Bulgaria and another 24 EU countries provide temporary protection to Ukrainians fleeing the war – now more than 3 million in number. 110,714 people have entered the territory of Bulgaria to date, of them a little under 51,000 Ukrainians, including 18,000 children, have chosen to remain in the country, the specialized government portal shows. There are more than 20 points in the country where refugees fleeing the war can be issued temporary protection registration cards. You can find their location and their opening hours on the interactive map HERE.

IMPORTANT: Acquisition of TEMPORARY PROTECTION does NOT restrict people fleeing the war in Ukraine from leaving the territory of Bulgaria at any time, nor does it deprive them of previous citizenship (Ukrainian or otherwise).

Thus, everyone who entered Bulgaria should decide whether they want to choose one of the following options:

·  To reside on the territory of Bulgaria in a visa-free regime with a Ukrainian document, as follows: Ukrainian identity document, passport, birth certificate, others;

·  To apply and register for temporary protection at the following points: see the map HERE: 

·  To apply for International Protection – this happens with the mobile teams of the State Agency for Refugees (SAR) and its relevant units, and it should be borne in mind that the procedure takes at least 3 months.

What does the status of temporary protection provide?

Temporary protection is granted for a period of 1 year. From the moment of its receipt, citizens have the following rights:

·  access to health care – Emergency care; right to vaccination according to the specially prepared immunization calendar for children, consistent with that of Ukraine (vaccinations are made in each Regional Health Inspectorate); equal right with Bulgarian citizens to access medical care, if they are from vulnerable groups; health control and prevention;

·  access to education – all children have access to school and kindergartens at the end of the vaccination cycle according to the Bulgarian calendar. The registration takes place in the respective RWU of the Ministry of Education and Science. An individual assessment of the educational needs when enrolling in the respective school / kindergarten is performed;

·  access to the labor market – without additional permits, except for licensed professions, which require alignment with national requirements; access to the services of the Labour Offices – information about work, referral and others;

·  opportunity to open your own bank account;

·  access to legal aid;

·  one-time social assistance in the amount of BGN 375, which is given to each person from the risk group;

·  personal number of a foreigner;

·  in case temporary protection status has not been requested at the border, Ukrainian citizens can subsequently apply in any of these places:

“The procedure for obtaining temporary protection status is not cumbersome for the refugees coming from Ukraine. This status affords them instantaneous access to the labour market, provides all health rights under the European directive, as well as access to almost all social services Bulgarian citizens are entitled to, including Employment Agency assistance,” Democratic Bulgaria MP Elizaveta Belobradova said for the BNR. She went on to explain that temporary protection status is no longer granted via the State Agency for Refugees.

Here are the steps refugees have to take and in what order: “First, at the Interior Ministry, where a document is issued. Then, if you want to enroll your child in kindergarten or school – you have to go to the Regional Education Department (or electronically), where the children are given an individual test right away to determine what grade they should be enrolled in and where. The next step is the Regional Health Inspectorate, where all missing vaccines are administered – because there are differences in the vaccine schedule for children in Ukraine and in Bulgaria. Then the children are offered a kindergarten or school. The children’s parents are offered all social assistance and health coverage under this directive.”

Schools and kindergartens

At every Regional Department of Education there is a team of experts responsible for the admission of these children. There are e-mail addresses on the websites of the 28 Regional Departments of Education in the country where applications can be submitted, as well as an application form and the telephone number of an expert who speaks English or Russian and who can provide the necessary assistance. Find out more about the steps you can take HERE – information in Bulgarian, Russian and in English.

Health care

All medical care for arrivals in Bulgaria is provided by the Ministry of Health. There is a hotline – 0800 20101 – which refugees from Ukraine can use to obtain information from Bulgarian Red Cross consultants and volunteers about available medical services in this country. The hotline is free of charge and will be open all work days from 8 AM until 8 PM. Consultants can also be contacted via email – help@redcross.bg, or here.  

Children will be included in the vaccine schedule, adapted specifically to the Ukrainian schedule so as to meet the health requirements for enrolling in kindergartens or schools.

Social assistance

The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy is the institution that renders the required assistance, and more specifically its Social Assistance directorate. In order to receive one-time social assistance of BGN 375 as persons at risk, the refugees must have an identity document and be attached to a specific place of residence. If their stay continues until the next heating season, they will also be entitled to heating benefits. They are entitled to additional pay if there are children with them. Upon entry into Bulgaria by an adult and a child, the adult must submit a declaration that he/she wishes to take care of the given child.

Working in Bulgaria

There is a special section of the Employment Agency’s website which analyzes the employment needs of the arrivals. Information regarding the simplified procedures affording access to the labour market in Bulgaria for citizens of Ukraine is available in Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Russian and English HERE.

Representatives of the Interior Ministry regional directorates are in constant contact with the arriving Ukrainians to provide information and ensure safety and protection in towns and villages. Transportation for refugees from every initial reception point to the place of accommodation on the territory of Bulgaria is provided by the Interior Ministry’s Fire Safety and Civil Protection Directorate General.

Important information for Ukrainian citizens escaping from the war:

Hotline: 02 90 55 555 and +380 322 465 075

HERE you will find out how to get help for evacuation from Ukraine

Crisis line of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

Phone:+35929482404

crisis@mfa.bg

Embassy of Ukraine in Bulgaria

Hotline of the Embassy of Ukraine in Bulgaria – +359 878 015 102

Working hours: EVERY DAY FROM 9 AM TO 9 PM

Compiled by Elena Karkalanova