For more than a year, a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has been going on. During this time, about 70 Ukrainian refugees found refuge in Belgium. However, most of them want to return home. For this, money is needed, since the preferential train across the European Union has been canceled in the fall of 2022. To help, the Belgian government has developed a program under which any refugee from Ukraine can get free travel to his homeland.
The first stage is the denial of asylum
To live in Belgian territory, each immigrant draws up a residence permit – form “A”. This document makes it possible to receive financial, medical and psychological assistance. However, in order to leave the country, temporary protection must be waived. After that, every Ukrainian will be able to receive a free ticket to Ukraine and a small cash allowance. You can get help with paperwork in your commune, order a free translator.
Read about the features of living in a foster family in Belgium.
You can start this process in one of three ways:
- A personal meeting. To do this, you need to go to the radiation department and fill out a temporary asylum waiver sheet. IN eventually You receive Modèle 8 certificat de radiation des registres de la population.
- On the irisbox.irisnet.be go through the identification procedure using the card reader and enter the pin -code proving your identity.
- By email. In the letter, describe the situation about the refusal, and also attach the completed “8 Bis” form. Additionally, you will need a scanned copy of your ID.
Ukrainians can be deregistered for leaving Belgium on the day of application, but only if you do it in the morning. After that, your benefits will stop and you will need to vacate your place of temporary residence. However, in some cases, the country’s authorities may allow you to stay at the refugee reception center for a few more days.
Tip: If you plan to return from Belgium to Ukraine with your whole family, you need to fill out a temporary asylum waiver for all relatives.
How Ukrainian refugees return to their homeland
At the moment, the country’s authorities have provided only one way – by bus. To get a free ticket, you need to contact your local Fedasil office – the Federal Agency for the Accommodation of Refugees. This can also be done by foreigners who have the right to reside on the territory of Ukraine. For more information, call 0800 327 45. You can reserve bus tickets on the Fedasil website.
Most of the bus routes are recovering from Brussels, from the central bus station Brussels-Midi or Brussels-North. But there is an opportunity to travel from other cities of the country:
- Charleroi.
- Gent.
- Antwerp.
- Liege.
- Antwerp.
You will be informed about the place and time of landing later. In addition to the bus ticket, each adult family member will be given 50 Euros in advance, and 25 Euros for a child. The train is operated by buses from Flixbus and Connections. These are comfortable cars. The average travel time is 25-30 hours.
Important: Prepare food and drinks with you. There are stops along the route, but food prices in these places are higher than in supermarkets.
What to do upon arrival in Ukraine
At the moment, there are bus flights from Belgium to Kyiv, Ternopil, Lvov, Ivano-Frankivsk, Uman, Mukachevo. The initial check of documents will be at the border. Here the border guards will check your right to be on the territory of Ukraine. If your house or apartment was destroyed as a result of hostilities, you can apply for compensation for the value of real estate. There is also a program to support internally displaced persons.
However, it is important to remember that after returning from Belgium to Ukraine, you will hardly receive temporary asylum status not only in this country, but also in any other EU state. Free travel home and a quick resolution of the issue of paperwork should not affect the analysis of the current situation. Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine is still ongoing, there is no need to endanger the lives of your loved ones and relatives.
