On January 25, 2024, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria decided to extend the period of temporary protection for Ukrainians in Bulgaria until March 4, 2025.

What does temporary protection in Bulgaria entail?

Thanks to temporary protection in Bulgaria, you have the right to

• residence in the country during the period of temporary protection
  
• legal employment (you can look for a job on your own or contact local employment services)
  
• access to the education system for persons under the age of 18
  
• access to vocational training
  
• adequate housing (through special platforms you can find various accommodation options and contact volunteers, hotels or government agencies that can temporarily accommodate you)
  
• social assistance
  
• free medical care in emergency situations. For example, persons (children) with disabilities, people with serious health problems, and the elderly are entitled to full medical care on an equal footing with Bulgarian citizens. The state provides health insurance for Ukrainian women aged 18 to 63 and men up to 65 for 90 days after obtaining temporary protection. For persons under 18 and over 65, the state pays for health insurance for the entire period of temporary protection.
  
• free return to the country of origin
  
• Reunification with family or other relatives and friends. Family members have the same rights as persons with temporary protection. Family reunification can also take place in another EU country.
  
  

In order to register as a person enjoying temporary protection in Bulgaria, you need to personally apply to the nearest Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior (RUMIA), Sofia Department of Interior (SUIA) in the city of Sofia or to one of the following Registration and Reception Centers (RRC)

• ROC in Sofia (Sofia, Ovcha Kupel Square, 21a Montevideo Street)
  
• ROC in the village of Banya (17 Mineralni Bani Street, Nova Zagora district)
  
• ROC in Harmanli (Druzhba residential complex, 23 Druzhba Street, Harmanli)
  

After submitting your application, you will be asked to provide information about your identity and family ties, and your photo will be taken. If you meet the requirements for temporary protection, you will be issued a registration card confirming your rights under this status for the period of temporary protection. You should keep this card with you.

Travel privileges in 2024

Citizens of Ukraine aged 7 to 14 years who have been granted temporary protection in Bulgaria are entitled to free travel on domestic public transport from February 1, 2024 (Council of Ministers' Decree No. 353 of December 28, 2023).

In order to obtain a free travel card, parents or guardians must apply to travel document sales points in the cities where they temporarily reside in Bulgaria.

The cards are issued upon presentation of a document confirming the child's age (e.g., a registration card of one of the parents with temporary protection, which indicates a child under 14 years of age; a child's student card, etc.) For children aged 7 to 14, a photo is also required.

💡Tip: Do you need legal support for temporary protection in Bulgaria? Visit Ukraine offers professional consultations so that you can easily solve all legal issues related to obtaining temporary protection status, employment, accommodation and other support services.

Our specialists will help you understand the requirements of Bulgarian legislation, prepare all the necessary documents and receive support at every stage of the process. Ensure your safety and stability by entrusting the solution of legal issues to our experts!

Possibility of short-term stay and visa extension for Ukrainian citizens

Citizens of Ukraine have the right to enter the Republic of Bulgaria without a visa and the right to reside for up to 90 days within a 180-day period in the Republic of Bulgaria.
The period may be extended for humanitarian reasons related to extraordinary circumstances in accordance with Article 27, paragraph 2 of the Law on Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria. The procedure by which Ukrainian citizens can exercise the right to additional stay in the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria is defined in the Regulation on the Implementation of the Act on Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria (PFRB)

Citizens of Ukraine who wish to extend their visa-free stay in the Republic of Bulgaria may submit an application to the Migration Service of the Ministry of the Interior before the expiration of their visa-free stay. They receive the form on the spot or can fill it out in advance by downloading it from the website of the Migration Service of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Bulgaria (according to Annex No. 2 to Article 11, Part 3 (BCVA)).

Citizens of Ukraine of Bulgarian origin can obtain a long-term or permanent residence permit in Bulgaria if they have concluded an employment contract with a Bulgarian employer for a period of six (6) months. Citizens of Ukraine who wish to obtain international protection (refugee status or humanitarian status) can apply to the office of the State Migration Service for Refugees at the Council of Ministers, and for the city of Sofia the ROC-Sofia at 2 Ovcha Kupel, 21 Montevideo Str., as well as to the Migration Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and to the Migration Departments/Sectors/Groups of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and to the General Directorate of the Border Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs).

For more information, citizens of Ukraine can visit the Migration Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at: 48, Princess Miriya Louise Boulevard, Sofia. If they reside outside of Sofia, they can visit the relevant migration sector/group. Regional Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at their place of residence in the country.

What should I do if my passport expires?

In order to renew their passports, Ukrainian citizens need to apply to the Consular Section of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Bulgaria in Sofia (address: Sofia, Ovcha Kupel, 29 Boriana Str.).
Details are below in the section Contacts of the Embassy.

What should I do if I have a child with me without a passport?

The Consular Section of the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Bulgaria can enter the data and paste the child's photo in your passport.
You need to provide
- a photo of 3.4×4.5 cm;
- the child's birth certificate;
- parents' passport