Foreigners in Poland Must Always Carry Their Passport

Foreign citizens staying in Poland are not required to carry their passport at all times. However, during inspections, Border Guard officers have the right to demand the original foreign passport.

This was reported by the Polish Border Guard to MOST publication, noting that Belarusian citizens residing in the country did not have their foreign passports with them during document checks. One such case occurred in the Bieszczady Mountains. Tourists left their foreign passports in their rental apartment and went up into the mountains. During the inspection, one of them was forced to return home for the documents, while the other two waited at the Border Guard office for approximately two hours.

In another case, Belarusian actor Alexander Zhdanovich and his companions were subjected to a document check during a boat trip. They had their residence permits with them, but did not have their passports.

Border Guard representative Anna Sobeska-Tekeń told the publication that Polish law requires foreign citizens to have a valid travel document. However, this does not mean they are obligated to carry the original foreign passport with them at all times.

If a person does not have their foreign passport during an inspection, this is not considered a violation of the law. However, the foreign citizen must indicate where the original travel document is kept and enable Border Guard officers to verify it as soon as possible. For example, if the passport is at home or in a hotel, the exact address must be provided and assistance given in presenting the document.

At the same time, the Polish Border Guard representative confirmed that a residence permit card (karta pobytu) cannot replace a passport during verification of a foreigner’s legal stay in Poland. A copy of the passport, including a notarized copy, a scan, or a photograph of the document on a phone are also not considered the original travel document, and Border Guard officers have the right to demand presentation of the original.

If a foreign citizen fails to present a document confirming the legality of their stay upon request by an authorized officer on duty, or fails to present their travel document, they may be subject to a fine. Additionally, if suspicion arises regarding a foreign citizen, officers have the right to detain them for up to 48 hours to establish their identity.