STAY SAFE CROSSING THE BORDER AND SEEKING SANCTUARY IN EUROPE

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Introduction

How to prepare for a border crossing

Documents required for crossing the state border

How to stay safe

How to spot the signs of potential traffickers

Details of support organisations in Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Moldova

Download the STOP APP

For further advice about living in European countries and finding legitimate work, please visit this webpage.

Many Ukrainians are being forced to leave their home due to the Russian invasion. Due to the difficult situation with electricity and possible missile attacks, people are seeking refuge in neighboring European countries.

Most people want to help Ukrainian people fleeing the war, but there may be some who shouldn’t be trusted and may want to make profit from experiences of displacement.

Reports have confirmed that among people who want to help Ukrainian people as they arrive and seek safety, human traffickers are also waiting for people at the borders to take advantage of their vulnerability. They may attempt to gain your trust, and offer you an attractive job or suggest ride to accommodation, with such promises being used to lure you into an exploitative situation. They can use deception, threats, blackmail or even violence to limit your freedom and force you into labor or sexual exploitation.

By understanding how to spot the signs of a fake offer and how to cross the border safely, you will be able to protect yourself and your family.

How to prepare for a safe border crossing

If you are planning to travel abroad from Ukraine, we advise you to register at this link.  The project of Voluntary Registration of Ukrainian Citizens Traveling Abroad (“FRIEND”) is an effective tool for prevention, and if necessary, search and assistance for Ukrainian citizens in case of emergency events abroad.

• Documents required for crossing the state border

  * Please note this information was updated on 6th July 2023. For up-to-date information, please visit this page.

  

  To ensure a safe border crossing, it is important to prepare your documents in advance. Make sure you have the following documents:

   

  • Foreign passport of a Ukrainian citizen. Pay attention to the validity period of your passport, as some countries may refuse entry to individuals whose passports expire within six months.
  • Ukrainian citizen’s passport. Departure to the EU using the internal passport of a Ukrainian citizen is possible for individuals (such as women, children, and disabled persons) who have been evacuated from conflict zones. Border guards recommend contacting the competent authority of the specific European Union country you plan to visit to verify if this document will be sufficient for entry.

   

  Please note that an invalid Ukrainian citizen’s passport for international travel does not entitle Ukrainian citizens to travel abroad. A travel pass can be issued based on a foreign passport that has had its validity period extended.

   

  If you are crossing the border with a minor child, ensure you have their documents as well. Currently, a child can cross the border with one parent without the other parent’s notarized consent.

   

  Before your trip, make sure to familiarize yourself with the border crossing rules of the country you are visiting. For example, if you are traveling to Poland in your own car, you will need to purchase car insurance known as a “Green Card.” It is important to note that the document must be printed, as electronic versions are not accepted by border guards. If you are traveling to Romania, you will need to pay a toll after crossing the border.

   

  To view an interactive map of checkpoints and their congestion levels, please visit the provided link. 

• How to stay safe

  Here are 7 things you should do to keep yourself safe:

  

  If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.

• How to spot the signs of potential traffickers

  If at the border, you are offered accommodation or transport away from official checkpoints, or perhaps any other form of support for which involves accompanying a stranger, be careful who you trust.

   

  Traffickers often target border areas to recruit people into exploitative circumtances, from which it can be difficult to escape.

   

  A trafficker could be anybody. They can be any age, gender or nationality.

   

  

   

   

  There are many ways people might be lured and trapped into exploitation, including:

   

  

   

  Сlick here to learn more about human trafficing

   

  If you or anyone you know are in immediate danger, call the 112 European emergency number. The number is free of charge, 24/7, anywhere in the European Union. You can dial 112 to reach the emergency services, including the police, emergency medical services and the fire brigade.

   

  Click here for some organisations that can help and support you.

Details of support organisations in Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Moldova

Here are organisations that can support and help you in different ways. Please mention STOP THE TRAFFIK if you contact any of the organisations listed below.

• If you or anyone you know are in immediate danger, call the 112 European emergency number. The number is free of charge, 24/7, anywhere in the European Union. You can dial 112 to reach the emergency services, including the police, emergency medical services and the fire brigade.
• 116111 The European Helpline for Children and Adolescents provides psychological support for free to children and adolescents. The service helps children in need of care and protection and links them to services and resources. The helpline operates on a 24/7 basis, 365 days a year. Calls to the helpline are free of charge.

 

Ukraine

Poland

Romania

Slovakia

Moldova

Download the STOP APP

The STOP APP enables anybody who knows, has seen or even heard a situation that they believe to be human trafficking, to talk about it in a safe and secure space. You can report the incident anonymously and securely through the STOP APP. There will be no record of the report submitted on your phone. The STOP APP is available in Ukrainian language.

 

• Have you seen a suspicious job advert online?
• Has someone offered you work that seemed suspicious?
• Are you or someone you know being forced to work, or being exploited?

Let us know. You can report your suspicions or observations by downloading our STOP APP.  Make sure you are in safe place away from the suspected incident when making the report.

STOP THE TRAFFIK is a human trafficking prevention organisation. This app collects individuals’ stories of global human trafficking to disrupt and prevent this crime. We are not a rescue organisation and this app is not monitored 24/7 but will be checked on the next working day.  If anyone is in immediate danger or a crime has been committed please contact trusted authorities.

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