Yeah a few ccTLDs really do enforce local presence at the registry level, so it is not just a registrar checkbox.
For example:
• .ca requires Canadian Presence Requirements (citizen, PR, registered business, or trademark)
• .au needs a valid ABN/ACN or a matching trademark
• .nl is more flexible but they still verify registrant details
The legit workaround for non-residents is to use a registrar that provides a trustee / local presence service, where they act as the eligible contact and you still control the domain. EuroDNS, Marcaria, 101domain etc all offer that for different extensions.
If you are working with expired domains at scale, the structure matters a lot. Things like:
• who is listed as registrant
• whether the trustee allows DNS changes freely
• how renewals and transfers are handled
• what happens if the registry audits ownership
I have some experience setting this up and making sure it is compliant long term. I’m happy to point you in the right direction here in the thread, and if you want deeper help or a proper setup plan we can also arrange something paid.
Either way, make sure whatever you do is registry-compliant so the domains don’t get pulled later.
