New requirements related to crossing the Polish border by UK nationals after 31 December 2020

New requirements related to crossing the Polish border by UK nationals after 31 December 2020

On the 31st of December 2020, 23.59 CET, the transition period terminated. UK nationals and their family members living in Poland who wish to travel back to the UK and come back to Poland are obliged to prove that they are beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement while crossing the border. If they are not, or fail to do so, their passports will be stamped and they will only be allowed to stay on the territory of Poland up to 90 days for visitation purposes, based on the visa-free regime.

How to prove that you are a beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement?

• If you have registered as an EU citizen residing in Poland, keep the confirmation of registration at hand and present to a Border Guard official upon request,
• If you haven’t registered as an EU citizen residing in Poland, but nevertheless possess sufficient proof of residence (e.g. a lease agreement, previous plane tickets, proof of employment), keep it at hand and present to a Border Guard official upon request,
• If you have filed your application form and received a certification of submission of your application form, keep it at hand and present to a Border Guard official upon request. The certificate of submission of your application is valid for 1 year since the date of issue and entitles you to cross the Polish border without getting your passport stamped,
• Note! If you have been residing in Poland and nevertheless get your passport stamped by a Border Guard official, the stamp will not affect your subsequent residency.

Additionally, from the 1st of January 2021, UK nationals must have their passports valid for at least 6 months more to travel to most countries in Europe. If a passport is valid for a period exceeding 10 years in total (counting from the issuance date), any extra months on the passport over 10 years may not count towards the 6 months needed.

When in doubt, if you are struggling or just if you want to double-check whether your documents are all right, feel free to contact IOM!

Contact the IOM office in Poland:

• Call us on the helpline from Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm: 
  (+48) 22 490 20 44, (+48) 724 078 536, (+48)  724078533
• Email us at: UKnationalsPL@iom.int