Leaving Ukraine for Poland
What to say at the border, what to take with you and what to do in the first thirty days in Poland.
This is not legal advice. The rules change often. Before you decide anything, open the official page linked under the answer or call the information line. The foundation does not handle residence cases.
Who are you and what is your situation?
Collect your documents
A valid passport for travel abroad for every person, children included; birth and marriage certificates; your driving licence; diplomas and school certificates; medical records and vaccination cards; disability documents; papers for a pet: chip, rabies vaccination, antibody test and veterinary certificate. Take photos of everything and keep them separately. In Poland many of these papers need a sworn translation, which is easier to arrange with the originals in hand.
The full answer and sourcesCheck the rules for new arrivals
Yes, the EU has extended it until 4 March 2028, with two conditions to remember. Apply for a PESEL with UKR status at any commune office within 30 days of entering Poland. And since 31 July 2026 a new grant of protection requires fulfilled military obligations in Ukraine, so a document confirming it may be requested.
The full answer and sourcesAt the border, say it is evacuation
Say plainly to the Polish border guard that you are leaving because of the war and are seeking protection, not travelling as a tourist. How your entry is recorded matters later, when you apply for a PESEL with UKR status, and correcting the record with the Border Guard afterwards is hard. This is practical advice from our foundation; the decision belongs to the officer.
The full answer and sourcesWithin 30 days: PESEL with UKR status
Apply at any commune office within 30 days of entering Poland. Without registration you may lose the right to temporary protection.
The full answer and sourcesTravelling with a pet
The animal needs a microchip that meets the ISO standards and a valid rabies vaccination: the first one is given no earlier than at 12 weeks and counts from 21 days after the shot. Ukraine is a country outside the EU, so the rules also require a rabies antibody test done in an approved laboratory and a veterinary certificate; no more than five animals may travel with one person. Read the full conditions on the page of the Chief Veterinary Inspectorate before the trip.
The full answer and sourcesKnow where to get free help
At the National Integration Offices (KBI): support is free, you can talk to an adviser or a psychologist and sign up for a Polish language course. They do not provide accommodation and do not pay money. The addresses are on the ministry’s page.
The full answer and sources
Get a PESEL with UKR status
Apply at any commune office within 30 days of entering Poland. Without registration you may lose the right to temporary protection.
The full answer and sourcesSet up the document in your phone
An electronic document in the mObywatel app for adult citizens of Ukraine with UKR status, a PESEL number and a trusted profile. Since 5 March 2026 it is called the Temporary Protection Document. Together with a valid passport it lets you cross the Polish border and travel in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180.
The full answer and sourcesRegister your address
Yes, if you stay longer than 30 days: a foreigner from outside the EU registers within 4 days of moving in, at the commune or district office. It is free. Bring a separate form for each person, children included, your passport, the document of your right to stay and proof of your right to the flat, for example the lease; the owner confirms on the form that you live there. You cannot register for longer than your legal stay lasts.
The full answer and sourcesOpen a bank account
Yes. Anyone who stays legally in the EU and has no other payment account in Poland has the right to a basic payment account: keeping it and the card are free, with five free transfers and five free withdrawals from other banks’ cash machines a month. The bank needs a valid identity document and an address in Poland, and it can refuse only for reasons listed in the law. Banks also offer ordinary accounts on their own terms.
The full answer and sourcesSort out health insurance
Since 5 March 2026 it depends on insurance. Insured are, among others, employees, people on a contract of mandate, sole traders, the registered unemployed and students, and they can add family members. Without insurance, people with UKR status keep free care only in these groups: children under 18, women who are pregnant, giving birth or in the postpartum period, residents of collective accommodation centres, and victims of torture or rape. In an acute emergency help is given to everyone.
The full answer and sourcesStart working legally
Yes. With temporary protection you can work, and your employer must notify the labour office through praca.gov.pl within 7 days of your first day. With the CUKR card no work permit is needed.
The full answer and sourcesEnrol the children in school
Yes. Since 1 September 2024 children from Ukraine are covered by the same duties as Polish pupils: one year of pre-school preparation, primary school and further education in a secondary school. Learning online in a Ukrainian school does not replace it. The 800+ and Dobry Start benefits are paid only when the child attends a Polish pre-school class or school.
The full answer and sourcesRemember the 30-day rule
With UKR status: it ends automatically if you leave Poland for more than 30 days. With the CUKR card: a stay outside Poland of more than 6 months means losing the permit.
The full answer and sources
Dates to remember
- 5 Mar 2026New rules replace the special act
- 4 May 2026CUKR applications open
- 31 Jul 2026New protection only after military obligations
- 31 Aug 2026Deadline to confirm identity
- 4 Mar 2027Polish extension of documents ends
- 4 Mar 2028EU temporary protection ends
The gold line shows where we are today.
Planning to leave Ukraine
What to say at the border, what to take and what to do in the first thirty days.
I am leaving Ukraine because of the war. What do I say at the Polish border?
Say plainly to the Polish border guard that you are leaving because of the war and are seeking protection, not travelling as a tourist. How your entry is recorded matters later, when you apply for a PESEL with UKR status, and correcting the record with the Border Guard afterwards is hard. This is practical advice from our foundation; the decision belongs to the officer.
Can I still get temporary protection in Poland if I arrive now?
Yes, the EU has extended it until 4 March 2028, with two conditions to remember. Apply for a PESEL with UKR status at any commune office within 30 days of entering Poland. And since 31 July 2026 a new grant of protection requires fulfilled military obligations in Ukraine, so a document confirming it may be requested.
Which documents should I take when leaving Ukraine?
A valid passport for travel abroad for every person, children included; birth and marriage certificates; your driving licence; diplomas and school certificates; medical records and vaccination cards; disability documents; papers for a pet: chip, rabies vaccination, antibody test and veterinary certificate. Take photos of everything and keep them separately. In Poland many of these papers need a sworn translation, which is easier to arrange with the originals in hand.
I have just arrived. How do I get a PESEL with UKR status?
Apply at any commune office within 30 days of entering Poland. Without registration you may lose the right to temporary protection.
How do I bring a dog or a cat from Ukraine?
The animal needs a microchip that meets the ISO standards and a valid rabies vaccination: the first one is given no earlier than at 12 weeks and counts from 21 days after the shot. Ukraine is a country outside the EU, so the rules also require a rabies antibody test done in an approved laboratory and a veterinary certificate; no more than five animals may travel with one person. Read the full conditions on the page of the Chief Veterinary Inspectorate before the trip.
Can I drive a car on Ukrainian plates in Poland?
For now a car registered in Ukraine can be used in Poland as a vehicle in international traffic, with valid insurance. A law is being prepared that would require re-registration in Poland: after one year in the country, or within 30 days of settling here permanently, with a technical inspection and Polish insurance. In May 2026 it was a draft, so check the current state at the vehicle department of your county office before you plan anything.
Where to ask
- Office for Foreigners, information line47 721 76 75weekdays 9:00-16:00
- CEIDG, business registration801 055 08822 765 67 32
- National Tax Information22 330 03 30801 055 055
- ZUS, social insurance22 560 16 00
- National Health Fund, patient line800 190 590free, around the clock, also in Ukrainian
- Support line for adults in an emotional crisis116 123free, around the clock
- Help line for children and young people116 111free, around the clock
- Emergency number112police, ambulance, fire brigade
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