Poland in Nigeria

A medical train for transporting the injured during the invasion of Russia is already operational. Poland has opened reception centres for refugees fleeing Russian aggression near the main border crossings between Poland and Ukraine, with the border itself 535 kilometers long. The arriving persons can receive information, meals, rest and medical help.

Since 24 February, more than 400,000 people of many nationalities have crossed the Polish border from war-torn Ukraine. At its eight border crossings, Poland has already received nationals from more than 120 countries, including several African countries: Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Benin, Liberia, Togo, Sierra Leone, Equatorial Guinea and others.

Tens of thousands of people of all nationalities are trying to leave Ukraine to avoid the fighting and find refuge. With the massive influx of people, access to the border is saturated, which results in miles of queues. Women and children, disabled,  sick and wounded are given priority in evacuation. African students, the vast majority of whom are young men, are asked to make way for the weaker ones. Taking into consideration the lack of young Ukrainians up to the age of 60, who have been called up to join the army, in the queues, the evacuation time for students could be longer than in the case of women and children. This is simply a result of giving priority to the weakest and the elderly. Representatives of many African countries travelled to the border to ensure the safety of their compatriots. They verified on the spot that reports of discriminatory treatment of citizens of certain countries by the Polish services had turned out to be false.

The Polish authorities allow all persons fleeing Ukraine to enter Poland and several measures have been taken to facilitate the evacuation of foreigners. In view of the current situation in Ukraine, the Regulation of the Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration of 13 March 2020 on the temporary suspension or restriction of border traffic at certain border crossing points Journal of Laws of 2020, position 435, as amended) has been amended:

- border checks for entry from Ukraine to Poland are carried out under the general rules, based on verification of the travel document, visa (if required) and the purpose of entry. This applies to all foreigners;

- in case of all foreigners who have decided to evacuate from Ukraine due to the Russian military invasion and do not have the legally required documents (e.g. visas), the Border Guard allows them to enter Poland for up to 15 days under a special procedure due to humanitarian reasons. 

Crossing the border into the Republic of Poland is possible on the basis of a document confirming identity (passport, identity card, etc.), although it is also possible on the basis of identity documents whose validity has expired. It is important that foreigners present reliable documents at the border control on the basis of which their identity can be confirmed. Please be aware that the time of border control for foreigners who do not fulfil the entry conditions may be prolonged.

Polish authorities make every effort to enable all foreigners presenting themselves at the border checkpoints, to obtain shelter on the territory of the Republic of Poland in this difficult time. The control of travelers is carried out with respect for the dignity of persons, regardless of their origin or religion. All foreigners presenting themselves for border control are treated with respect.  

Detailed information on the procedure for the entry of foreigners residing in Ukraine into Poland has been provided to diplomatic representations accredited in the Republic of Poland. A hotline and a dedicated website have also been launched by the Polish Border Guard to facilitate refugees' access to information: +48 47 721 75 75, www.gov.pl/web/udsc/ukraina2.