Updated 18 December 2023
If you have refugee/humanitarian status or temporary protection in Bulgaria, you are entitled to one-off assistance if you are about to give birth, have already given birth or are about to adopt a child. This article explains how and under what conditions you can get one-off support.
One-off pregnancy support
To qualify for this support you must be pregnant and meet the following conditions:
The average monthly income per member of your family is less than or equal to 810 BGN (for the year 2024) within the last 12 months;
This income is calculated by adding up all the income for the month of all family members and dividing it by the total number of these members. Family members are your:
spouse or the person with whom you are living and raising a child without being married;
children under 18 (born, adopted, stepchildren, but NOT married children);
Children up to the age of 20, if they are still going to school, until they complete their secondary education, as long as they are not married.
you are not insured for sickness and maternity or you have been insured but for less than 12 months at the start of your maternity leave; and
you have lived in Bulgaria for more than 183 days within 12 months.
In order to be granted the one-off support, you have to submit a declaration to the Social Assistance Directorate at your current address within 45 days of the due date for your birth, or within 3 months of the due date if the child is born before this period.
The application must be accompanied by:
A certificate of the family's gross monthly income for the last 12 calendar months before the 45-day period to the due date of birth, or if you gave birth prematurely, for the 12 consecutive calendar months before the date of birth. The certificate is issued by the National Revenue Agency for each family member in person or by power of attorney, as well as electronically with a PIK or electronic signature;
- A certificate from your employer stating that you do not have the qualifying period for entitlement to maternity leave;
A copy of the sick note for temporary incapacity for work due to pregnancy and childbirth for 45 days, issued by your gynaecologist who monitors your pregnancy and certified by your employer;
If you do not have a labour contract, you must provide a medical certificate of your child’s birth due date issued by the gynaecologist.
The amount of the support in 2023 is 150 BGN and in 2024 it will be 225 BGN. It is paid in the month following the month of application.
One-time allowance for the birth of a child
You are entitled to this benefit regardless of your family income.
It is usually granted to the mother, but if it cannot be received by her (e.g. in case of serious illness, death, etc.), it is paid to another legal representative of the child (e.g. the father).
The amount of the support depends on how many children you have. For 2024, the amounts are as follows:
for the first child - 375 BGN;
for the second child - 900 BGN;
for the third child - 450 BGN;
for the fourth and each subsequent child - BGN 300.
If you give birth to twins and one of them is your second child, the benefit for each twin is the amount for the second child.
To receive the support, you must apply to the Social Assistance Directorate at your current address and submit an application- declaration no later than 3 years after the child is born.
An additional 100 BGN is provided for a child who suffers from permanent disabilities of 50% or more until the child reaches the age of 2. A new application must be made for the grant for a permanently disabled child once the disability has been established by an expert decision of the TELK/NELK.
One-off adoption support
If you have refugee or humanitarian status, you can adopt children with Bulgarian citizenship under the same conditions as Bulgarian citizens.
If you are an adoptive parent, you are entitled to a one-off adoption support regardless of your family's income. If you and your spouse are adopting a child together, only one of you can get the support.
In order to be granted the support, you must:
submit an application-declaration form to the Social Assistance Directorate at your current address within 6 months from the entry into force of the adoption decision;
you live in Bulgaria for more than 183 days within 12 months.
If within 2 years the adoption is terminated or the child is placed outside the family, then you will have to pay back the support you received.
The financial support for 2023 is 250 BGN; in 2024, it will be 375 BGN.
What If I am denied these benefits?
If your application is denied, you have the right to appeal the rejection decision before the administrative court within 14 days of the date you were informed about it. We recommend that you seek the help of a lawyer with experience in the area of social support as soon as possible to help you with your appeal and case.
The decision of the administrative court is final.
Important! You cannot be refused the one-off benefits listed above just because you have refugee or humanitarian status or temporary protection. In such cases, contact a lawyer as soon as possible to appeal in time.
The Foundation for Access to Rights (FAR) can also help you with appeals or other difficulties you may encounter during the application process. Contact us using the following form:
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