Different Names in Bulgarian and Foreign Documents: When Is a Name Change Needed?

Your diploma bears one surname, but your Bulgarian passport shows another. Before applying to court for a name change, establish what you need to prove: that both documents refer to you, or that you wish to use a different name in future.

Where does the discrepancy come from?

Compare your birth certificate, identity documents and the record on which your name abroad is based. Note whether the difference is limited to the Latin spelling, whether your surname changed on marriage, or whether the two registers contain different names. If a document was issued in error, first ask the issuing authority to check it.

What can establish the link between the names?

If the difference arose on marriage, the marriage certificate may connect the former surname to the new one. If your name changed abroad, also keep the decision or record of that change. Ask the institution receiving the documents to specify in writing what it does not accept. This will clarify whether evidence of identity is missing or whether the entry itself is disputed.

When does Article 19 apply?

If you wish to change your registered name, Article 19(1) of Bulgaria’s Civil Registration Act allows a written application to the court, including where important circumstances make the change necessary. In civil case No. 1960/2016, the Gabrovo District Court examined differences between Bulgarian and South African documents. The particular difficulties in identifying the individual matter. Having two passports does not by itself determine the outcome of another case.

For a consultation, prepare copies of both documents, the records explaining the difference and any letters or refusals you received. Specify the spelling you want to use and the transaction or procedure the discrepancy prevented. You can contact Tomovi Law Firm with these details.

Court decision (Bulgarian) · Changing a name through the courts