Foreign Registration Removal

More and more homeowners are facing the unpleasant situation of having people who have long since stopped living there still listed at their property. These are most often former tenants, but sometimes relatives, acquaintances or foreign nationals who used the address for registration during their stay in Bulgaria or in the respective city. Although such registration does not grant rights over the property itself, it often creates administrative inconvenience and uncertainty for the owner.

That is precisely why the topic of deleting/removing a third party’s address registration from a private property is important for anyone who rents out a home or has provided an address registration to another person. The procedure is not court-based and in most cases can be carried out directly through the municipality and the relevant administrative services, provided that the correct steps are followed.

What exactly is address registration?

Address registration is the recording of a current or permanent address in the state registers. It serves administrative purposes – issuing personal documents, correspondence, tax notifications and other official communications.

Many people are left with the impression that once they leave a property, the registration is automatically cancelled. In practice, this rarely happens. If the person does not change their address voluntarily, they continue to appear in the registers, even though they no longer live at the property.

This often puts owners in an unpleasant situation. Letters, court papers or notifications of debts belonging to other people may continue to arrive at the address. During inspections by institutions, it may also be established that people who do not actually live there are still registered at the property.

When is the removal of a third party’s address registration necessary?

Most often, the procedure begins after a rental agreement is terminated. The tenant vacates the property but does not take steps to change their current address. In other cases, the owner finds out years later that the home is still registered to people who left long ago.

In the case of foreign nationals, the situation is even more specific, because the address is also used as a basis for residence in the country. That is why it is important for the registration to be removed in a timely manner and in the proper order.

How can we check what active address registrations there are at the property?

In many cases, owners do not even suspect how many people are still listed at their address. Often, after tenant changes, a property sale or long-term use by other people, active address registrations remain in the registers, and the owner only learns about them during an administrative check or upon receiving someone else’s correspondence.

The most reliable way to check which people are registered at a permanent or current address is to visit the relevant municipality or district administration in the location of the property. Checks are usually carried out in the „Civil Registration“ department or ESGRAON. The owner must present proof of ownership, most often a title deed, as well as an identity card to confirm their identity. After the check, the administration provides information about the persons listed as registered at the address.

For properties located in smaller settlements, such a check can often also be made through the mayor of the town hall, which makes things easier for owners and saves an additional visit to the municipal centre.

More and more municipalities also offer electronic administrative services through which a certificate for registered persons at a given address can be requested. Using these services usually requires a qualified electronic signature, and access is provided via the official portal of the respective municipality.

Checking active address registrations is a good first step, because it gives a clear picture of whether former tenants, relatives or other people who no longer live there are still listed at the property.

How does the procedure begin for Bulgarian citizens?

The first step is a visit to the municipality or district mayor’s office in the location of the property. There, the owner submits an application for the removal of the address registration of a person who no longer lives in the dwelling.

The application states the person’s details and the fact that they do not live at the address. The request is usually accompanied by a title deed and/or another ownership document, as well as the owner’s identity card.

When it comes to a former tenant, it is a good idea for the owner to also have documents showing that the rental relationship has ended. In addition to a termination notice or notice to vacate, it is strongly recommended to have a written agreement terminating the contract. Such a document gives the owner additional security, because it clearly certifies that both parties have agreed to end the tenancy and that the property has been vacated. This often facilitates the administrative check and serves as convincing evidence before the municipality.

What happens after the documents are submitted?

Once the application has been filed, the municipality begins an administrative check. The mayor appoints a commission to establish whether the person actually lives at the address.

The check usually includes an on-site visit, conversations with neighbours or the building manager, and the gathering of information on whether the person actually resides at the property. After the check is completed, a report is drawn up, on the basis of which a decision is made to remove the registration.

If it is established that the person does not live there, the mayor issues an order to remove the address registration. The information is then updated in the GRAO system and the address is officially removed.

What should owners know about permanent and current addresses?

Many people do not distinguish between a permanent and a current address, and this is important in such procedures.

The current address is the place where a person actually lives at a given moment. The permanent address is the one listed on the identity card and used for official correspondence.

When the registration is removed, the current address is deleted from the system. If the person has no other permanent address, the municipality may officially transfer them to an administrative address until a new one is declared.

For the owner, the most important thing is that their property will no longer be listed as the address of the respective person.

What is the procedure for foreign nationals?

For foreigners, the procedure is similar, but there is one very important distinction. In addition to registration with the municipality, they often also have registration in the system of the Migration Directorate at the Ministry of Interior.

This means that removing the address from the municipality alone is not enough. If the migration authorities are not also notified, the foreign national may continue to use the old address for administrative procedures and document renewals.

What should the owner do in the case of a foreign national?

After submitting an application to the municipality, the owner should also visit the relevant unit of the Migration Directorate. There, a written notification is submitted stating that the person no longer lives in the property and that the consent previously given to use the address is withdrawn.

The notification usually states the foreigner’s name, passport number or personal number of a foreign national (LNC), as well as the date on which the rental relationship was terminated.

It is a good idea to attach a copy of the title deed, the terminated tenancy agreement and a written agreement terminating the contract, if such a document was signed, to the documents. It is this document that often provides the clearest proof that the foreign national no longer has grounds to use the address.

Why is notifying the Ministry of Interior so important?

When a foreign national is granted the right to reside in Bulgaria, having a real address is one of the main conditions. If the owner officially states that the address can no longer be used, this is reflected in the Ministry of Interior’s system.

At the next check or document renewal, the foreign national will have to present a new tenancy agreement and a new residence address. If they do not, this may lead to administrative consequences related to their stay in the country.

Is there a difference between EU citizens and citizens of non-EU countries?

Yes, there are certain differences. Citizens of the European Union benefit from a more liberal residence regime, but they are also required to have a real address.

For citizens of countries outside the European Union, the control is significantly stricter. The address is part of the conditions for lawful residence, and its absence may affect the issued residence permit.

How can owners protect themselves when renting out a property?

Many problems can be avoided right from the signing of the tenancy agreement. Good practice is to clearly regulate in the contract what happens to the address registration after the tenancy ends.

Even more important is to sign a written agreement for the termination of the contract and the handover of the property when the home is vacated. In this way, the owner has a clear document proving when the use of the dwelling ended.

This is especially useful in future administrative procedures, because it significantly facilitates proof before the municipality and the Ministry of Interior.

Conclusion

The procedure for deleting/removing a third party’s address registration from a private property requires patience and the right sequence, but in most cases it can be carried out without unnecessary complications. The most important thing is for the owner to act in a timely manner, submit the necessary documents and have proof of the termination of the relationship with the person who was registered at the address.

For Bulgarian citizens, the municipality plays the main role, while for foreigners the Migration Directorate must also be notified. When all steps are carried out correctly, the property address is officially cleared from the registers and the owner can be calm that their home will no longer be listed as the address of people who do not live there.

The article was prepared with the assistance of legal counsel Kalina Todorova, legal department of “Titan Properties Bulgaria”.