Protecting yourself during your flight

Protecting yourself during your flight

Before leaving Ukraine and deciding to travel to one of the EU countries, if possible, please take valid travel documents with you. However, the lack of travel documents or medical documents should not be an obstacle for you to enter the EU. All EU countries bordering Ukraine are allowing entry to all people fleeing the war in Ukraine on humanitarian grounds, regardless of whether or not you have a biometric passport. See more information related to documents and your rights to enter the EU here. You have the right to immediate assistance and immediate information about your rights. This includes temporary shelter and the fulfilment of your basic needs such as food and medicine. See also more information on traveling within the EU.

Ensure that you protect yourself and those you are traveling with. You can take the following safety measures:

• Never give a passport or identity document to anyone other than a border guard. Carry it close to your body. Take a picture of it with your phone so that you have a back-up in case of loss or theft. Send that copy to friends/family and email it to yourself.
• If you‘re traveling in taxis/buses/other forms of transportation, update a family member or friend of your location along the way. If something seems suspicious, then get out immediately. Avoid traveling alone but travel with someone you trust.
• Try to use transport and accommodation organised by authorities and civil society organisations; in case of transport offers by individuals ask them to identify themselves. Numerous transport companies across the EU are offering free or waived transport
• Before you get into any means of transportation, take a picture of the license plate and send it to friends/family. Avoid getting into cars of drivers who don‘t allow these pictures to be taken.
• Develop a code word with your friends or family so that if you are in danger and cannot say so, they know what it means. They should already have the picture of the license plate and your current location.
• Hide the money you have on you, maybe even in multiple places. Assume that any bag or luggage you take with you will have to be left behind at some point. Remember your credit/debit card number. Remember phone numbers of several reliable people who can transfer money to you or help you if you really need it and you have lost your phone.

Reporting incidents

If you want to report incidents you can always call the emergency number, which is 112 in all EU Member States.
If you want more information about missing children or protection for children, see more information here.

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