Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration

The program includes support for third-country nationals (TCNs) wishing to return to their country of origin and reintegration assistance for the most vulnerable among them. In 2017, IOM Bulgaria assisted 900 citizens of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Algeria, Mongolia, Nepal and other countries to return home (incl. 90 reintegration’s of vulnerable persons).

IOM Bulgaria’s AVRR team regularly provides assistance for voluntary return and reintegration to migrants who decide to return in their countries of origin, as well as increases the awareness of the migrant groups of the programme for assisted voluntary return and reintegration.

Who May Benefit?

The target groups of our assisted voluntary return and reintegration programme include:

• Asylum seekers and migrants granted with international protection.
• Rejected asylum seekers.
• Irregular migrants.

Our Services

• Individual consultations with migrants on the AVRR programme.
• Support for obtaining necessary travel documents.
• Providing flight ticket to the country of origin.
• Transport to Sofia Airport for departure and support at airport authorities.
• Medical help and/or examination for vulnerable persons before departure if necessary.
• Providing cash grant to every voluntary returnee amounting to 100 euro which could be increased to 150 euro in vulnerable cases.
• Providing in kind assistance for reintegration after return to the home country of up to EUR 1000 (EUR 2000 for vulnerable persons and EUR 2000 for families).
• Providing escort for unaccompanied migrant children or other vulnerable returnees by IOM officer to the country of origin.
• Transit assistance by IOM officer.
• Assistance upon arrival by IOM officer from IOM mission in the respective country of origin.
• Assistance for implementation of reintegration measures in the respective country of origin.

Contact our AVRR Team

You can contact our AVRR team via telephone at +359 (2) 93-94-774 and via e-mail at iomsofia@iom.int. The AVRR office is located at Tzar Asen № 77 str. Sofia 1463.