New rules regarding traveling with children have come into force in Poland. Now, when checking into hotels, guesthouses or other accommodation facilities, you may be asked to provide documents confirming the child's identity and relationship with the accompanying adult. Find out more about the requirements

An insurance policy is a guarantee of your safety and peaceful stay outside of Ukraine

BUY

On August 15, 2024, amendments to the Family Code and the Guardianship Code came into force in Poland, obliging accommodation facilities (hotels, inns, holiday homes) to check the relationship between children and their guardians. Now, the front desk may ask for the child's ID, school ID, or passport.

We'll tell you about the updates and what to do if you don't have these documents in the article below.

Protection of minors: what has changed

The amendments require all entities involved in working with children or where children may be present to implement child protection standards. This applies to care, education, social rehabilitation, medical, cultural, sports, and other institutions. Schools, sports clubs, medical facilities, museums, cultural centers, and even private tutors are affected by these changes.

One of the ways to prevent abuse is to check the child's identity and relationship with the adult accompanying him or her. Therefore, during check-in, staff may request documents confirming this information.

Crossing the border with a child in 2024. Find the updated rules and required documents here.

How to confirm the child's identity?

The main document to confirm the child's identity and relationship with the guardian is an identity card. This is the fastest and most reliable way to establish a relationship between a child and an adult, even if the surnames are different (for example, the mother may have changed her surname after a divorce).

A school certificate can also be used as a confirmation, although it does not contain information about the parents. In some cases, you may be asked to fill out a form indicating the degree of kinship and sign it.

Visit Ukraine on social media: Telegram | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok

Checking your relationship and other options

Some hotels check the correspondence of the names in the submitted documents (school ID, passport). If there are any discrepancies, they may request additional documents, such as a birth certificate or a document on the change of the father's name. 

Some hotels, if the child does not have documents, may offer to show the online patient account (IKP), which contains information about the child's health and is available to parents through ZUS.

Specifics for foreign nationals

There is currently no single answer to the question of whether foreign nationals need to prove their relationship. In most cases, they will be required to present a residence card or a foreign passport.

If you are planning a trip, it is better to clarify this issue with the hotel in advance by calling or writing to them.

Traveling abroad with a child in your own car: the current rules for transporting children - read our article.

Traveling with other family members

If a child is staying at a hotel with grandparents, aunts, uncles or family friends, they may be asked to provide written parental consent for the trip. In rare cases, hotels may ask for a notarized signature, but more often than not, a simple letter signed by a legal guardian is sufficient. In the absence of a legal guardian, a special declaration must be filled out with the data of the child and the adult accompanying him or her.

You may also be asked for the phone numbers of the legal guardians to verify the data and confirm their consent to the trip.

We remind you! From 2025 Ukrainians with PESEL UKR in Poland can get a CUKR residence card, but not everyone will meet the requirements. Who will be able to use the new legalisation mechanism and what conditions must be met to obtain the document, read here.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

With our health insurance package, you get access to high-quality medical care anytime, anywhere. Our policy covers a wide range of medical services, including medical consultations, hospitalization, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. Protect yourself from unexpected events now. Choose a policy on our website and receive an insurance document to your email in just a few minutes.

Our recommendation for a safe and comfortable trip: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance - insurance for a safe stay abroad without unnecessary expenses;

Green Card - compulsory car insurance for traveling abroad;

Visit Ukraine Tickets - book tickets for buses, trains, and airplanes to/from Ukraine and between cities around the world;

Private Lawyer service - professional legal support on visa and migration issues;

Visit Ukraine Merch - buy patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery.

© 2018-2024, Visit Ukraine. Use, copying or reprinting of materials on this site is permitted only with a link (hyperlink for online publications) to Visit Ukraine.

All rights reserved.