GMI Legal Update: Border controls on Polish borders

By regulation published on 31 October 30, 2023, the Polish Minister of Interior and Administration extended border controls at border crossings between Poland and Slovakia until November 22, 2023.

Irrespective of the above, random border checks introduced in September 2023 by Germany on the border between Poland and Germany are also still ongoing.

Border controls on Polish borders do not automatically entail closing these borders or limiting the right of travelers to cross them, provided the travelers have appropriate documents. Therefore, non-EU citizens residing in Poland, when planning a trip out of Poland, should pay special attention to whether the documents they have allow them to travel within the Schengen area.

Also, it is worth remembering that actual restrictions on the right of entry to Poland for certain categories of people remain in force on the border of Poland with Belarus and on the border of Poland with Russia. Restrictions on the right of entry to Poland specifically addressing Russian citizens remain in force on each Polish external border (i.e. a border which also constitutes a border of the Schengen area).