Legal Basis
Decision of the Council of Ministers 145 dated 10 March 2022
Decision of the Council of Ministers 181 dated 30 March 2022
Persons falling within the scope of temporary protection
• Ukrainian nationals residing in Ukraine before 24 February 2022 and their family members
• Stateless persons and third-country nationals (other than Ukrainians), who left Ukraine as a result of the war and who have entered and remained on the territory of Bulgaria may, until 15 April 2022, benefit from temporary protection even without explicitly stating their intent in that regard and respectively without a temporary protection registration.
Persons not covered by the temporary protection
All other categories.
Also, temporary protection s subject to revocation by a resolution of the Chairman of the Regugee Agency with respect to persons who:
• committed an act which constitutes a war crime or a crime against peace and humanity
• committed a serious crime of a non-political nature outside the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria
• based on serious grounds is believed to have commited, incited, assisted, participated in training or preparation for actions contrary to the objectives and principles of the United Nations (UN), set out in the Preamble and in Art. 1 and 2 of the UN Charter, as well as in its resolutions on measures to combat international terrorism
• pose a threat to national security or to society.
Formalities/ Kind of Admission
Application for temporary protection can be made orally to the Border Police, the State Agency for Refugees or other bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (migration, police). The temporary protection is provided immediately.
Map of Registration Offices for Temporary Protection is available here: https://ukraine.gov.bg/issuance-of-temporary-protection/
Reception & Accommodation
If the refugees cannot meet their basic living and household needs by their own funds, they can contact the Border Authorities at the border checkpoint – they will be directed and transported to a hotel designated by the authorities, which will provide them accommodation and meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) for a period which is currently determined up to 3 months (until 31.05.2022)
List of places for temporary accommodation (both free of charge and paid options) https://ukraine.gov.bg/properties-list/
Hotline: 02 905 – 5555; +380 322 – 465 – 075
Right to stay
Temporary protection is granted for a period of one year (as from 24.02.2022) with an option for extension twice by 6 months each time.
Allowances for temporary protected
No allowances are paid directly to the refugees. However, hotels which accommodate refugees with temporary protection status and which are registered in the National Tourist Register receive allowances of BGN 40 per day (for sleeping accommodation and food – breakfast, lunch, dinner). The measure is in force for 3 months after entering the country.
Refugees who have requested access to the Labor Market will also be able to take advantage of free hotel accommodation and other accommodation places entered in the National Tourist Register, for which hotel owners will receive BGN 40 per day (for sleeping accommodation and food – breakfast, lunch, dinner). The measure is in force for 1 month after the request for access to the labour market.
No toll/vignette is charged for a motor vehicle with an Ukrainian registration number.
Social Protection
1) Emergency medical help is granted to all refugees. In case of emergency, people can call 112
List of hospitals and doctors offering free medical care to Ukrainian refugees https://ukraine.gov.bg/bg/get-medical-help/
2) Refugees from vulnerable groups – children under 18, unaccompanied children, pregnant women, single parents with minors, the elderly and people with disabilities, serious health problems, mental disorders, victims of trafficking or suffering torture, rape or other severe forms of violence – have the right to full medical care as Bulgarian citizens;
3) Opportunity to receive:
• one-time social assistance up to BGN 375;
• one-time social assistance for issuing an ID card;
• monthly social assistance – compulsory 4 hours of community service for a period of 14 days monthly;
• special-purpose heating aid (from 1 July to 31 October)
Schooling
Children under age of 6 have the right to be admitted to kindergarden and above that age in schools.
Depending on the age, the completed class / group, the location and the desire of the parents, the refugee children and students are directed to a specific educational institution. Parents must fill in and submit to the Regional Institutions an application stating the child’s mother tongue, whether s/he speaks to some extent Bulgarian or other European language , where and which class s/he graduated in the home country. Depending on the age of the children, a certain number of classes of Bulgarian language lessons is provided. Hotline: 0800 16 111.
Right to work
Once the temporary protection has been granted (meaning that a refugee card is issued), a refugee covered by temporary protection can work in Bulgaria without obtaining work permit. Persons with temporary protection status can register as jobseekers with the Labor Office Directorate at their permanent or current address.
Job offers https://ukraine.gov.bg/bg/job-dashboard/
Family Reunification
Family members are the following persons:
(a) spouses and registered partners;
(b) minor unmarried children of a fugitive or of the spouse or registered partner;
(c) other close relatives, for example relatives who were living in the same household at the time of the expulsion and who are wholly or mostly dependent on the fugitive.
