New Changes to Address Provision in the Republic of Bulgaria Act for Foreigners: What Applicants Need to Know

Effective from July 2025, all foreign nationals* applying for residence in Bulgaria — whether new or renewing their status — must comply with updated requirements concerning the provision of an address. The amendments are part of recent changes to the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act (Закон за чужденците в Република България), aimed at improving administrative transparency and residency verification.

*third country nationals, not applicable to citizens of EU/EEA/Swiss Confederation

Key Changes:

1. Mandatory Address Verification for All Applications

As of the latest amendments:

• Foreign nationals must provide proof of a valid residential address in Bulgaria for both new applications and renewals of residence permits (temporary, long-term, and permanent).

• This address must be confirmed as an owner (ownership deed) or with a rental agreement together with an official declaration by the property owner.

  
  

2. New Standardized Address Declaration Form

A new official form titled “Declaration of Accommodation Address for Foreigners” (Декларация за предоставяне на адрес за настаняване на чужденец) has been introduced.

• This form must be completed and signed by the property owner.

• If the applicant owns the property, a copy of the notary deed will suffice.

• It requires precise details such as the full address, including the street, number, floor, block, etc., and full contact details of the host or landlord. In case of lack of precise details, further documents for the address might be requested at the discrepancy of the immigration authorities (such as documents from the registry agency, mayor's office or another municipal institution).

• It replaces previous informal declarations used in some municipalities.

• The declaration should be notary certified (notary certified signature of the owner and notary certified content).

3. New Application Form

The Bulgarian Migration Directorate should also release an updated version of the residence permit application form shortly, which would available for download on their official website and in local migration offices.

4. Short- term Stay and Mandatory Change of Address

Short- term stays: An individual or a company/legal entity who has provided short-term accommodation/shelter to a foreigner shall, within 3 days, notify in writing the competent district office of the Ministry of the Interior or the Immigration office at the place of its location of this fact, providing the name, date of birth, nationality, number and series of the foreigner's identity document.

For residence permit holders: In case of change of the address of residence, foreigners from countries outside EU/EEA/Swiss Confederation with all types of granted residence in the Republic of Bulgaria shall be obliged within 30 days to declare this circumstance to the services for administrative control of foreigners and to submit an application for issuance of a Bulgarian identity document.

5. Changes overview

Applicant type	Owner of property	Applicant is renting
Notary deed	Yes	Yes
Rental agreement	No	Yes
Declaration form (notary certified content and signature)	No	Yes
Next time the documents will be requested	New application or renewal	New application or renewal
Change of address	30 days as of the date of change	30 days as of the date of change
Additional documents	Might be required in case of problems with the registration	Might be required in case of problems with the registration

Transition Period and Support

Authorities might adopt a grace period that will allow applicants to submit documents under the previous rules, but only if their application was initiated before July 1.

Local migration offices will provide assistance with the new forms.

These new changes mark a significant shift in how Bulgaria manages foreign residents, prioritizing transparency and legal consistency. All applicants — whether renewing or applying for the first time — are urged to carefully review the new requirements and ensure their address documentation is complete and up to date.

For the latest forms and instructions, visit the official website of the Migration Directorate of Bulgaria.

If you need assistance with your application or understanding the new requirements, please don’t hesitate to contact us.