Our team is working hard to gather a world of information and make it available to those who need. In an ever evolving situation, keeping this information up-to-date takes a lot of time and resources. If you would like to support our team so that we can continue this work it will be greatly appreciated.
Updated: 15 Mar 2025
Ukrainian citizens are able to stay anywhere within the EU for a period up to 90 days without any visa. The EU has implement the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD), to provide Ukrainians with immigration options throughout the EU. After arriving in an EU country, Ukrainian citizens will be able to apply for TPD status which will give them rights to travel freely, work and also give them access to social benefits such as housing and healthcare. The European Commission have developed this website to provide anyone fleeing the war with the latest information.
Poland is committed to supporting Ukrainians who have been forced to leave Ukraine due to Russia’s invasion. Ukrainian nationals are now allowed to live and work in Poland, without a visa, for up to 18 months and are also able to extend this for a period up to 3 years by applying for a temporary residence permit. For more information please visit gov.pl/web/ua.
Entry to Poland
Entry to Poland is still possible, even if you are travelling without travel documents, for example your passport. Present any documentation you have that can be used to verify your identity. If you plan to stay in Poland longer than 180 days you should inform the border guards that you will stay in Poland.
Applying for Temporary Protection
If you are a citizen of Ukraine whose stay is considered or was considered legal, you will be granted a temporary residence permit. After 9 months in Poland you are entitled to apply for a temporary residence permit on the basis of temporary protection. This temporary residence permit will be valid for 3 years from the date of the relevant decision.
Assistance
If you are in need of assistance after arriving in Poland, please go to one of the reception centres where you can receive information, food, basis medical care and a place to rest. If you have no place to stay they can also organise temporary accommodation for you.
If you require more information, answers to many of the commonly asked questions may be found here.
The PESEL number is a personal identification number that will allow you to access services, such as healthcare and social benefits, on the same terms as Polish citizens.
More information about PESEL and the application process can be found here.
Contact the school in your area and apply for admission to the school. The decision on admission is made by the principal of the institution.
If there are no places in a particular class at the school you have chosen, contact the administration of the commune where you live and find out information about the school where your child will be able to study.
Education for children and youth aged 7-18 in public schools is free.
Once you have a PESEL number you can benefit from a free visit to a doctor working under Poland's National Health Fund (NFZ).
Prescriptions are issued free of charge and using the PESEL number you can also receive discounts on medicines on the same basis as Polish citizens.
As a Ukrainian national you are able to work in Poland, provided you entered the Poland legally.
You can find work using the government's job portal, where there are approximately 70,000 job vacancies, alternatively you can use their mobile app ePraca (available on iOS and android).
Address:
ul. Antoniego Malczewskiego 17, 02-617 Warszawa
Telephone:
+48226213979Website:
https://poland.mfa.gov.ua/Address:
Jarosławiw Wał 12, 01901 Kiev
Telephone:
+380442300700Address:
79011 Lviv, ul. Iwana Franki 108
Telephone:
+380322957990For a full list of the embassies and consulates click here