for use abroad.
If a country offers both local and nationwide criminal record checks, you should verify which document the Bulgarian authorities expect before ordering it.
Don't Forget the Apostille or Legalisation
Obtaining the criminal record certificate itself may not be enough.
The document must also be properly prepared for use before the Bulgarian authorities.
Depending on the country where the certificate was issued, this may involve:
Criminal Record Certificate → Apostille → Bulgarian Translation
or, where the Apostille Convention procedure is not applicable:
Criminal Record Certificate → Authentication/Legalisation → Bulgarian Translation
The exact procedure depends on the country that issued the document, not simply on your citizenship.
If You Have Certificates From Two Different Countries
If you are preparing criminal record certificates from two countries, remember that each document follows the legalisation rules of the country where it was issued.
For example, if one certificate was issued in Country A and another in Country B, you may need to follow two different apostille or legalisation procedures.
You cannot normally obtain an apostille in Country A for a public document issued by the authorities of Country B.
Translation Into Bulgarian
Criminal record certificates submitted as part of the Bulgarian immigration process may also need to be translated into Bulgarian according to the applicable requirements.
Do not assume that an English-language certificate automatically requires no further preparation.
Always check the legalisation and translation requirements applicable to the specific issuing country and Bulgarian consular mission.
What About Applicants Under 18?
There is an important exception for younger students.
According to information published by the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, applicants who have not reached the age of 18 do not submit a criminal record certificate.
Additional requirements apply to minors, including requirements connected with their parents or legal guardians.
Our Recommended Checklist
If you have lived in more than one country before applying for your Bulgarian Student Visa D, ask yourself:
✓ What country am I a citizen of?
✓ Where am I currently living?
✓ How long have I lived there?
✓ Where did I live before that?
✓ Do I have legal residence in my current country?
✓ Which country would be considered my habitual residence?
✓ Where will I submit my Bulgarian Visa D application?
✓ Which authority issues the appropriate criminal record certificate in each relevant country?
✓ Does the document need an Apostille?
✓ If an Apostille is not applicable, what legalisation procedure is required?
✓ Does the certificate need to be translated into Bulgarian?
✓ Has the Bulgarian embassy or consulate confirmed whether I need a certificate from my country of citizenship, habitual residence, or both?
Don't Order Your Criminal Record Certificate Too Early
Timing is also important.
Criminal record certificates may have limited validity for immigration purposes, while obtaining the certificate, apostille/legalisation and translation can take several weeks.
For this reason, the criminal record certificate should be carefully coordinated with:
- your university admission;
- your Bulgarian Ministry of Education documents;
- your Visa D appointment;
- document legalisation;
- translations; and
- your planned arrival in Bulgaria.
Ordering the wrong certificate — or obtaining the correct certificate too early — can result in unnecessary costs and delays.
Every Student's Residence History Is Different
There is no reason to panic if you have lived in several countries before applying to study in Bulgaria.
The important thing is to identify your citizenship, habitual residence, recent residence history and place of Visa D application before preparing the criminal record documentation.
For applicants with residence histories involving two or more countries, we recommend confirming the exact requirement with the relevant Bulgarian diplomatic or consular mission before spending money on criminal record certificates, apostilles and translations.
Study Buddy Can Help You Prepare for Your Student Visa D
At Study Buddy, we assist international students not only with their applications to Bulgarian universities but also with preparing for the next stages after admission.
If you have been accepted to study in Bulgaria but have lived in more than one country, we can review your individual situation and guide you through the documents that need to be prepared for your Student Visa D process.
Before advising you, we will normally need to know:
Your citizenship → Your current country of residence → Countries where you have recently lived → How long you lived in each country → Your residence status → Where you intend to apply for your Visa D
This allows us to identify issues early and, where necessary, determine what should be confirmed directly with the relevant Bulgarian embassy or consulate.
Important: Visa and immigration requirements can depend on the applicant's individual circumstances, nationality, residence status and the country where the application is submitted. Bulgarian diplomatic and consular authorities may request additional documents. Always verify the requirements applicable to your individual case before obtaining and legalising your documents.