Bulgarian Legal Translation for UK Documents
A Bulgarian пълномощно (power of attorney), съдебно решение (court judgment), нотариален акт (notarial deed) and удостоверение за актуално състояние (current company status certificate) do not mean the same thing. A reliable Bulgarian legal document translation preserves the actual legal powers, parties, dates, court references, Cyrillic names and the recipient's required form of certification.
Use the document-specific guidance below to distinguish UK-certified translations from Bulgarian court, translator-signature and legalisation procedures before placing an order.
Български ⇄ English · Пълномощно · ЕГН & ЕИК · Court and notarial records
Court & notarial documents
Is your document for a UK recipient or a Bulgarian court?
The appropriate certification depends on the destination. A UK-certified English translation, a translation certified for a Bulgarian court and an authenticated original are separate requirements. For work instructed under public funding, see our Bulgarian legal aid translation guide on written case documents and solicitor approval.
Bulgarian legal document submitted in England or Wales
For a UK solicitor, court or public authority, supply a complete English translation with the specific accuracy declaration and identifying information required by the recipient. The underlying Bulgarian document may require separate authentication.
English evidence submitted to a Bulgarian court or authority
Bulgarian Civil Procedure Code Article 185 requires an accurate Bulgarian translation for foreign-language documents submitted in civil proceedings, certified by the party; the court may appoint an expert if accuracy is disputed or cannot be checked. Other official submissions can require the MFA or notarial-signature route.
Which Bulgarian legal record do you hold?
Document headings, originating courts or registries, legal roles and identity codes materially change the English wording. This is why Bulgarian legal papers should never be translated from a generic certificate template.
Пълномощно
Power of attorney — scope and signatory authority
A Bulgarian пълномощно identifies the principal, the representative and what the representative is authorised to do. A property or company transaction may include limits, expiry dates, powers of substitution and notarised signatures. Translating it merely as “authorisation letter” can conceal material legal obligations. The translator does not authenticate the signature or grant legal authority.
Съдебно решение / Определение / Призовка
Judgment, court order and summons
A решение may be a judgment deciding a case; an определение can be a different procedural ruling; a призовка is a summons or notice to attend. These Bulgarian legal document types should not be conflated. Court name, file number, decision date, party status, appeal terms and any indication that a decision has entered into force must be carried over when actually shown.
Удостоверение за актуално състояние
Certificate of current company registration status
Bulgaria's Registry Agency can issue an удостоверение за актуално състояние showing a trader or entity's registered status at a specified date. The online application uses its ЕИК (Unified Identification Code). The certificate does not, merely by existing, establish that a company is debt-free or that the signatory has unrestricted power beyond the fields actually stated.
Удостоверение за раждане / Удостоверение за граждански брак
Birth and civil marriage certificates for UK proceedings
Bulgarian births and civil marriages are registered with municipal authorities. Birth certificates commonly include a patronymic as part of the person's three-part name and an ЕГН (Uniform Civil Number). A birth record, civil marriage certificate and subsequent name-change record have different functions; preserve every original heading and annotation.
Свидетелство за съдимост
Criminal-record / conviction-status certificate
The Bulgarian свидетелство за съдимост is a purpose-specific official certificate concerning convictions. Translate the result and its qualification exactly as stated; do not replace it with “police clearance” if the source title differs. For a UK visa, licence or employment process, the receiving authority decides what original and how recent a certificate must be.
Нотариален акт / Декларация
Notarial deed, property record or declaration
A Bulgarian нотариален акт may record a notarised property transaction or other notarial act; a декларация is a declaration whose legal content depends on the form and procedure. A notarised deed is not the same as an apostille or a translation certification. Properly distinguish notary reference numbers, parties, land identifiers, property descriptions and signatures.
Power of attorney, notarial certification and apostille: three different acts
A Bulgarian пълномощно may give an attorney-in-fact authority for property, banking, company registration or court representation. A notarial signature certification and an apostille are separate evidential steps; neither changes what powers the text grants.
Пълномощно
Translate the principal, authorised person, granted powers, limitations, expiry and any right to appoint a substitute. A translation cannot create or extend a power not present in the original.
Нотариална заверка на подпис
Evidence that a particular signature was certified by a notary. It is not necessarily a statement that every clause is lawful or that the translator's accuracy is independently certified.
Апостил / Легализация
Apostille or legalisation can be needed for international use of an eligible public document. The competent authority depends on the document type and country. Always confirm the destination's rules.
Решение, определение and призовка: why court document titles matter
These titles can reflect different legal effects. Translating every document as a “court order” may hide the distinction between a final decision, procedural ruling and summons requiring attendance.
Решение
Usually a judgment or decision. Preserve the court, panel, parties, operative conclusion and any appeal or entry-into-force wording actually present.
Определение
A procedural ruling or order whose effect depends on the proceeding. Do not translate it as if it finally decided the merits without checking its content.
Призовка
A notice to attend or respond. The hearing date, address, case number and instructions about attendance should be reproduced accurately.
Article 185 in the Bulgarian Civil Procedure Code
For a foreign-language document filed in a Bulgarian civil case, Article 185 provides for an accurate Bulgarian translation certified by the submitting party. If the court cannot independently verify the translation or its accuracy is challenged, it may appoint an expert to examine it. The surrounding rules on documentary evidence may also apply.
Read Articles 184–186 in the official code →Bulgarian patronymics and surnames: -ov / -ova are not typos
Bulgarian names commonly have a given name, a patronymic and a family name. Patronymics and surnames can use different masculine and feminine suffixes. The translator must preserve each recorded legal name and use passport spelling as evidence where transliteration differs.
-ов / -евFeminine suffixes
-ова / -ева
These examples illustrate name structure. They do not imply that every Bulgarian name has exactly these endings or that different recorded surnames may be silently normalised.
Checks for British applications
- Keep собствено име (given name), бащино име (patronymic) and фамилно име (family name) separate.
- Preserve the original Cyrillic and match passport Latin spellings where relevant.
- Do not remove -ова or change it to -ов to make spouses appear to share a surname.
- Link maiden or married names with actual marriage or name-change evidence.
- Check each person’s ЕГН, not a company ЕИК.
HM Passport Office Bulgaria profile: names and civil documents →
ЕГН, birth certificates and EU multilingual forms
Bulgarian municipal birth certificates show a person’s registered names and Uniform Civil Number (ЕГН). HM Passport Office guidance distinguishes these originals from EU Multilingual Standard Forms (MSFs), which are translation aids used between EU countries.
Uniform Civil Number
ЕГН is the identifying number shown on Bulgarian personal and civil-status documents. It is not a passport number and must not be confused with a trader's ЕИК.
Unified Identification Code
ЕИК identifies a business or legal entity in the Commercial Register and is used when requesting a certificate of current status. It does not identify a person.
EU multilingual form ≠ accepted English translation
HM Passport Office explicitly says it cannot accept EU Multilingual Standard Forms as substitute documents. Check whether a full civil certificate and certified translation are required by the UK recipient.
Sixteen Bulgarian legal terms that change the meaning of a document
This reference helps identify instruments, legal roles and registries. The correct translation depends on the source clause and procedure rather than a fixed English template.
| Bulgarian wording | English equivalent | Translation check |
|---|---|---|
| Пълномощно | Power of attorney | Describe what authority the instrument grants; not automatically a simple consent letter. |
| Упълномощител | Principal / person granting authority | Not the representative who receives the power. |
| Пълномощник | Attorney-in-fact / authorised representative | Not necessarily a UK solicitor. |
| Нотариална заверка на подпис | Notarial certification of signature | Separate from legalisation or certification of translation. |
| Нотариален акт | Notarial deed / notarial instrument | Translate its actual notarial purpose and registry references. |
| Съдебно решение | Court judgment / decision | Do not automatically conflate with a procedural order. |
| Определение | Court order / procedural ruling | The procedural category matters for appeals and deadlines. |
| Призовка | Summons / court notice | Keep hearing dates, court and service information. |
| Влязло в сила | Entered into force / become final | Use only when the source legally states this status. |
| ЕГН (Единен граждански номер) | Uniform Civil Number | Personal identifier, not a company-registration number. |
| ЕИК (Единен идентификационен код) | Unified Identification Code | Business or legal-entity identifier used in the Commercial Register. |
| Удостоверение за актуално състояние | Certificate of current registered status | Date-specific corporate evidence, not proof of solvency. |
| Удостоверение за раждане | Birth certificate | Preserve the patronymic, municipality and source identity number. |
| Свидетелство за съдимост | Criminal-record certificate | Translate actual convictions/result rather than making claims of clearance. |
| Декларация | Declaration / statement | Formal context determines whether sworn or notarised. |
| Апостил | Apostille | Authenticates relevant public-document origin, not translation quality. |
UK certification vs Bulgarian consular and notarised-signature routes
A translator’s UK certification is not automatically the same as Bulgaria’s formal procedures for foreign-language documents intended for use in Bulgaria.
UK certified English translation
GOV.UK’s general guidance asks a translator to declare in writing that the translation is true and accurate, give its date, and provide the translator’s full name and contact details. Courts, immigration routes and receiving institutions can require other formalities. The original document’s apostille is separate.
GOV.UK translation certification requirements →Consular or Bulgarian notarial certification
The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs explains that a document translated into Bulgarian for use in Bulgaria may be translated by a consular-accredited translator abroad, or by an individual translator whose signature is notarised by a Bulgarian notary. The receiving authority determines whether other legalisation is needed.
Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs official rules →How to prepare a Bulgarian legal file for translation
Legal documents depend on attachments, authority clauses and issuing-body details. A legible, complete original improves the accuracy of the scope and certification check.
Identify the instrument
Power of attorney, judgment, summons, notarial deed, company certificate, municipal record or criminal certificate.
Keep all endorsements
Scan both sides, court stamps, signatures, appeal clauses, notarial seals and annexes, without cropping.
Match names and identifiers
Provide the original Cyrillic, passport spellings, personal ЕГН and entity ЕИК where relevant.
Confirm destination and format
Name the UK or Bulgarian authority, any court filing date, required certification, notarisation and delivery format.
Upload the full source and the receiving institution's instructions to confirm the correct order.
Bulgarian legal document translation FAQs
Answers on notarial instruments, court orders, identity codes, translations for Bulgaria and UK submissions.
Can you translate a Bulgarian power of attorney for use in the UK?
Yes, a Bulgarian пълномощно can be assessed for faithful legal translation. Include each power granted, any restrictions or expiry, parties' identity details and all notarised endorsements. Ask the UK solicitor what form of certification is needed.
Is a Bulgarian нотариален акт the same as an apostille?
No. A нотариален акт is a notarial instrument or deed. An apostille is a separate authentication form for public documents. Neither alone certifies that an English translation is accurate.
How are решение and определение different?
They denote different Bulgarian court-document categories, often a judgment or decision versus an order or procedural ruling. The precise legal context governs the English rendering.
What does Article 185 of Bulgaria's Civil Procedure Code require?
A foreign-language document submitted in Bulgarian civil proceedings must be accompanied by an accurate Bulgarian translation certified by the submitting party. The court may appoint an expert if it cannot verify the translation or its accuracy is disputed.
Can a UK-certified English translation be used in Bulgaria?
Not automatically. The Bulgarian MFA explains specific routes for translations into Bulgarian, including consular-accredited translators or Bulgarian notarisation of a translator's signature. The recipient may also impose formalities.
Can a Bulgarian official document be apostilled before translating it?
Apostille or legalisation of the underlying document and translation are separate steps. Bulgarian MFA guidance says translation certified in Bulgaria is not automatically required or recognised everywhere abroad. Check the destination authority first.
Are EU Multilingual Standard Forms enough for a UK passport application?
HM Passport Office says it cannot accept an EU Multilingual Standard Form as an acceptable replacement for the required Bulgarian source. Follow its specific document instructions and provide a certified English translation where required.
Why do Bulgarian names end in -ov and -ova?
Bulgarian patronymics and surnames can take different gendered forms. HM Passport Office describes three-part names and examples of -ov/-ova and -ev/-eva. Preserve the source spelling and use passport evidence for any cross-document variation.
What is the difference between ЕГН and ЕИК?
ЕГН identifies a person; ЕИК identifies a company or another registered legal entity. They should never be swapped in court papers, notarial deeds or company documents.
How do I translate a Bulgarian Certificate of Current Status?
Include the Registry Agency's certificate, registration date, entity's ЕИК, legal form, managers and any representation rules. The recipient may need the status as at a particular date.
Do Bulgarian civil birth and marriage certificates need English translation?
For UK recipients, check the exact application route. The original civil certificate and any EU multilingual form are distinct, and a UK authority may require a certified English translation.
How much does Bulgarian legal document translation cost and how quickly can I order?
Cost and turnaround depend on legal complexity, source length and legibility, court deadlines, notarisation or legalisation requirements, format and delivery. Upload all pages with the receiving organisation's instructions for an order assessment.
Translate the Bulgarian legal instrument you actually hold.
Preserve parties, powers, registry details and the correct certification for the receiving authority.
Questions about your document translation?
Use this enquiry form for questions about official acceptance, formatting or language direction, or email hello@locatetranslate.co.uk. To upload files and place an order, use the direct order page.