Certain Ukrainian citizens who are in Poland under temporary protection are required to update their data in the PESEL UKR registry by August 31, 2026. This requirement is related to changes in Polish legislation.
This is reported by InPoland citing the Polish Ministry of Digitalization.
Who needs to update PESEL UKR data
The obligation to confirm identity does not apply to all Ukrainians with UKR status.
Citizens of Ukraine who need to update their information include those who:
- received a PESEL UKR number without presenting a valid foreign passport;
- have a passport document whose validity has already expired;
- registered for PESEL UKR based on a document whose validity was officially extended.
If a valid foreign passport was provided when obtaining PESEL UKR and it remains valid today, no further actions are needed.
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Why the changes primarily concern children
The Polish Ministry of Digitalization explained that the new requirements most often concern children and teenagers.
Many underage Ukrainians received temporary protection status after the beginning of the full-scale war without a valid foreign passport or with documents whose validity was extended. Therefore, their families are advised to check the relevance of their data in the PESEL UKR system.
After August 31, 2026, the absence of updated data may create difficulties in confirming temporary protection status and accessing certain government services in Poland.
It is worth noting that Polish workers are among the most loaded in the European Union. In 2025, the average working week in the country was 38 hours, significantly exceeding the EU average.