Poland facilitates international travels from July

Poland has introduced a number of measures to further open country for international travels in view of improvements in coronavirus situation in Poland and approaching summer season. A summary of the changes is presented below.

International flights and restrictions for travellers

On July 1 Poland re-opened for international flights from the following non-UE countries:

• Montenegro
• Georgia
• Japan
• Canada
• Albania
• South Korea

All restrictions have been lifted for travellers entering Poland via above international flights – all categories of travellers (irrespective of citizenship) are able to enter Poland on regular pre-Covid-19 terms and will not be subject to obligatory quarantine.

On July 1 Poland also re-opened for international flights from Ukraine and UK. However, in case of flights from Ukraine and UK the restrictions on categories of foreigners eligible to enter Poland remain applicable, and the 14-day obligatory quarantine post-entry (for everyone except exempt categories of travellers) remains applicable.

In case of incoming travels from outside of the Schengen zone other than the above listed international flights, the restrictions on categories of foreigners eligible to enter Poland remain applicable and the 14-day obligatory quarantine post-entry (for everyone except exempt categories of travellers) remains applicable.

Flights from European Union, European Economic Area (for example Norway) and Switzerland remain possible since 13 June 2020 – with the exception of direct flights from Sweden and Portugal. Travels from another Schengen country to Poland remain unrestricted in terms of categories of foreigners eligible to enter (all categories of foreigners are able to enter on regular pre-Covid-19 terms) since 13 June 2020. All categories of travellers entering Poland from another Schengen country remain exempt from the 14-day obligatory quarantine since 13 June 2020.

The current limitations in international flights will remain in place until at least July 14. We expect that new regulations may be published as late as in the evening of July 14.

New categories of travellers exempt from entry restrictions and exempt from obligatory quarantine

Starting from July 3, the following additional categories of travellers will become eligible to enter Poland on regular pre-Covid-19 terms regardless of manner and origin of travel:

1) nationals of EU, European Economic Area (such as Norway) and Switzerland, as well as UK.

2) spouses and children of nationals of EU, European Economic Area (such as Norway) and Switzerland, as well as UK.

Starting from July 3, the following additional categories of travellers will become exempt from obligatory quarantine regardless of manner and origin of travel:

1) Polish nationals.

2) nationals of EU, European Economic Area (such as Norway) and Switzerland, as well as UK.

3) spouses and children of nationals of EU, European Economic Area (such as Norway) and Switzerland, as well as UK.

Changes in quarantine

Poland has implemented, staring from July 2, a possibility to shorten quarantine for any traveller subject to quarantine. The quarantine may end before expiry of the 14-day period if the traveller tests negatively for coronavirus in a public-funded test. Shortening the quarantine cannot be based on test performed on a private basis.

If the traveller tests negatively in the test, he/she will be exempt from quarantine after 24 hours from the moment the negative result of the test is entered into informatic system.

At the moment there are no announcements on how testing for coronavirus for purposes of exemption from quarantine will look in practice.