UNHCR’s Cash Programme

Vulnerable refugees and stateless persons can be considered eligible for Cash for Protection programme if the following conditions are met:

1. Displaced from Ukraine (Ukrainian, stateless and third-country nationals) due to the impact of the international conflict;
2. Registered under Temporary Protection status in Romania for at least  thirty (30) days;
3. Previously enrolled with UNHCR Cash assistance Programmes; or Family has been in Romania for at least thirty (30) days before the enrollment (For newly arrived candidates).
   
   and
4. Not receiving Multipurpose cash assistance from other sources here in Romania or in other countries in Europe where UNHCR is providing similar cash assistance.
5. Family is meeting one of the categories:
   • Have a disability and/or serious medical condition;
   • Are a single parent with no other adult who is able to work in the family;
   • Are more than 60 years old with no other adult who is able to work in the family;
   • Are households with 4 and more family members;
   • Have severe challenges related to housing/accommodation;

Vulnerable refugees who are meeting the eligibility criteria and have not been previously registered with UNHCR Romania or the status of their case has been Inactive, can request an appointment through the link: https://forms.office.com/e/bt7CibAQAJ.

You will receive a text message to your mobile phone within a maximum of 15 days indicating the date, time, and location of your appointment. Please show the received appointment through text message at the reception of the enrollment center.

• Eligible recipients will receive 630 Ron per person, per month.
• Cash assistance is provided for four months for everyone found to be eligible for the programme.

Individuals that are eligible for UNHCR financial assistance need to have Temporary Protection Status1. Information by the General Directorate for Immigration to access this status can be found here. 

Vulnerable refugees who benefitted from one of UNHCR’s previous cash assistance programmes and refugees who have requested an appointment through the appointment link will be notified through phone call and/or SMS to visit the nearest UNHCR enrolment center for an assessment to determine eligibility for the new cash programme. This assessment will be more detailed through a series of questions and different from the one you underwent in past UNHCR cash assistance programmes. Not everyone who is interviewed will be found eligible for cash assistance. You will be notified via SMS within 5 working days whether you have been included in this programme or not.

Please note that you cannot approach the enrolment centers to request an assessment, but you will need to wait for UNHCR to contact you. Not all individuals who are enrolled with UNHCR will be automatically called for an appointment.  

As of 1st September, the programme is available to accommodate new arrivals of persons from Ukraine in Romania and other persons from Ukraine who were not previously enrolled with UNHCR who meet the above eligibility criteria.   

If you have changed your SIM card, lost your SIM card, or have other problems with your number, you may contact UNHCR at 021 201 7873/+40 723 653651 for counselling.
UNHCR staff will will call you for the appointment date and time, and location of Enrolment Center in order to update your phone number.  

You need to physically visit the nearest UNHCR enrolment center to update your records and phone number. However, if you do not know the location of the enrolment center, please consult the list below or call one of the enrolment centers:

• Bucharest: At pavilion G5 ROMEXPO – Bulevardul Marasti 65-67. Phone numbers: 0724445293/40724745515 This is open 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Closed on weekends.
• Brasov: Strada Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu, no. 13, Brașov. Phone number: 0753393208.  This is open 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) from 9:00am – 5:00pm. Closed on weekends.
• Galati: Strada Movilei 2-8, Galati.  Phone number: 0724445274. This is open 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Closed on weekends.
• Iasi: Sos. Nationala, no 55-59, Mercury Apartments, flats 1-2. Phone number: 0724445376. This is open 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Closed on weekends.
• Suceava: Str. Mihail Sadoveanu 9A. Phone number: 0730295548. This is open 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) from 9:00am – 5:00pm. Closed on weekends.

In case of a change in your family composition, all family members need to be physically present in one of the nearest UNHCR enrolment centers to update your details and all supporting documentation in the UNHCR database. When in doubt, you may contact UNHCR at 021 201 7873/+40 723 653651 for more information. 

It is not mandatory requirement, but it is highly recommended to update your bank details in UNHCR’s database as well as to ensure that your bank account is active.
Should you be found eligible for this program, UNHCR will send you the cash assistance in your bank account, which will enable you to withdraw your assistance based on your need, and convenience. Unlike the pickup codes, there is no expiry date for withdrawing your assistance from your bank account.  

No, for security reasons we recommend that you personally visit the nearest UNHCR enrolment center to update your banking details in UNHCR’s system. 

You need to provide UNHCR staff in the enrolment centers the banking details (IBAN number, and date of when account has been opened).
You may request your bank to provide you with remittance form/details of your account, so that UNHCR can send you cash assistance should you be found to be eligible for it.

At this time, the bank details are required for Romanian bank accounts while bank accounts from Ukraine or other countries cannot be considered.  

For the moment only details of Romanian banks can be used.
We cannot accept Revolut or other similar online banking systems. 

If you are currently enrolled for multipurpose cash assistance or any other cash/voucher assistance in Romania or with UNHCR in another country with at least transfer value of 500 RON per month per person or more for the period of two or three months, you are not eligible for this programme.

• Bucharest: At pavilion G5 ROMEXPO – Bulevardul Marasti 65-67. Phone numbers: 0724445293/40724745515 This is open 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Closed on weekends.
• Brasov: Strada Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu, no. 13, Brașov. Phone number: 0753393208.  This is open 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) from 9:00am – 5:00pm. Closed on weekends.
• Galati: Strada Movilei 2-8, Galati.  Phone number: 0724445274. This is open 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Closed on weekends.
• Iasi: Sos. Nationala, no 55-59, Mercury Apartments, flats 1-2. Phone number: 0724445376. This is open 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Closed on weekends.
• Suceava: Str. Mihail Sadoveanu 9A. Phone number: 0730295548. This is open 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) from 9:00am – 5:00pm. Closed on weekends.

Please note that you will only be interviewed for UNHCR’s new cash assistance program if you have been invited to an appointment at one of UNHCR’s enrolment centres.     

If you were outside Romania during the last 6 months and were not present during the verification exercises then you will not be contacted at this time, the programme is unable to accommodate those who were previously registered with UNHCR but did not participate in the verification exercise in winter 2022.

As of September 2023 the program is open for new arrivals that are previously not registered with UNHCR and should you meet the new eligibility criteria you can proceed with request of an appointment. 

UNHCR is calling people on the number provided during registration and including Ukrainian phone numbers.

All family members need to be present in the enrolment center and for each family member, you should bring the following documents for identification, if available:  

• International passport; 
• Any document showing your Ukrainian Tax number; 
• Temporary Protection Permit for Romania; 
• Internal passport; 
• National identity card; 
• Birth certificate for children under 18 years old; 
• Marriage certificate; 
• Medical documents confirming disability or specific medical conditions; 
• If any of the above is not available, bring any other document that can prove the identity for each family member and relationship of the family members. 
• You may show documents that are not available physically through the DIIAA mobile application  
• You should also bring any document that proves your date of entry into Romania. 
• Please remember to bring your Romanian mobile phone number. You cannot share phone numbers between different families. 

Children under 18 years of age who are in Romania without parents or family members and do not have anyone to accompany them for enrolment, should contact their social worker or legal representative, or contact UNHCR at 021 201 7873/+40 723 653651 for counselling. 

If you missed a call from UNHCR, you do not need to call back. The UNHCR team will call you again the following day. Please do not approach the enrolment centers. 

Please visit the nearest UNHCR enrolment center so that UNHCR staff can support you to reprint your Proof of Enrolment document. Please ensure to have your passport with you when visiting UNHCR enrolment centers. 

• The documentary requirements for MoneyGram are UNHCR Proof of Enrolment, your passport/identity document containing your photo and your pick-up code for collecting your assistance from MoneyGram. 
• The documentary requirements for Smith&Smith are UNHCR Proof of Enrolment, your passport/identity document containing your photo and your pick-up code/SMS message received from UNHCR for collecting your assistance from Smith&Smith. 
• The documentary requirements for Romanian banks are: owning a bank account/account number and identity document with your photo, such as passport, to cash out your assistance from the counter. Should you choose to withdraw your assistance from an ATM, you need to have your debit/bank smart card.  

Note: It will be beneficial for refugees to carry the UNHCR Proof of Enrolment to pick up the assistance from a Financial Service Provider. The document eases the verification process.  

From the time you have received the SMS with your MoneyGram pickup code, you have a total of 20 days to go to any MoneyGram branch and retrieve the cash.
If are you eligible for the assistance, you will receive the cash in local currency (Romanian LEI). 

Only refugees that have undergone a recent assessment at a UNHCR cash enrollment centre and have been notified that they are ineligible for the programme can lodge a request for reconsideration. In the SMS notification of ineligibility, UNHCR has included the link where you can submit your reconsideration request.  

Your request for reconsideration will be reviewed by a designated panel of UNHCR staff members and you will be notified of the decision within a maximum period of three weeks. If your case is approved by the panel, you will be required to undergo a second assessment as part of the reconsideration process. If you are found eligible for reconsideration, you will be invited for a second cash for protection interview. By submitting a reconsideration request, there is no guarantee that you will be determined eligible for a second assessment interview or ultimately, for inclusion in the cash for protection programme.

The enrollment for the cash for protection programme will be active until 31 October 2023.