Ukrainian children may not be allowed to enter Poland: what documents are required when crossing the border

For many Ukrainian families who ended up in Poland because of the war, it is important to understand what documents need to be submitted in order to ensure the legal stay of their children and the possibility of re-entry to the country. In particular, for children under the age of 13, there are certain requirements for documents, without which crossing the border of Poland may be impossible. This issue became especially relevant after the introduction of changes to the legislation, which came into force on July 1, 2024.

What happens if a child loses access to Diia.pl?

One of the biggest problems Ukrainian families can face is a child losing access to an electronic document in the Diia.pl application. This situation may arise if the parents’ status of legal stay in the territory of the European Union has changed, for example, if they have received a temporary residence permit – the so-called “broken card”. In this case, a child who could previously use the Diia.pl application to cross the border may lose access to this document, which makes it difficult for him to return to Poland.

According to the Right to Protection Poland foundation, the Polish border service emphasizes that in order to cross the border, a child must have not only a valid foreign passport, but also an electronic document in the Diia.pl application. Only having a PESEL number assignment certificate without access to Diia.pl does not give the right to re-enter Poland or travel to other countries of the Schengen zone.

Why can’t children under 13 register at Diia.pl?

Children under the age of 13 cannot register themselves in the Diia.pl system, because this requires a so-called “trusted profile” (profil zaufany), which is only available to persons over 13 years of age. This creates additional difficulties for families, since the child cannot issue electronic documents on his own, and in such a situation, parents or guardians bear a great responsibility.

Updated regulations regarding the stay of children in Poland

From July 1, 2024, changes to the special law concerning Ukrainian children under 13 years of age entered into force. From now on, citizens of Ukraine can submit a number of documents that will allow their children to stay legally in Poland and will allow them to re-enter the country after leaving. These innovations are aimed at simplifying the procedure for submitting documents for minors and reducing the number of problems when crossing the border.

In order to avoid possible complications, families are advised to take care of the preparation of all necessary documents in advance. It is important to contact the competent authorities or receive advice from specialists in order to have a clear idea of ​​what documents are required for the legalization of a child’s stay in Poland. This will not only ensure the legality of her stay, but also provide an opportunity to cross the border without hindrance and avoid possible problems during trips.

What to do in case of problems at the border?

If problems arise when trying to cross the Polish border due to the lack of documents, in particular, access to Diia.pl, Ukrainian families are advised to contact the border service to clarify the circumstances and further actions. Parents can consult with lawyers or turn to organizations such as Right to Protection Poland, which can help resolve issues with documents and ensure smooth entry into Poland.

Thus, the new rules, which came into force on July 1, 2024, create additional opportunities for Ukrainian children under the age of 13 to stay in Poland legally, but at the same time require a careful approach to the preparation of all necessary documents.