Useful general information for refugees from Ukraine
Many people passing the Romanian border from Ukraine don’t speak English or other international languages. They don’t understand us. They feel helpless, not knowing how and where to ask for support. They also don’t know whom to trust. Many refugees are mothers with children. They are vulnerable.
How can we help?
Other than food and accommodation, these people need information in order to know what to do. We can help them if we are well informed.
We made a summary of the most recent information, useful when we come in contact with refugees.
Table of content: press the buttons to navigate to the specific section of the page.
Translators
It can be difficult to find a translator of Ukrainian/Russian languages in your town. The most part of the translators help physically where they are most needed: refugees’ centers, at customs and train stations. Many of them also volunteer from a distance. They can be contacted on the platforms we added below.
The easiest way is to use apps which offer vocal translation as well: Voice Translator, Deepl.com, Slatch etc.
Source of information
Romanian Government: Ukraine – Together we can help more
Romanian Government + Code for Romania + Emergency Situations Department: Emergency Support
Code for Romania + Romanian Government: clear and general information on Dopomoha.ro
Embassy of Ukraine in Romania: official site and you can contact them at 0040.21.230.36.60, 0040 21.230.36.68, 0040.21.230.36.71
Romanian Police Border: for issues regarding legal documents/border. Contact: 0040.219.590 (a policeman speaking Ukrainian will answer the call)
General Inspectorate for Immigration: for information related to legal stay in Romania and asylum status: access this link
Geeks for Democracy and Impact Hub Bucharest created a Call Center of Solidarity you can contact at 0377.300.300. Daily, between 8AM-22PM, volunteers will answer in Romanian, English and Ukrainian. Requests will pe solved by dedicated organizations and responsible public institutions in charge of transportation, accommodation, medical services, jobs etc.
The National Association of the Romanian Bar has launched a Guide on the legal status of Ukrainian refugees. In it, you will find conditions for crossing the border, information about refugee status, the rights and obligations of asylum seekers, and other types of legal protection. The document also contains a spreadsheet with telephone numbers of lawyers who can help refugees.
A group of organizations mobilized to centralize information and provide free legal assistance to refugees in Ukraine, in several countries such as Germany, France, England, Romania, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, and others.
Ukrainians in Iasi – a community for the integration of refugees who choose to stay in Iasi – jobs and various services
Accomodation
There are accommodation centers set up by Municipalities (and in collaboration with NGOs) in different places/sport halls/student dorms. Call the authorities in your town and find out which places are available.
You can look online for accommodation on the apps created specially for refugees. Or on social media groups dedicated to refugees. Keep in mind that some of them are run by volunteers. It’s not clear that the accommodation owners are checked by the authorities.
The only official platform: Code for Romania (NGO) + Romanian Government + Emergency Situations Department: A rooftop (Un acoperis)
Other platforms with offers of free accommodation for refugees (and other information):
Refugges.ro
Turistinfo.ro – special section for refugees
Facebook group “United for Ukraine“
Facebook group “Volunteer in Europe“
Shelter4ua.com – contains offers from all over the world
When you search for accommodation, you should mention from the beginning how many people need accommodation, what their needs are, if they have pets, in which towns they want accommodation, if they can pay any of costs and what is the period of time they need accommodation for. The more specific you are, the higher the chances to find a suitable place.
If you yourself offer accommodation, you have 3 days to announce the Police or Municipality you belong to. Declaring/registering the refugees doesn’t mean they are also registered for refugee status. It is a legal obligation.
Transportation
Transportation by train is free of charge on internal and international tracks (ex. to Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Bulgaria). You can get tickets from the Railway Station, at the tickets office, or even from local policemen. 0 cost will be written on the ticket and they are given based on a document (passport/ID, birth certificate).
Some transport companies offer the refugees free travel by bus.
The National Association of Tourism Agencies (Asociația Națională a Agențiilor de Turism – ANAT) offers more information at the numbers 0040.742.070.509 for Ukrainian language and 0040.730.195.789 for Romanian, English, French or Spanish languages.
FlixBus offers free travels by bus for the Ukrainians who want to leave from Bucharest to Europe. Check seat availability on Flixbus.ro and travel conditions (in case travelers have children or pets).
More options (that you have to pay for) are available on the website Autogari.ro
Travel by airplane has different restrictions: some companies don’t allow boarding without biometric passport or without simple passport for children. Some don’t allow pets.
WizzAir offered the refugees, in March, 100 000 free tickets, and aid rates. Ukrainian refugees who want reserve a flight can do so on the Wizzair Rescue website. Passengers must provide the Ukrainian passport or ID number when they make the reservation and to show the passport/ID at check-in.
Vola helps with different transportation solutions – send an email at [email protected] with the subject “Help Ukraine” and provide details about what you need.
Ryanair allows Ukrainian passengers to board without biometric passport if they have ID, birth certificate, non-biometric passport or an expired passport. However, it’s recommended to check the information beforehand, as it offten changes.
The Ministry of Transportation in Romania implemented an app that helps Ukrainian refugees find the most efficient transit routes through Romania. The information is available in Romanian, English and Ukrainian, for railway, air and ground transportation. The application is available here.
Finance
At the moment, the Exchange Offices that buy hrivna are very few and only close to the border crossing points.
BCR is the only bank buying hrivnya, with a limit of 1 000 lei per refugee. This means about 13 000 hrivnya.
More banks offer refugees the possiblity to open bank accounts with 0 costs or to send money in Ukraine without any fees. What we identified until now:
BCR: 0 RON fees for opening and managing a current account; zero fees for inter and intra bank payments; details in Ukrainian at 0373.514.244 or [email protected]
ING: zero fees for transactions to Ukraine for personal accounts (not companies)
Raiffeisen Bank: for their cards issued in Ukraine, the bank offers access to basic/essential banking services with zero fees: payments at Bank POS and cash withdrawals from Bank ATM/MFM. They also offer the possibility of opening a current account with debit card attached to it, in RON(lei), issued on the spot, at any office/branch of this bank, based on valid Ukrainian passport or ID card.
Banca Transilvania: people from Ukraine can open a current account in lei/RON, for personal accounts, based on Ukrainian passport/ID card/paper, together with a legally certified translation of the document. No fees for opening and managing the account. The call-center in Ukrainian can be contacted at 0264.308.005 from Monday to Sunday, and more questions can be sent to the e-mail [email protected]
Jobs
You can recommend refugees to access specially created platforms for job opportunities:
Jobs4UKR
RomaniaForUkraine
eJobs
Hireforukraine
Pratsya
You can also check Facebook groups dedicated to this subject: Hire a refugee and HR Romania for Ukraine.
The Ministry of Labour in Romania published a brochure regarding free services for integrating the refugees into the labor market of Romania. Access it either in English or Ukrainian language.
You can get the support of Lugera & Makler Romania for more information about the Romanian labor market, consultation about CV/resume and preparation for interviews. Contact them at the e-mail: [email protected]
Schooling
Private Schools Association (Asociația Școlilor Particulare) provides help for free schooling, during their stay in Romania, for Ukrainian children in over 100 private educational units. You can find them in: Adjud, Bacău, Baia-Mare, Balotești, Bistrița, București, Buftea, Călărași, Carcea, Cluj-Napoca, Constanța, Craiova, Galați, Iași, Ilfov, Ploiești, Popești Leordeni, Reghin, Sibiu, Slatina, Satu Mare, Târgoviște, Timișoara și Voluntari. You can contact them via e-mail: [email protected] or at the phone number 0040.723.584.872
Online platform for schooling in Ukrainian language accessible at this link.
Online platform approved by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukrain accessible at this link.
Unsupervised children that come from Ukraine can be enrolled in school or kindergarten. Necessary documents will be prepared by representatives of the responsible authority or by the coordinator of the Task Force for Unaccompanied Minors.
Medical services
Romanian state hospitals provide free medical assistance for Ukrainian refugees.
Private healthcare providers Regina Maria, Sanador, Medicover also offer medical services to Ukrainian refugees.
In Bucharest, pregnant women can receive help and support from the doctors at the state-owned Polizu Maternity, part of the National Institute for Mother and Child Health “Alessandrescu-Rusescu”. Doctors in the staff speak Ukrainian and help with communication. Call the phone number 021.9590 for further information in Ukrainian.
Peditel, a pediatric call center, offers free pediatric medical care. Call them at 0040.312.272.277, available at any hour.
The Association for Emotional Support and Psychotherapy (Asociația pentru Sprijin Emoțional și Psihoterapie) offers psychological counseling services in Romanian or English to Ukrainian refugees staying in Bucharest. Contact them through Mrs. Adela Serghiescu at 0040.754.307.496.
IntellPsy & Psychological Profiler Academy by Ion DUVAC, Autism Voice, and the Romanian Association of Integrative Psychotherapy (Asociatia Romana de Psihoterapie Integrativa) offer free psychological support in Ukrainian. Contact them directly at their official websites by accessing the links above.
Telios offers access to free telemedicine consults to all Ukrainian refugees in Romania, in Ukrainian at 0040.373.787.805, a free-to-call phone line.
Pets
According to the Romanian National Health Veterinary and Food Safety Authority, Ukrainian pets can travel undocumented to Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, and Hungary. As the information gets regularly updated, always check the official ANSVSA website.
Be aware that more veterinary clinics offer free services, including a passport, so furry companions can travel further safely with their owners. Here are just a few of the clinics:
Speed Vet, Bucharest, offers free vaccines and passports. Call them at 0040.730.608.608
Spitalul Veterinar Pet Stuff, Bucharest, offers rabies vaccinations, microchips, and passports. Call them at 0040.762.762.762
Anima Vet Concept, Bucharest, offers veterinary consultations, passports, microchips, and rabies vaccinations, based on an ID. Call them at 0040.722.331.989
Compania Vetro, in Iași, offers pet consultations, passports, microchips, rabies vaccinations, internal and external deworming, supplements for calming the pets’ travel anxiety, plus food. These services are also available in the refugee centers in Iași.
Clinica Veterinarius, in Cluj, offers veterinary consultations, treatments, passports and others free of charge. You can find them at Callatis Street, no. 5 of by phone at 0040.744.534.484
Union of Ukrainians in Romania
All Ukrainian citizens, refugees in Romania, who need help or assistance of any kind, can address the representatives of The Union of the Ukrainians of Romania with branches in various counties. Here are the contact details:
județul Tulcea – Gherman Lucica, branch president, reach by phone at 0040.745.564.961
județul Suceava – Sauciuc Ilie, branch president, reach by phone at 0040.740.390.525
județul Maramureș – Petrețchi Miroslav, branch president, reach by phone at 0040.744.333.847
județul Botoșani – Semciuc Victor, branch president, reach by phone at 0040.745.032.205
județul Satu Mare – Irina Liuba Horvat, branch president, reach by phone at 0040.740.880.003
*All information presented refers to services currently offered by various organizations, companies, or institutions and is subject to change. Please let us know if anything is out of date by using the email address contact @ declic.ro