Entering Poland – documents and rules of stay
A citizen of Ukraine may enter Poland on the basis on:
- biometric passport – On this basis, a person can stay in Poland for up to 90 days;
- a visa with a D or C marking or a residence permit issued by another Schengen State – visa of the “D” type entitles a person to enter the territory of Poland and to a continuous stay or several consecutive stays in this territory. They last in total longer than 90 days within the period of validity of the visa and not longer than one year. A “C” visa is valid in the Schengen area and entitles one to stay in the territory of all countries of this area. The length of stay may not exceed 90 days in any 180 days;
- temporary / permanent residence permit, or long-term EU residence permit with a valid residence card – a person who entered Poland based on the consent granted by the Border Guard commander, can legally stay for 15 days;
- an application for international protection submitted at the crossing point of Polish border – a citizen of Ukraine may apply for international protection at the Polish border or any branch of the Border Guard;
- consent of the commander of the Border Guard (the so-called emergency entry) – people fleeing the war from Ukraine are allowed to enter Poland based on the consent of the Border Guard commander, granted when crossing the border.
These rules apply only to the Polish side. Border control in Ukraine looks different due to the martial law in force and the announcement of general mobilization.
