The Chicken-and-Egg Problem
You want to register for residence in Bulgaria. The Migration Directorate requires proof of accommodation. But you are not in Bulgaria yet — and without a residence certificate, you cannot sign a proper lease.
This is the single most common obstacle we see at Innovires. Every week, we hear from EU citizens and non-EU nationals who have their business plan ready, their documents prepared, and their flights booked — but they are stuck on one requirement: a valid address in Bulgaria.
The accommodation proof is not a formality. It is a strict legal requirement under the EU Directive 2004/38/EC as implemented in Bulgarian law, and the rules were tightened in July 2025. Short-term rentals, hotels, and Airbnb addresses are not accepted. You need a proper rental agreement plus a notarized landlord declaration — and the landlord must personally appear before a Bulgarian notary.
What Accommodation Proof Is Required
The Migration Directorate requires two documents as proof of accommodation when you apply for your residence certificate:
1. A rental agreement
A written lease agreement between you and the property owner. The agreement must specify the full address (street, number, floor, apartment number), the rental period, and must be signed by both parties. There is no requirement for the lease to be notarized, but it must be a genuine agreement for a residential property.
2. A notarized landlord declaration
This is the critical document. The property owner must personally appear before a Bulgarian notary and sign a declaration of consent, stating that they agree to you residing at their property and using the address for official registration purposes. For a detailed explanation, see our guide to the notarized landlord declaration.
July 2025 rule change: Since July 2025, the notary must verify both the signature and the content of the landlord declaration. Previously, only signature verification was required. Declarations with signature-only verification are no longer accepted by the Migration Directorate. The notary must confirm that the landlord understands and intends what the document states.
If you own property in Bulgaria, a property deed replaces both documents. But for most newcomers, ownership is not the starting point — renting is.
Why This Is Hard for Newcomers
On paper, the requirement sounds straightforward: find an apartment, sign a lease, get the landlord to the notary. In practice, it is one of the most frustrating parts of the relocation process. Here is why:
- You are not in Bulgaria yet. You cannot view apartments, meet landlords, or sign documents in person. Most landlords will not sign a lease with someone they have never met.
- The landlord must physically visit a notary. Many Bulgarian landlords are unfamiliar with the residence registration process and reluctant to visit a notary for a foreigner they do not know. Some refuse outright.
- Language barrier. The rental market in Bulgaria operates largely in Bulgarian. Listings on imot.bg and imoti.net are in Cyrillic. Lease negotiations, notary visits, and landlord communication require Bulgarian language skills.
- Short-term rentals do not qualify. Airbnb, Booking.com, hostels, and hotels cannot provide the notarized landlord declaration. You need a standard residential lease — and those landlords typically want a longer commitment.
- Timing pressure. You may be arriving with a specific deadline — your 3-month registration window is ticking, your company registration is pending, or your bank account opening depends on having an LNCH from the Migration Directorate.
The result: Many newcomers arrive in Bulgaria and spend their first weeks bouncing between real estate agents, unresponsive landlords, and confused notaries — instead of focusing on their business. Some delay their registration beyond the 3-month deadline and face complications later.
How Innovires Solves This
At Innovires, we have built an accommodation arrangement service specifically for clients who need valid accommodation documentation for the Migration Directorate. We handle everything — you arrive in Bulgaria with your documents ready.
Here is what we do:
- We arrange accommodation with a cooperating landlord who understands the residence registration process and is ready to provide all required documentation.
- We prepare the rental agreement in proper legal form, with the correct address details and registration-specific language.
- We coordinate the notarized landlord declaration — scheduling the notary appointment, preparing the declaration text, and ensuring the landlord appears in person for both signature and content verification.
- We handle all communication in Bulgarian — with the landlord, the notary, and the Migration Directorate. All communication with you is in English or German.
Important clarification: Innovires does not provide law firm office addresses for personal residence registration. We arrange genuine accommodation with cooperating property owners who provide legally valid documentation. This is the correct and compliant approach.
What Is Included in Our Address Service
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Accommodation arrangement | Coordinated with a cooperating landlord in Sofia |
| Rental agreement | Legally compliant lease in your name |
| Notarized landlord declaration | Prepared, scheduled, and executed at the notary |
| All communication | We handle everything in Bulgarian on your behalf |
| Document package | Complete set ready for your Migration Directorate application |
| Coordination with your timeline | Declaration ready before your arrival date |
Company Address vs. Personal Address
If you are registering a company in Bulgaria alongside your personal residence, you will need two different addresses — and they have different requirements:
| Requirement | Personal (Migration Directorate) | Company (Commercial Register) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Your personal residence certificate | Your EOOD/OOD registered office |
| Authority | Migration Directorate (MVR) | Registry Agency (Commercial Register) |
| Documents needed | Rental agreement + notarized landlord declaration | Property usage agreement or lease |
| Landlord at notary? | Yes — must appear in person | No — notarization of the agreement itself suffices |
| Can they be the same address? | Yes, but each requires its own documentation | |
Innovires can arrange both addresses. For company registration details, see our guide to registering a company in Bulgaria.
Step-by-Step: Our Process
- Initial consultation (free): You tell us your situation — nationality, timeline, whether you need a company address too, family members who need registration. We assess what you need.
- Engagement and passport details: You provide a copy of your passport, your planned arrival date, and any preferences (city, area). We begin arranging accommodation.
- Accommodation arranged (3-5 working days): We confirm a cooperating landlord, prepare the rental agreement, and schedule the notary appointment for the landlord declaration.
- Notarized declaration executed: The landlord signs the declaration at the notary with full signature and content verification. We collect the original documents.
- You arrive in Bulgaria: We meet you (or communicate remotely) and hand over the complete document package — rental agreement, original notarized declaration, and any other documents you need.
- Migration Directorate application: We accompany you to the Migration Directorate (or submit on your behalf via power of attorney) and handle the entire application. You receive your residence certificate and LNCH.
Need an Address for Your Bulgarian Registration?
Tell us when you are arriving and we will have everything ready. Accommodation documentation, notarized declaration, and full Migration Directorate representation — handled by a regulated law firm.
Regulated law firm. 50+ relocations handled. Response within 24 hours.
What Does It Cost?
The accommodation arrangement is typically part of our full residence registration package, which includes:
- Accommodation documentation (rental agreement + notarized landlord declaration)
- Preparation of all Migration Directorate application documents
- Representation at the Migration Directorate
- LNCH issuance coordination
- Full communication in English or German
Government fees are minimal: EUR 7 for a paper certificate, EUR 18 for a plastic residence card (standard), or EUR 36 for expedited processing. Notary fees for the landlord declaration are approximately EUR 3-6.
Our legal fees depend on your specific situation — whether you need only a personal address or also a company registered office, whether family members need registration, and your timeline. Contact us for a personalized quote.