The Center for Legal Aid – Voice in Bulgaria has published an information brochure on the screening procedure. It was presented at the discussion in Haskovo on 28 October 2026. The brochure is for people seeking protection in Bulgaria and for everyone who works with them. Its aim is to explain in plain language what happens during the first days after they arrive in the country.
Since 12 June 2026, new rules on migration and asylum have applied in the European Union. As part of these rules, Bulgaria has begun applying Regulation (EU) 2024/1356 on screening. Screening is the first mandatory check when a person enters or is found on Bulgarian territory. However, it is not defined as a procedure with the matching procedural safeguards. It is defined as a technical process of preliminary checks. This makes it especially important for the people affected to know their rights from the very start.
What does the brochure cover?
- Who is subject to screening. All third-country nationals who have crossed the border irregularly are screened, as are people found in an irregular situation in the country. Screening takes place whether or not the person has applied for protection.
- How long it lasts. Screening lasts up to 7 days at the border and up to 3 days inside the country. During this time, the person is considered not to have officially entered the country and may not leave the centre.
- Who carries it out and where. The Border Police and the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior carry out screening. It takes place at the Elhovo screening centre, the Lyubimets and Busmantsi Special Homes for Temporary Accommodation of Foreigners, the Dragoman screening centre and Border Police premises.
- What checks are carried out. The checks are a medical examination, a vulnerability assessment, identity checks, collection of biometric data and a security check.
- Rights of vulnerable persons. The brochure explains the right to psychological and specialised medical support. It also explains why special needs or experiences of violence should be reported during the screening itself.
- Screening of children. The brochure sets out the safeguards for accompanied and unaccompanied children, including the right to a representative and the presence of a social worker.
- The screening form and referral to a procedure. The brochure explains the right to receive a copy of the screening form and to point out incorrect information in it. It also explains the difference between the regular and the border asylum procedure, the right to free legal aid and the right to an interpreter.
The new European rules make access to protection harder, and screening does not guarantee automatic referral to the regular procedure. For this reason, the brochure stresses a few key points. A person who wants protection must say so explicitly. The reasons for seeking protection should be set out in as much detail as possible. Everyone has the right to ask for a lawyer and an interpreter.
For questions and consultations: voiceinbulgaria@gmail.com | +359 87 8257169 (WhatsApp/Viber)
This brochure was produced under the project “Civic Participation and Monitoring of the Asylum and Migration System”. The project is funded by the Swiss-Bulgarian Cooperation Programme under the Civic Engagement and Transparency Facility (CETF) 2024–2029. It is implemented by the Center for Legal Aid – Voice in Bulgaria in partnership with Mission Wings and Jura Humana. The views and opinions expressed are entirely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Governments of Switzerland and Bulgaria.
