Statistics

Bulgaria

Country Report: Statistics Last updated: 10/07/24

Author

Bulgarian Helsinki Committee Visit Website

Overview of statistical practice

The State Agency for Refugees (SAR) publishes monthly statistical reports on asylum applicants and main nationalities, as well as overall first instance decisions.[1] Further information is shared with non-governmental organisations in the context of the National Coordination Mechanism. The Ministry of Interior also publishes monthly reports on the migration situation, which include figures on apprehension, capacity, and occupancy of reception centres.[2]

Applications and granting of protection status at first instance: 2023

  Applicants in 2023 (1) Pending at

end of 2023

Total decisions  in 2023 (2) Total substantive decisions (3) Refugee status Subsidiary protection Humanitarian protection (4) Rejection (5)
Total 22,518 11,951 24,949 8,738 106 5,682 N/A 2,950
Breakdown by countries of origin of the total numbers
Syria 12,416 6,774 13,167 5,759 72 5,550 N/A 137
Afghanistan 5,906 4,179 6,426 194 10 17 N/A 167
Morocco 2,580 192 3,282 1,985 0 2 N/A 1,983
Iraq 695 192 1,007 281 5 19 N/A 257
Egypt 184 61 168 57 0 0 N/A 57
Algeria 131 24 155 84 0 0 N/A 84
Pakistan 104 92 116 11 1 4 N/A 6
Stateless 93 59 107 47 0 34 N/A 13
Iran 82 72 93 31 1 22 N/A 8
Russia 75 115 149 114 14 5 N/A 95

Source: State Agency for Refugees.

(1) “Applicants in year” refers to the total number of applicants, not only to first-time applicants.

(2) Statistics on decisions cover the decisions taken throughout the year, regardless of whether they concern applications lodged that year or in previous years.

(3) The total 24,949 decisions issued include 8,738 substantive decisions (status granting, status refusals, inadmissibility and manifestly unfounded decisions) and 16,211 decisions terminating asylum procedures due to absconding.

(4) The national law does not provide for any other form of additional protection except the humanitarian statuses, which is based on article 15 QD, i.e. it is a term used to transpose this article of the Qualification Directive into national law.

(5) “Rejection” only covers negative decisions on the merit of the application.

 

Applications and granting of protection status at first instance: 2023

  Substantive rejection rate Substantive protection rate Refugee rate Subsidiary

protection rate

Total 44% 66% 1% 65%
Breakdown by countries of origin of the total numbers
Syria 3% 97% 1% 96%
Afghanistan 86% 14% 5% 9%
Morocco 99.9% 0.1% 0% 0.1%
Iraq 90% 10% 2% 8%
Egypt 100% 0% 0% 0%
Algeria 100% 0% 0% 0%
Pakistan 55% 45% 9% 36%
Stateless 28% 72% 0% 72%
Iran 26% 74% 3% 71%
Russia 84% 16% 12% 4%

Source: State Agency for Refugees. Calculations made by the author based on official data on asylum decisions.

Note: These rates are calculated based on substantive decisions only (including inadmissibility), excluding rejections due to absconding.

 

Gender/age breakdown of the total number of applicants: 2023

  Adults Children
Accompanied Unaccompanied
Number 16,798 1,877 3,843
Percentage 75% 8% 17%

 

  Men Women
Number 20,297 2,221
Percentage 90% 10%

Source: State Agency for Refugees.

 

First instance and appeal decision rates: 2023

  First instance Appeal
  Number Percentage Number Percentage
Total number of decisions 24,949[3]   427  
Positive decisions 5,788 23% 74 17%
  • Refugee status
106 0.4% not available not available
  • Subsidiary protection
5,682 22% not available not available
Negative decisions 2 950 12% 353 83%

Source:  State Agency for Refugees.

 

 

 

[1] SAR, Statistics and reports, available at: https://bit.ly/2ur0Y1a

[2] Ministry of Interior, Migration statistics, available at: https://bit.ly/48C57wC.

[3] SAR reg. No. №РД05-31 from 15 January 2024: including decisions for discontinuation of asylum procedures due to absconding.

Table of contents

  • Statistics
  • Overview of the legal framework
  • Overview of the of the main changes since the previous report update
  • Asylum Procedure
  • Reception Conditions
  • Detention of Asylum Seekers
  • Content of International Protection
  • ANNEX – Transposition of the CEAS in national legislation