Poland introduces biometric control at the border with Ukraine: queues expected

Polish border guards have begun testing a new biometric control system at the border with Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reported.

As part of the pilot program, facial scans and fingerprinting of all individuals crossing the border are being conducted. The introduction of additional verification procedures may lead to increased waiting times at border control and the formation of queues. The new system is planned to be fully operational by October 2025, and is currently in the testing phase.

Additionally, repair work on the Ukrainian side of the 'Shehyni' crossing is also complicating the situation, temporarily limiting the movement of both personal and freight transport.

Representatives of the Ukrainian and Polish border services meet regularly to coordinate the crossing process and improve the situation at the checkpoints.

Queue status at the border checkpoints with Poland as of the morning of September 18:

• 'Yahodyn' - 0 buses;
• 'Ustyluh' - 25 cars, 0 buses;
• 'Uhniv' - 0 cars, 0 buses;
• 'Rava-Ruska' - 0 cars, 0 buses;
• 'Hrushiv' - 0 cars, 0 buses;
• Krakovec - 55 cars, 3 buses;
• 'Shehyni' - 40 cars, 9 buses;
• 'Nyzhankovychy' - 0 cars, 0 buses;
• 'Smilnytsia' - 0 cars, 0 buses.

Polish border guards have begun implementing the biometric control system at the border with Ukraine, and joint efforts between Ukrainian and Polish border guards to optimize processes at checkpoints are ongoing.