In case of disasters or political turmoil, you shall immediately contact the closest Bulgarian foreign mission. In case there is none, you can contact an EU member state foreign mission which shall provide help and protection to the Bulgarian citizens as far as this is possible.

In case of evacuation, Bulgarian citizens who cannot cover the necessary costs could receive financial support for their repatriation with the obligation to reimburse the costs. These funds cannot be used for transporting household items.

The information about the situation in dangerous zones that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bulgarian diplomatic missions abroad provide is tentative since in many cases it is based on sources that cannot be checked and very often the events happen faster. Hence the Ministry shall not be responsible for guarantying the reliability of the data. Therefore this information cannot be used as a basis for legal claims (cancelled booking).

In crisis situations (e.g. unrest, riots or civil turmoil, natural disasters) the following instructions shall be followed:

Assistance to Bulgarian citizens in crisis situations

Providing assistance to Bulgarian citizens by our missions abroad means that the Bulgarian citizens must be known to our missions abroad and reachable at any time.

Bulgarian citizens are asked:

1. As quickly as possible to provide the Bulgarian mission abroad with their contact details – address, home and office phone number. In case any of the contact details are changed, the Bulgarian citizens are kindly asked to provide them immediately to the Bulgarian mission abroad;
2. To provide a contact person (a relative) in Bulgaria whom to contact in an emergency case;
3. To stay in contact with other Bulgarian citizens and with citizens of neighbour friendly nations;
4. To regularly follow the news (national radio, ВВС, etc.). In case of change in the situation, these radios broadcast reliable news.
5. Immediate preparation when the crisis situation occurs:
   1. providing supplies of everyday need (food for about two weeks, heating and fuel, drinking water, additional batteries, medicines, cash and money in convertible currency, etc.);
   2. preparing the most essential items and food needed in case of evacuation (cf. Appendix), checking the condition of the cars;
   3. identifying the transport connections (transport, road and water ways) to our mission abroad or to the meeting point set in advance in case the public transport means are blocked.
   4. Reaching good agreements with the neighbours, keeping facilities for joint temporary accommodation, keeping household items if necessary and family members leaving.

The mission abroad assists if necessary and in line with the local grounds for leaving the country undertaking the necessary evacuation measures (evacuation of women and children, ill and other key staff members as much as there is no major threat and evacuation of all people in case of life threatening danger)

Evacuation

Our missions abroad shall participate in evacuation measures or in other activities voluntarily and only at the explicit request of the affected persons.

The evacuation expenses are covered by the affected persons. The persons subject to evacuation but unable to cover these costs can get them as a loan which they shall pay off (but these shall not cover the transportation of household items).

The Republic of Bulgaria shall not cover liabilities for risks related with the health or damages to the property of the affected persons as a result of a crisis or the related evacuation.

Our mission abroad keeps in stock temporary passports so that in crisis situations Bulgarian citizens can prove to be Bulgarian citizens. Receiving such temporary passports in advance is recommendable.

Bulgarian citizens are asked:

1. To take part in joint actions of the Bulgarian colony (e.g. patrols and support for security provision, receiving phone calls, providing transport services)
2. To comply with the prescribed vaccines and to make sure that their vaccines are indicated in the International immunization passport
3. To fulfill their obligations to the host country; failure to do so can hinder their departure (paying taxes due, paying off all liabilities and making the necessary registrations, etc.)
4. In case of street unrest, to stay if possible at home or in the hotel room and to refrain from visiting the areas of unrest.