Poland plans to change the rules for issuing travel documents: what Ukrainians should know

The Ministry of the Interior and Administration of Poland is preparing changes for foreigners who cannot obtain a foreign passport from their country. According to the current Polish procedure, the travel document is issued for one year, and the ministry is working on a longer validity period and a new biometric sample. This is reported by inPoland.

Travel document for foreigners in Poland: what changes are planned

The Polish Ombudsman published the response from the Ministry of Internal Affairs on November 6, 2026. Changes are being prepared due to the requirements of EU Regulation 2024/1347, which applies from July 1, 2026. For individuals with additional protection who cannot obtain or renew a national passport, the regulation provides for a biometric travel document with a validity period of more than one year.

Two changes are being prepared in Poland:

• Validity period. According to inPoland, the document is planned to be issued for two years.

• Biometrics. The new sample will have a chip with a photo and fingerprints. The Ministry is preparing rules under which the provincial offices will work with this data.

The start date for issuing documents of the new sample has not yet been announced. If it concerns obtaining a Ukrainian passport, the consulate in Wroclaw provides text consultations regarding documents via Viber and WhatsApp.

Who can currently obtain a Polish travel document

According to the service description on the Polish ePUAP portal, under the general procedure, a document can be issued to a foreigner who has lost their passport, has a damaged or expired document, and cannot obtain a new one. At the same time, they must belong to one of the following categories:

• has a permanent residence permit in Poland;

• has a long-term EU resident permit;

• received additional protection;

• was granted residence on humanitarian grounds.

For Ukrainians, it is important to check what exactly their status is. Additional protection and temporary protection with UKR status are different grounds for residence. If you are using the Diia.pl electronic document, it is worth clarifying the possibility of obtaining a Polish travel document at the provincial office at your place of residence.