In case you no longer fear returning to your country of origin, because the reasons for which you fled have ceased to exist, you can receive assistance and support if you decide to voluntarily return to your state.
You have the right to take actions for voluntary return also in case you were refused a status, which was confirmed by the court and thus the decision became final. If the decision refusing you a status is final, you lose the right to stay in Bulgaria and may be deported back to your country of origin by the immigration police. In this case you will also be imposed a prohibition on entry into Bulgaria for a period of up to 5 years, which is also valid for all the other states of the European Union.
In order to avoid deportation and the prohibition on entry, you can yourself decide to undertake voluntary return, if the reasons for which you fled your country have ceased to exist.
In order to initiate such voluntary return, you have to file an application to the Migration Directorate (the Bulgarian immigration police). If you do not have a travel document or money for a ticket, you can ask the Migration Directorate for assistance.
Such assistance for documents and tickets can also be provided by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
IOM has programmes for financial support for voluntary return, as well as for reintegration in the country of origin. The reintegration measures may include:
- medical help and purchasing of medication;
- psycho-social and health support;
- education for children;
- re-training courses and employment counselling;
- provision of consultations and financial support when a business plan for starting up a small business is presented;
- other measures facilitating successful reintegration.
INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION FOR MIGRATION
Address: Sofia, 77 Tzar Assen str.
Telephone: 00 359 2 93-94-774
Web site: www.iom.bg
