On December 2, 2020, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration implemented amendments to the regulations on the temporary suspension or restriction of border traffic at certain border crossing points.
The amendments introduce additional categories of foreign nationals eligible to enter the territory of Poland.
Foreign nationals crossing the external Polish borders, apart from documents allowing to enter the territory of Poland, are required to specify and confirm the purpose of stay included in the catalogue indicated in the regulation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration
The catalogue includes:
- Polish citizens and their spouses and children or foreign nationals remaining under permanent custody of Polish citizens,
- citizens of European Union Member States, European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Member States - parties to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or the Swiss Confederation as well as their spouses and children,
- holders of the Polish Charter (Karta Polaka), holders of permanent or temporary residence permits in Poland, national visas granted for repatriation purposes or visas allowing to arrive in Poland as a repatriate's family member, visas issued due to humanitarian reasons, interests of the state or international obligations,
- citizens of the Republic of Belarus or foreign nationals holding visas issued for the purpose of participation in the Poland. Business Harbour programme,
- foreign nationals who have the right to work in the territory of Poland,
- foreign nationals driving vehicles used for the transport of persons or goods, where the transit is a result of their professional activity,
- pupils and students, participants of postgraduate studies and specialised schooling and other forms of education as well as PhD students studying in Poland, scientists performing research or development work in Poland.
The changes introduced on December 2, 2020 extend the catalogue of persons eligible to enter the territory of Poland by:
- legal guardians accompanying students/pupils studying in Poland,
- foreign entrepreneurs and representatives of foreign business entities crossing the border of Poland for business purposes, who, due to their justified intention and purpose of arrival, have been notified by a diplomatic mission of a given country accredited in Poland and obtained a written consent of the minister responsible for foreign affairs for such a visit.
The above extension of the catalogue enables family members, who so far had difficulties crossing the Polish borders, to stay with their family in Poland.
It should also be noted that in particularly justified cases, the commanding officer of the Border Guard post, after obtaining the consent of the Commander-in-Chief of the Border Guard, may allow foreign nationals not listed in the catalogue to enter the territory of Poland.
At the same time, it is worth noting that from January 1, 2020, UK citizens will be subject to immigration regulations applicable in case of third-country (non-EU/EEA) nationals, which may impose potential difficulties in their entry to Poland in accordance with the guidelines set out in the regulation.
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