The invasion of Ukraine has led to a mass influx of refugees to all EU member states, including the Republic of Bulgaria.

As a result of numerous inquiries to Stankov, Hinkov, Todorov & Spasov Attorneys-at-Law regarding the regime of residence of refugees from Ukraine, we decided to summarize the answers to the most frequently asked questions.

Permitted stay on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Visa-free regime.

Citizens of Ukraine have the right to visa-free entry into the Republic of Bulgaria and the right to stay on its territory for no more than 90 days in any 180-day period.

If they wish to benefit from temporary protection in a Member State, this period allows free movement within the Union and the choice of the country in which to apply for such temporary protection.

Temporary protection.

Persons to whom the temporary protection applies.

With Decision № 144 as of March 10, 2022 of the Council of Ministers, issued on the basis of Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 of 4 March 2022 establishing the existence of a mass influx of displaced persons from Ukraine within the meaning of Article 5 of Directive 2001/55/EC, and having the effect of introducing temporary protection, temporary protection has been granted to the following persons:

• Ukrainian nationals residing in Ukraine before 24 February 2022;
• stateless persons, and nationals of third countries other than Ukraine, who benefited from international protection or equivalent national protection in Ukraine before 24 February 2022; and,
• family members of the above persons:
• unmarried minors under the age of 18 of the foreigner or his/ her spouse, regardless of whether they were born in or out of wedlock or adopted; and
• other close relatives who lived together as part of the household at the time of the events and who were dependent on the foreigner in the country of origin.

Term.

Temporary protection shall be granted for a period of one year, starting from February 24, 2022.

Registration of persons enjoying temporary protection.

Persons with foreign citizenship or stateless persons who fled Ukraine as a result of the war, entered and stayed on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria shall receive temporary protection after registration until March 31,2022.

For this purpose, the refugee should submit a sample application to the nearest registration office for temporary protection, which can be found here.

The registration process takes place on site within 15-30 minutes. After registration, a temporary registration card shall be provided.

Rights conferred by temporary protection.

Temporary protection entitles foreigners to:

• remain on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria;
• work and training without permission to access the labour market;
• appropriate accommodation or to means of accommodation if necessary;
• social assistance;
• medical assistance in case of emergency;
• return freely to their country of origin.

These rights can only be exercised in the country that granted temporary protection.

More information on the specific scope of the rights granted can be found on the National portal for the people affected by the war in Ukraine.

Civil registration.

Temporary protection beneficiaries do not need to submit additional information for the purposes of their entry in the population records and do not need to have an address registration.

Pets.

Pets entering the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria for non-commercial purposes shall be:

• identified (microchip);
• accommodated by a passport;
• accompanied by a health certificate issued by the veterinary authorities of Ukraine;
• vaccinated against rabies;
• availability of antibody titer test against rabies. The test must be carried out on a sample taken by an authorized veterinarian at least 30 days after the date of rabies vaccination and at least three months before the date of movement. The test must measure a serum rabies virus neutralizing antibody level equal to or greater than 0.5 IU / ml;
• treated against Echinococcus multilocularis, performed not more than 120 hours and not less than 24 hours before the time of the planned entry into Bulgaria.

Control over the implementation of these requirements is carried out by the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency.

In case the owner is not able to prove compliance with the above requirements, a notification should be submitted for entry into the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria or another Member State at the border crossing points. During the stay, the pets will be placed under isolation and control, until the specified requirements are met. In case of transit, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency will issue a permit to cross.

Useful contacts.

More detailed information can be found in the National portal for the people affected by the war in Ukraine.

Here are links to other useful authorities that will provide more information and support.

State Agency for Refugees with the Council of Ministers

Address: 1233 Sofia; Serdika District; 114-B, Maria Luiza Blvd.

E-mail  sar(at)saref.government.bg

Phones: +359 876 388 427 or +359 876 388 437

Website: https://aref.government.bg/bg

Employment Agency

Address: 3 Kniaz Aleksandar Dondukov Blvd., 1000 Sofia

E-mail  az(at)az.government.bg

Phone: 980 87 19

Website: https://www.az.government.bg

Ministry of Education and Science

Addres: 2A Kniaz Aleksandar Dondukov Blvd., 1000 Sofia

Phone: 0800 16 111

Website: https://mon.bg/bg/

Bulgarian Food Safety Agency

Address: 15A Pencho Slaveykov Blvd., Sofia

E-mail: bfsa(at)bfsa.bg

Phone: 0700 122 99

Website: https://www.bfsa.bg/

Author: Ida Golemanova, Attorney-at-law