In the period from March to September 2022, on the Ukrainian section of the Polish border, the Border Guard issued 8,840 decisions on refusal of entry.
For several months, as the Association of Legal Intervention, we have been receiving reports of cases of preventing or hindering the entry to Poland of Ukrainian citizens and other foreigners residing on the territory of Ukraine. Problems were reported both by persons who entered the territory of Poland for the first time, as well as by persons enjoying temporary protection in Poland and on the territory of other EU countries who temporarily returned to Ukraine.
In July, our association appealed to the Polish authorities to allow persons enjoying temporary protection in our country to return to Poland. At that time, we argued that these people have the right to stay legally in Poland, can travel to Ukraine and then also return to Poland. In addition, we reminded that the Border Guard can and should allow entry to Poland whenever it is justified by humanitarian reasons. Fleeing a country where a brutal war is taking place is certainly humanitarian enough to grant such permission.
Despite the fact that in July 2022, the Polish authorities provided Ukrainian citizens with access to a special Diia.pl document that allows them to travel to and from Ukraine (as well as within the EU), still many people trying to enter Poland on the Ukrainian section of the border receive decisions on refusal of entry.
The above information is confirmed by detailed statistical data made available to SIP by the Border Guard as part of access to public information.
In the period March-September 2022, a total of 8,840 decisions on refusal of entry were issued on the Ukrainian section of the border (both against citizens of Ukraine and other countries).
| 2022 | Number of decisions on refusal of entry issued on the Ukrainian section of the border |
| March | 54 |
| April | 331 |
| May | 1051 |
| June | 1690 |
| July | 2448 |
| August | 1446 |
| September | 1820 |
In the same period, on all sections of the Polish border, 8,822 Ukrainian citizens were refused entry to Poland, including 7,966 Ukrainian citizens who were refused entry to the Ukrainian section.
The main reasons for refusal were, in the first place, exceeding the permissible period of stay in the EU under the visa-free regime, and secondly, the lack of a valid visa or residence permit. Several people were considered a threat to state security.
The above information is confirmed by the general data published on the website of the Border Guard.
Taking the above data into account, we appeal for the entry into Poland of people fleeing Ukraine in connection with the ongoing war there, including people enjoying temporary protection in Poland, who only temporarily returned to Ukraine. If a person does not have all the documents required to cross the border, the Border Guard may and should allow the entry of that person for humanitarian reasons.
If you have been refused entry and need legal assistance, please contact us!