Immigration to Turkey

Ukrainian citizens have the right to enter without a visa and to stay in the Republic of Bulgaria for 90 days every 6 months. This was announced by the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior.

How to Help People in Ukraine if You are in Bulgaria

Europeans must honor their commitments to Turkey as part of a migration deal signed in 2016, the Greek minister for migration and asylum said on Oct. 4. 

Notis Mitarachi said the EU-Turkey migration deal must be implemented by both sides to manage the refugee flows and stem illegal trafficking in the Aegean Sea.

A Turkish-EU deal on migrants is yielding positive results, the European Commission said on Dec. 8, but no progress was made on the issue of visa-free travel for Turks even though the process has been unblocked for Ukrainians and Georgians.

"Our comprehensive European approach on migration is showing positive results," European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said.

Bulgaria will be able to send back migrants who have crossed its border with Turkey illegally from June 1, according to the protocol signed between Sofia and Ankara on Thursday.

The country is the first among EU member states to sign the protocol, which sets procedures for sending refugees back to Turkey.

The European Commission will give Turks "conditional approval" to travel to the Schengen zone without visas, the BBC has reported, quoting "sources."

The British broadcaster said on its website that "the move is part of a deal in which Turkey is taking back migrants who have crossed over the Aegean Sea to Greece."

Turkey's government owes the lifting of visas to Schengen Zone members to its people, Turkish EU Minister Volkan Bozk?r has said. 

"The AK Party [Justice and Development Party] government will ensure the lifting of the visa [requirement]. This is our debt to our people, and we really want to make this happen," he said March 24 in an interview with Anadolu Agency in Helsinki.

The number of Syrian refugees who have sought refuge in Turkey has now exceeded 2.5 million, pushing Turkey's total population beyond 80 million, according to figures presented to a parliamentary commission by the Directorate General of Migration Management.