What happens if you are granted international protection?
A positive decision means that you have been granted either refugee or humanitarian status. If you are granted refugee status, you receive an ID card of a refugee which is valid for 5 years. If you are granted humanitarian status, you receive acard of subsidiary protection beneficiary valid for 3 years. In both cases, this is the period of your document validity, not your status. You need to apply for a new document a month before the old one expires and to pay the reissuing fee.
The Qualification Directive and the Asylum and Refugees Act entitle you to a list of rights that accompany international protection status.
Beneficiaries of international protection, granted a refugee status obtain the same rights and obligations as a citizen of the Republic of Bulgaria with exception of:
- the right to participate in national and regional elections and referenda as well as to be a member of a political party
- to hold a state job which explicitly requires a Bulgarian citizenship
- to serve in the army
- other restrictions explicitly envisaged in the law.
A person with a refugee status has the right to:
- employment without requesting special permission
- access to education in the public schools and universities
- apply for Bulgarian citizenship after 3 years of receiving protection
- travel outside the country in accordance with the same terms and conditions as a Bulgarian citizen
- family reunification.
Beneficiaries of international protection granted a humanitarian status have the same rights and obligations as foreigners with a permanent residence permit.
A person with a humanitarian status has the right to:
- employment without requesting special permission
- access to education in the public schools and universities
- apply for Bulgarian citizenship after 5 years of receiving protection
- travel outside the country in accordance with the same terms and conditions as a legal immigrant
- family reunification.
Member States must ensure equal treatment for beneficiaries of international protection and nationals in the context of recognition procedures for foreign diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications. Beneficiaries of international protection who cannot provide documentary evidence of their qualifications must be given access to appropriate schemes for the assessment, validation and accreditation of their prior learning.
Beneficiaries of international protection are entitled to the necessary social assistance as provided to nationals. You can file an application for social assistance with the Directorate of Social Assistance according to your permanent or current address registration.
Beneficiaries of international protection have the right to access healthcare under the same eligibility conditions as nationals. During the asylum procedure the healthcare insurance is covered by the state. When granted international protection, the beneficiaries become responsible for their own monthly healthcare payments.
Beneficiaries of international protection are entitled to access accommodation under equivalent conditions as nationals. If you hold either a refugee or a humanitarian status you can rent an apartment by signing a contract with the owner or through the (paid) services of a real estate agency.
If you are granted refugee status, you can travel abroad under the same terms and conditions as a Bulgarian national: within the EU – without a visa. Your stay in the other EU countries cannot exceed 90 days within the timeframe of half year.
If you are granted humanitarian status, you can travel abroad under the same terms and conditions as those provided for other third-country nationals legally residing in Bulgaria: within the EU - if you obtain a visa by the respective country and for the period the visa is valid.
As a beneficiary of international protection, you can sign an integration agreement with a municipality which agreed to receive and work with refugees, in accordance with the Ordinance on the terms and conditions for concluding, implementation and termination of the agreement for integration of foreigners granted asylum or international protection.
You can express your wish to participate in integration services as early as during the asylum procedure and the social workers of State Agency for Refugees will prepare your Integration profile.