One of our biggest enquiries currently is to have documents legalised in Bulgaria to help with further studies.

Having your UK academic documents legalised with the apostille ensures your awards are recognised by the Bulgarian educational authorities.

Below we offer a guide to understanding the requirements.

The apostille is an a5 certificate, attached to the back of your academic documents, verifying the validity of the signatory who signed it – which in this case would be a UK solicitor. As Bulgaria are signed up to the apostille convention, they should accept your certificates as authentic. The term “legalising” sums up this process.

Start with making sure you have your original documents. If you do not have them you can normally obtain official replacements through the issuing body.

Before the apostille process starts, in the UK, documents need to be certified. This can be completed by a UK solicitor or notary public. We work with solicitors on a daily basis, one less thing for you to worry about!

Sometimes the Bulgarian authorities ask for a power of attorney to be presented along with the academic awards. We cannot sign these, so please call for advice before placing an order. Our trained customer service advisors are here to help ensure a seamless service.

If the person(s) requesting your documents are happy with copies being legalised (which Bulgaria generally are) then you can have copies signed, leaving your originals untouched – but please check first.

Bulgaria are signed up to the apostille convention, meaning that no extra consular attestation is required, making the process faster and smoother.

Legalisation happens at the FCDO in the UK – Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.

If you require a translation – you will need to contact the Bulgarian embassy in London as translations must be completed using a certified translator. Translations are typically not needed when presenting legalised academic documents, so please seek advice first.

After you have had your documents legalised, you can submit them to the Bulgarian Ministry of Education or the specific educational institution where you plan to study.

Whilst we aim to process all documents in only 2 working days, legalisation can take a bit longer as there are factors outside of our control which you need to take into consideration.

Start as early as possible – give yourself as much time as you can to have your documents legalised.

Cost – there will be fees applicable for certification, legalisation and delivery of your completed order. It is advisable to budget for these when calculating your costs to study in Bulgaria.

Particular Specifications – Various institutions may have their own additional requirements, so be sure to verify with your university or college regarding any specific documentation they might need.

Without proper legalisation, your academic qualifications may not be recognised, hindering your plans to enrol in programmes and courses.

It also prevents potential delays if you turn up to your University / College with the correctly legalised documents.

It also complies legally with the Bulgarian regulations needed for furthering your education, ensuring a smooth transition.

It’s imperative your documents are correctly legalised when pursuing further study in Bulgaria. Leaving this to the last minute or not legalising the documents required by the Bulgarian authorities can delay the start to the next step in your academic journey; potentially leaving you waiting until the next available enrolment dates a year later!

Rest assured, we’re here to help. Contact us today for support with your document legalisation needs. Let us worry about the administration involved in this process so you can focus on your future studies.