Poland opens for flights from additional countries considered safe epidemically

Starting from August 12, 2020 Poland has opened its borders for direct flights from most countries worldwide. Direct flights to Poland remain banned only in case of 44 countries. Full list of the 44 banned countries is presented below:

1) Bosnia and Herzegovina;

2) China;

3) Montenegro;

4) São Tomé and Príncipe;

5) Russia;

6) Brazil;

7) Andorra;

8) Saudi Arabia;

9) Bahrain;

10) Eswatini (formerly Swaziland);

11) Mexico;

12) Israel;

13) Qatar;

14) Kuwait;

15) Argentina;

16) Armenia;

17) Chile;

18) Dominican Republic;

19) Ecuador;

20) Gabon;

21) Guatemala;

22) Honduras;

23) Iraq;

24) Kazakhstan;

25) Kyrgyzstan;

26) Colombia;

27) Kosovo;

28) Costa Rica;

29) North Macedonia;

30) Maldives;

31) Moldova;

32) Panama;

33) Peru;

34) Republic of South Africa (RSA);

35) El Salvador;

36) Serbia;

37) Singapore;

38) Suriname;

39) Cape Verde;

40) United States of America;

41) Oman;

42) Luxembourg;

43) Bolivia;

44) Bahamas.

Passengers of direct flights to Poland are exempt from obligatory post-entry quarantine in Poland (except travellers of direct flights from Belarus and Ukraine – post-entry quarantine obligation has been restored for these flights as of 15 August 2020).

Restrictions on categories of foreigners eligible to enter Poland remain applicable in case of incoming travels from outside of the Schengen zone (subject to numerous exceptions).

A new category of foreigners eligible to enter Poland has been added as of 13 August, 2020 – citizens and legal residents of 8 specifically listed countries are eligible to enter Poland by plane on regular pre-Covid-19 terms regardless of purpose of visit and country of origin of the flight. Full list of the 8 eligible countries is presented below:

1) Georgia

2) Japan

3) Canada

4) New Zealand

5) Thailand

6) South Korea

7) Tunisia

8) Australia

Polish authorities have not defined who will be considered as legal resident of the above countries. The Border Guard may in particular need to review visas or residence permits issued by one of these countries to decide whether to allow entry to Poland.

In case of foreigners that are allowed to stay visa-free in the eligible countries, the foreigner will have to prove their right to stay to the Border Guard to qualify to enter Poland. At the moment there is no further information how authorities will approach such cases.