flash news: #foreigners
Alongside the introduction of the EES (Entry/Exit System), which will ultimately replace passport stamps confirming foreigners’ entry to and exit from the EU, the Polish authorities are also planning to abandon other stamps relating to foreigners. These include stamps confirming the submission of residence permit applications and the legality of a foreigner’s stay while awaiting a decision on the issuance of the relevant permit.
The EES is a European Union IT system used to register data on third-country nationals crossing the EU's external borders for short stays (up to 90 days within a 180-day period).
On 26 September 2025, the President of the Republic of Poland signed the Act of 12 September 2025 amending certain acts to verify the right to family benefits for foreigners and the conditions for providing assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict in that country.
The most important changes in the so-called Ukrainian Special Act:
- The provisions have been extended until 4 March 2026, which means that the uncertainty regarding the legality of residence and employment of Ukrainian citizens without UKR status has been dispelled;
- Both adults and minors will be able to obtain a PESEL number with the UKR annotation only in person.
Current EU regulations guarantee protection for Ukrainian citizens until 4 March 2027. However, in July this year, the European Commission proposed to start planning its gradual phasing out. In recent weeks, the EU Council has indicated that the phasing out of temporary protection should be based on Ukrainian citizens obtaining national residence permits reflecting their new purpose of stay or voluntarily returning to Ukraine.
The Interior Ministry has announced that border traffic between Poland and Belarus will be completely suspended from 12 September 2025. This means that all border crossings - road, rail, and pedestrian, will be closed until further notice.
On 7 August 2025, the Government Legislation Centre published the Minister of Family Labour and Social Policy draft regulation of 4 August 2025 on countries whose citizens may be covered by declarations on entrusting work to foreigners and certain provisions of the Act of 20 March 2025 on the conditions for permissibility of entrusting work to foreigners.