Ukrainian citizens legally residing in Poland have the right to travel to other countries. However, to cross the border, you need to prepare all the necessary documents. Learn more about what to consider when traveling to Poland on the recommendation of the Embassy of Ukraine in Poland

Legal assistance on migration issues for Ukrainians in Ukraine and abroad

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It is important for Ukrainians legally residing in Poland to familiarize themselves with the rules for traveling to other countries, as they need to prepare the necessary documents. The Embassy of Ukraine in Poland has provided advice for those planning to travel to other countries.

To learn more about useful mobile applications that can make life in Poland easier, please follow the link.

Checking the conditions of entry

The first step in planning your trip should be to check the conditions of entry into the destination country. This way you can make sure whether you need a visa, health insurance, or other mandatory documents to cross the border. An interactive world map from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine will help you with this.

In the previous article, we told you that Ukrainian citizens in Poland who have a PESEL number with the status of UKR can obtain a temporary residence permit (Karta pobytu).

Documents required to cross the border

To cross the internal and external borders of the Schengen area, you need a valid foreign passport and a document issued by the competent authorities certifying the right to legal residence in Poland (Diia.pl electronic certificate in the mObywatel mobile application, temporary or permanent residence card, resident card, valid visa).

Persons who arrived in Poland after the start of the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2024, on the basis of internal documents (ID card, old-style internal passport, birth certificate) without a foreign passport will not be able to cross the border with other countries.

Article 42 of the Law of the Republic of Poland “On Assistance to Citizens of Ukraine in connection with the Armed Conflict on the Territory of this State” states that Ukrainian citizens who:

1. Any type of visa has expired

2. A temporary residence card

3. Validity of the visa-free regime

Expired after February 24, 2022, may reside in Poland legally, but are not entitled to cross the border with other countries on the basis of such documents.

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Health insurance

A health insurance policy will help you avoid significant expenses in case of urgent health problems while traveling to another country. With Visit Ukraine's health insurance package, you will have access to high-quality medical care anytime and anywhere. Our policy covers a wide range of medical services, including medical consultations, hospitalization, diagnostics and rehabilitation. Choose a policy on the website and receive an insurance document by email in just a few minutes.

EKUZ (Europejska Karta Ubezpieczenia Zdrowotnego - European Health Insurance Card) is an insurance policy that allows you to receive medical care at the expense of the Polish National Health Fund (NFZ) when traveling from Poland to other EU countries, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Ukrainians who reside in Poland legally (this also applies to the PESEL UKR temporary shelter), but are not officially employed and do not pay ZUS insurance premiums, have no grounds for obtaining free EKUZ health insurance. Therefore, the only option available to them when traveling outside the Republic of Poland is to take out travel health insurance with a private company.

We remind you! The Polish government wants to introduce a new verification system that will allow establishing the location of Ukrainians and instantly suspending benefits for those who are outside the country. Read more about the innovations and when they will come into force.

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

Ihor Usyk is the Head of Legal Department at Visit Ukraine

Before moving to a new country or staying in it, use the legal support of our service. Useful advice for your safety.