Temporary protection was not extended: will Ukrainian refugees leave Poland in March?
The issue of Ukrainians' stay in Poland remains relevant, as the Polish government is considering amending a special law that would extend the period of legal stay. Find out more about how long Ukrainians can stay in the country
Last week, news began to spread on social media in leading Ukrainian media and telegram channels that Poland had extended the period of temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees until March 4, 2025. This was reported by the BBC.
However, it later turned out that this was a misinterpretation of the Polish government's decision and does not apply to Ukrainians.
We will tell you what this decision actually means, to whom it is addressed, and what awaits Ukrainians in Poland.
Poland does not extend protection for Ukrainian refugees: what is known
The decision of the Polish government, which was published on January 18 on the official portal, stated that temporary protection would be extended.
"The temporary protection mechanism, introduced by the EU Council in March 2022 for an initial period of one year, will now be in effect until March 4, 2025," the statement said.
As it turned out later, this applies only to persons who have received a protection certificate from the Office for Foreigners.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Poland explained that such certificates were issued to third-country nationals (not from Ukraine) who were legally residing in Ukraine at the time of the invasion and temporarily fled to Poland.
Instead, the legal stay of most Ukrainian refugees is regulated by a different mechanism provided for in the special law on assistance to Ukrainians. They receive PESEL UKR, a document that guarantees them basic rights in Poland.
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How long can Ukrainians legally stay in Poland?
Currently, the Polish authorities have not extended this protection. Therefore, Ukrainians holding PESEL with UKR status can legally stay in Poland until March 4, 2024. Those who take care of children who study or attend kindergarten can stay a little longer - until August 31, 2024. Students taking matriculation exams (and their parents) are allowed to stay until September 30, 2024.
According to recent reports, the Polish government is actively considering extending the legal stay of Ukrainians for another year, namely until March 4, 2025. Amendments to the special law are already being prepared and should be approved by the Sejm in the coming weeks.
Please note! To ensure a safe stay abroad, you should take care of reliable health insurance in advance, which will not only help you maintain your health, but also protect you from unforeseen expenses. You can take out an insurance policy that covers emergency medical care in case of illnesses and accidents, as well as inpatient and outpatient care around the world on the Visit Ukraine website. In addition, on our portal, you can immediately apply for car insurance - the Green Card, which is mandatory in 50 countries, including the EU.
Earlier we wrote that the support programs for refugees from Ukraine are constantly changing, and some of them are being completely canceled by the authorities. Find out what major changes for Ukrainians will take place in Poland in 2024 and what to expect in the near future.
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The simultaneous stay of visitors in the hotel lobby not more than one person per 10 square meters of serviceable area is allowed.
Persons can visit hotels and stay there (outside hotel room) only if they wear respirator or face mask (including homemade mask), so that the nose and mouth are covered.
Hotel guests are obliged to keep the 1.5 meters distance.
Online check-in making in advance is recommended to avoid queues at check-in to hotel.
Meals in hotels are provided through meals delivery service to rooms upon prior order or at hotel restaurants situated inside or in open areas, provided the distance of at least 1.5 meters between seats at adjacent tables.
Not more than 4 clients are allowed to stay at the table (excluding children under 14 years old). Unless these tables are separated by a special partition;
Self-serve is not allowed.