Accommodation
- Entry in the population register The Population Register is the database used by the municipal administration to issue certificates, if necessary. The register records mandatorily: all Bulgarian citizens; holders of long-term or permanent residence permits and beneficiaries of international protection. The register is kept in electronic form and contains: Name; Date and place of birth; Sex; Citizenship; and single citizenship number (EGN).
The register also records names that apply to people who have received international protection. The name of a child who is not a Bulgarian citizen but was born in Bulgaria shall be entered as stated by his/her parents. The name of a person who is not a Bulgarian citizen and was born outside Bulgaria shall be entered as written on his national identity card or in the document for granted residence status in Bulgaria.
Anyone who has to be entered in the population register must state in writing his/her current and current address. The reference to the permanent and current address in the population register is called address registration.
- Address registration
The address registration is done by the mayor of the municipality, the district or by officials appointed thereby. It is done upon request by the person applying to be registered and upon submission of either of the following documents:- property document;
- documents for the use of the property for residential purposes (including a contract for the provision of a residential social service and a contract for accommodation in specialized institutions);
If the person wishing to be registered is not the owner of the property, he or she must provide written consent to the owner. This is done either by a declaration in a form submitted personally by the owner on the spot or by notary certification of the notary’s signature. Such a document is not provided if the person wishing to register (or his/her spouse) is a close relative with the owner or the user of the property. The parental relationship is certified by official verification in the population register.
For the registration of people residing in state or municipal dwellings, a residential order or a lease is required.
A refusal to effect an address registration or a change of address may be appealed in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Code and the disputed address registration shall be filed with the relevant administrative court and the appeal shall not suspend the execution.
- Permanent addressThis is the address in the settlement that a person chooses to be entered in the population register. This address should always be in Bulgaria and should only be one.
The permanent address of the citizens is an address for correspondence with state authorities and local self-government bodies, and also for the exercise or use of legal rights or services.
The permanent address is filed by submitting a model application to the mayor or the municipality. It is done personally or, exceptionally, by an authorized person, following a notarized explicit power of attorney. For minors and juveniles, submitting an application is made by the legal representatives.
The request to change a permanent address is filed with the municipality, area, town hall or populated area in which a person chooses to be entered in the population register. Permanent address may match this address.
- Current address This is the address where one lives. Only one such address can be registered. Everyone is required within 30 days to declare the change of their current address. It is not allowed to register a current or permanent address for more than 4 months in a hotel, motel, vacation home or other shelter.
In the case of initial address registration under a permanent or current address, or in case of change of such registration, there are restrictions on the number of registered persons in one dwelling. This number cannot exceed twice the number of people who can usually live in the dwelling. When determining the total number of people, owners, users, tenants or other occupants are registered.
If only very close relatives live in the dwelling (for example, in a straight line), three times the number of people who can live there is exceeded. If this number is exceeded, the civil registration law may be fined on a case-by-case basis.
- Municipal housingWhen accommodating in a municipal dwelling, each municipality determines the terms and conditions for managing and disposing of the dwelling. Although each municipality has its own ordinance, one of the basic conditions to be met for obtaining a municipal dwelling is that at least one member of the applicant family is a Bulgarian citizen. For this reason, people with humanitarian or refugee status are not entitled to municipal housing.