Current Version
| Region | Bulgaria |
| Issue | Right to change legal gender |
| Status | Legal, but requires medical diagnosis |
| Start Date | Jan 5, 2017 |
| End Date | Feb 21, 2023 |
| Description | In January 2017, the Supreme Court of Cassation issued Decision No. 205 (Case No. 2180/2016), which fundamentally shifted judicial practice regarding the requirements for legal gender recognition. The Court explicitly stated that transgender persons cannot be forced to undergo surgery to modify their body against their will as a prerequisite for changing their civil status. This ruling established that applicants must instead prove in court their serious and firm decision to biologically confirm their mental and social gender role, effectively removing the mandatory surgery requirement and allowing legal recognition based on medical diagnosis and established identity. |
| Sources | https://tgeu.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Trans-mapA_Map2016july.pdf https://sofiaglobe.com/2023/02/21/bulgaria-high-court-ruling-bans-legal-change-of-gender/ https://www.kvlaw.bg/documents/f/en/07_bulgarian_personal_documents_act.pdf |
Revision History (14)
| Old Value | New Value (Current) | |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Legal, but requires surgery | Legal, but requires medical diagnosis |
| Start Date | Oct 16, 2009 | Jan 5, 2017 |
| Description | In 2009, the Bulgarian Identity Documents Act was amended to provide for a possibility of "changing sex" in identification documents but did not provide any requirements specified nor who could issue such documents. However, in practice, sterilisation and surgery were often required. | In January 2017, the Supreme Court of Cassation issued Decision No. 205 (Case No. 2180/2016), which fundamentally shifted judicial practice regarding the requirements for legal gender recognition. The Court explicitly stated that transgender persons cannot be forced to undergo surgery to modify their body against their will as a prerequisite for changing their civil status. This ruling established that applicants must instead prove in court their serious and firm decision to biologically confirm their mental and social gender role, effectively removing the mandatory surgery requirement and allowing legal recognition based on medical diagnosis and established identity. |
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edited by DaisyGeekyTrans. Adding more information.
Helpful?
0 | Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Start Date | (unknown) | Oct 16, 2009 |
| Description | Before the 2023 supreme court ruling sterilisation was required to change legal gender. | In 2009, the Bulgarian Identity Documents Act was amended to provide for a possibility of "changing sex" in identification documents but did not provide any requirements specified nor who could issue such documents. However, in practice, sterilisation and surgery were often required. |
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| Sources | https://tgeu.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Trans-mapA_Map2016july.pdf https://sofiaglobe.com/2023/02/21/bulgaria-high-court-ruling-bans-legal-change-of-gender/ | https://tgeu.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Trans-mapA_Map2016july.pdf https://sofiaglobe.com/2023/02/21/bulgaria-high-court-ruling-bans-legal-change-of-gender/ https://www.kvlaw.bg/documents/f/en/07_bulgarian_personal_documents_act.pdf |
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edited by jadeywadey. improved description and added source
Helpful?
0 | Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Requires sterilization. Ruled not legal by EU. Changes pending. Missing non binary options on documents. | Before the 2023 supreme court ruling sterilisation was required to change legal gender. |
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| Sources | https://tgeu.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Trans-mapA_Map2016july.pdf | https://tgeu.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Trans-mapA_Map2016july.pdf https://sofiaglobe.com/2023/02/21/bulgaria-high-court-ruling-bans-legal-change-of-gender/ |
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Reports (1)
- Sources are invalid or broken "Link gives 404 not found
https://tgeu.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Trans-mapA_Map2016july.pdf"
edited by Notdog1996
Helpful?
0 | Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Value | (REMOVED) | Legal, but requires surgery |
| Special Status | Ambiguous | Legal, but requires surgery |
Reports (5)
- Newer law has been passed "https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/bulgaria-bans-gender-reassignment-surgery/"
- Newer law has been passed "https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/bulgaria-bans-gender-reassignment-surgery/"
- Status is not correct "The law just changed in feb 2023. Now is illegal"
- Newer law has been passed "On February 21st, Bulgaria outlawed gender changes."
- Status is not correct "not legal since 2017
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Bulgaria"
| Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Legal, but requires surgery | (REMOVED) |
| Special Status | Legal, but requires surgery | Ambiguous |
| Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Requires sterilization. Ruled not legal by EU. Changes pending. | Requires sterilization. Ruled not legal by EU. Changes pending. Missing non binary options on documents. |
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| Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Requires sterilization. Ruled not legal by EU. | Requires sterilization. Ruled not legal by EU. Changes pending. |
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| Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Start Date | Mar 25, 2015 | (unknown) |
| Sources | No | https://tgeu.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Trans-mapA_Map2016july.pdf |
| Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Requires sterilization. | Requires sterilization. Ruled not legal by EU. |
| Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Legal, no restrictions | Legal, but requires surgery |