Фото: x.com/PavelLatushka
Poland’s Deputy Interior Minister Maciej Duszczyk has confirmed that the government is working on amendments to the Law on Foreigners that would allow Polish travel documents for foreigners to be issued with a validity of up to two years. This was announced by the press service of the United Transitional Cabinet following a meeting with representatives of Poland’s Ministry of Interior and Administration.
The meeting was attended by Pavel Latushka, Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management; Tomasz Cytrynowicz, Head of Poland’s Office for Foreigners; Mikhail Kiryliuk, a delegate of the Coordination Council; and Volha Dabravolskaya, Head of the Legal Assistance Department at the Belarusian Solidarity Centre.
The participants discussed the legalisation of Belarusian citizens in Poland in the context of changes to the country’s migration policy. Representatives of the Belarusian side also handed over materials on the human rights situation and political repression in Belarus, prepared by several human rights organisations and international bodies.
Cytrynowicz confirmed that recommendations had been sent to regional governors (voivodes) instructing them to accept expired Belarusian passports as identity documents when considering legalisation cases “due to exceptional circumstances”.
Duszczyk said that the draft amendments to the Law on Foreigners provide not only for Polish travel documents to be issued for up to two years, but also for them to be formally recognised in legislation as identity documents for foreign nationals.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed to continue exchanging information on the human rights situation in Belarus so that it can be taken into account when assessing conditions in the country and making decisions on granting international protection.
The National Anti-Crisis Management also reaffirmed its readiness to assist former political prisoners who encounter difficulties in obtaining international protection in Poland. According to the organisation, of the 83 former political prisoners evacuated from Belarus through Ukraine to Poland in December 2025, 82 Belarusian citizens have been granted international protection.