The third year of the war in Ukraine is underway, and for hundreds of thousands of people in Europe the most important question is not political, but quite human: "Will I have the right to stay here, to work and take my child to school next year?" The answer for refugees under temporary protection in the EU is already clearer - Brussels is preparing to extend the protection until March 4, 2027, and this directly affects Ukrainians in Bulgaria.
For many here, the news brings not just a legal term, but a little more air - another year in which they can plan their lives without living "from extension to extension". But what exactly does this extension mean and what actions should people take on the ground?
What the EU decided and how this is transferred to Bulgaria
Temporary protection for refugees from Ukraine was activated at the European Union level in March 2022. Initially, it was supposed to be valid until March 2024, but it was extended several times. In 2025, the Council of the EU reached a political agreement to extend it once more - until March 4, 2027, and the decision has already been put into an official act. This means that all member states, including Bulgaria, follow this horizon.
At the same time, the Bulgarian government had already extended the validity of the temporary protection in our country until March 2026, renewing the validity of the registration cards annually. Now the expected step is to formally synchronize the national deadlines with the European one - that is, the protection to be extended in our country until March 4, 2027. This is done with a decision of the Council of Ministers, published in the "State Gazette", but for the people under protection the key is that "the floor" under their feet will not disappear suddenly after 2026.
What rights does temporary protection in Bulgaria give
The status of temporary protection is not a classic refugee or humanitarian asylum, but it gives Ukrainian citizens specific rights while the war continues:
- the right to remain on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria during the entire period of protection;
- the right to work without a work permit - they can conclude fixed-term and indefinite-term employment contracts, register with labor offices and use employment and training services;
- the right to appropriate accommodation or financial support for accommodation if needed, according to the existing humanitarian programs;
- the right to social assistance and access to emergency and urgent medical care;
- the right for children to attend Bulgarian schools and kindergartens;
- the opportunity to freely return to Ukraine and, if necessary, return to Bulgaria within the framework of the protection.
All these rights are linked to the presence of a valid registration card for temporary protection, issued by the State Agency for Refugees or the Ministry of Interior. Therefore, it is important to renew the documents on time, when the state announces the relevant deadlines.
Accommodation and assistance: what changes after 2025
From May 1, 2025, a new "Program for Humanitarian Support and Integration" for displaced persons from Ukraine with temporary protection is in force. It provides for two main accommodation regimes:
- for most people - the possibility of accommodation for up to 60 calendar days, one-time, within the period of protection;
- for people from risk groups - the right to accommodation for the entire period of temporary protection.
Risk groups are considered, for example, children up to 12 years old (together with an accompanying person), pregnant women after the third month, people with permanent disabilities or serious illnesses, the elderly over 65 years old and persons who take care of a seriously ill family member. In order to benefit from this regime, people must submit a special assessment form to the "Social Assistance" directorates, attaching medical and other documents to it.
It is important to know that the program covers accommodation costs (bed and roof), but not food - it remains at the expense of the family. If a person refuses a proposed place to stay without a valid reason, this may lead to the loss of the right to apply again under the program, except in the event of a change of circumstances (for example, the onset of pregnancy, disability, reaching the age of 65, etc.).
What actions should Ukrainians in Bulgaria take
The practical steps for people under temporary protection are several:
- to follow the official portal "Bulgaria for Ukraine" and the announcements of the State Agency for Refugees for the deadlines for renewing registration cards and the possible formal extension until 2027;
- if they need accommodation - to check whether they can apply under the current humanitarian program and to assess whether they fall into a risk group, which gives the right to a longer stay;
- to register with the labor offices if they are looking for work, and to use the opportunity to work without additional permission;
- to maintain contact with local non-governmental organizations, the Red Cross and volunteer structures, which can help with information, documents and translation.
For many people, the extension of the protection is a chance not just "to stay", but to move from survival to more sustainable integration - work, school for the children, language courses, a clearer perspective for the next few years.
What happens after 2027 – and why it is important to think about it now
The EU's decision to extend temporary protection until 2027 goes in tandem with another important topic: what happens after that. In Brussels, there is already talk of a "smooth transition" - some people to return to Ukraine when conditions allow, and others to move to more sustainable residence statuses in the countries where they have settled.
For Ukrainians in Bulgaria, this means that the next two years are not only "time for protection", but also time for choice. To learn a language, to enter the labor market, to decide whether the plan is temporary shelter or a longer life here. The state, for its part, will have to decide what long-term policies for integration and for support or return to offer.
For people who have already made a home in Bulgaria – they have enrolled their children in school, started work, created a community – the extension until 2027 is above all one thing: time. Time not to live "in anticipation of the next deadline", but to make more conscious decisions about where and how they want to build the next chapter of their lives.