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BESSMERA

Central Europe

Poland for Ukrainians: what to do after arrival

Core guide built around PESEL UKR as the main confirmation of temporary protection.

Booking and filing before arrival

PESEL UKR is handled after you arrive in Poland

The current temporary-protection route is tied to lawful arrival in Poland and obtaining a PESEL number with UKR status from a municipal authority.

What you can do before arrival

Before travel, prepare your documents and identify a municipality, but there is no nationwide remote PESEL UKR application before entry.

What to do after arrival

After arrival, apply for PESEL UKR at a municipal authority in Poland.

Official source: Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców / gov.pl →

Core path in Poland through PESEL UKR. This is not a decision about your registration.

What you need to do

Start with the first practical steps. The full path and official sources are below.

  1. 1

    Arrival

    After a legal arrival, check whether temporary protection applies to you before you apply for PESEL UKR.

    What to prepare

    • · Your travel document if you have one
  2. 2

    Continue to PESEL UKR, not the old certificate

    Since 5 March 2026, the Office for Foreigners no longer issues new temporary-protection certificates. If you are covered by temporary protection and lawfully entered Poland to receive it, official confirmation is a PESEL number with UKR status.

  3. 3

    If PESEL UKR was issued without a valid passport, verify the status now

    If PESEL UKR was previously granted only from an identity declaration and a valid passport was not presented at a gmina by 31 August 2026, UKR changes to NUE from 1 September and temporary protection in Poland is lost.

    Where to go: Any urząd gminy / urząd miasta; escalate status questions to the Office for Foreigners

    What to prepare

    • · A valid passport if one is now available
    • · PESEL details used for your or your child's registration
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Full path and official sources

  1. 1

    Arrival

    After a legal arrival, check whether temporary protection applies to you before you apply for PESEL UKR.

    Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców

    What to do

    • · Do not treat visa-free stay as confirmation of temporary protection

    Why this matters: PESEL UKR confirms protection only for a person the rules cover.

    Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1912, as corrected on 5 August 2026, extends temporary protection until 4 March 2028. The military-obligation condition applies from 5 August 2026. It does not apply to a person who already had temporary protection in the same Member State on or before 4 August 2026 and continuously kept that status. National rules are not identical. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2026/1912/oj/eng Checked 29 September 2026: UDSC confirms temporary protection (PESEL UKR) through 4 March 2028; some older CUKR pages may still mention 4 March 2027.

    Official source: gov.pl

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Poland

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  2. 2

    Continue to PESEL UKR, not the old certificate

    Since 5 March 2026, the Office for Foreigners no longer issues new temporary-protection certificates. If you are covered by temporary protection and lawfully entered Poland to receive it, official confirmation is a PESEL number with UKR status.

    Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców

    What to do

    • · Continue to the next step and prepare your PESEL UKR application
    • · Do not spend time trying to obtain a new certificate of the old kind

    Why this matters: For a new case, you do not need to search for or request the old certificate. The next practical step is PESEL UKR.

    Checked 29 September 2026. This route does not replace an individual eligibility check in an atypical situation, for example if you are not a Ukrainian national or already hold another status.

    Official source: Office for Foreigners

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Poland

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  3. 3

    If PESEL UKR was issued without a valid passport, verify the status now

    If PESEL UKR was previously granted only from an identity declaration and a valid passport was not presented at a gmina by 31 August 2026, UKR changes to NUE from 1 September and temporary protection in Poland is lost.

    Urząd gminy / urząd miasta

    What to do

    • · If PESEL UKR was issued only from a declaration without a valid passport, immediately ask any gmina/city office to verify whether UKR status is still active
    • · For a child, separately verify that the register contains the child's own valid passport if one has since been issued
    • · If the record is already NUE or UKR is inactive, do not assume automatic restoration: the official notice does not describe one. Call the UdSC line for Ukrainian citizens on 47 721 75 75 (weekdays 09:00–16:00) and ask which current legal-status route applies to your case

    Why this matters: This does not apply to every PESEL UKR holder. But for older cases, especially children originally registered without their own valid passport, the consequence of missing the deadline has already taken effect and should not be described as merely possible.

    Checked 1 October 2026. The identity-confirmation deadline ended on 31 August 2026; failure to comply changes UKR to NUE from 1 September 2026 and temporary protection in Poland is lost.

    Official source: Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców — PESEL UKR identity confirmation

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Poland

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  4. 4

    Apply for PESEL UKR at any gmina office

    PESEL UKR is issued free of charge at an urząd gminy / urząd miasta. The application is made in person: staff verify the data and fingerprints are taken during the procedure where required for the applicant.

    What to do

    • · Choose any urząd gminy / urząd miasta that handles PESEL UKR; the service is not tied to one specific city
    • · Before travelling, check that office's opening hours and whether it uses local appointment/queue rules
    • · Apply in person and ask staff to verify name spelling, entry date, and document details
    • · After the number is assigned, verify that the register shows UKR status, not just a PESEL number
    • · If you created Profil Zaufany, keep SMS codes and passwords private

    Why this matters: A PESEL number with UKR status is the key confirmation of temporary protection in Poland for a person covered by the current rules.

    If you have no identity document, the official procedure allows the application to be signed as a declaration that the data are true. Older PESEL cases originally created without a valid travel document are handled in BESSMERA by a separate 2026 transition check.

    Official source: gov.pl — PESEL UKR

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Poland

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  5. 5

    Profil Zaufany / gov.pl — official only, after PESEL UKR

    After PESEL UKR many applications (healthcare, some benefits) are easier via Profil Zaufany or gov.pl. It does not replace PESEL and is not activated by a 'Telegram helper'.

    Ministry of Digital Affairs

    What to do

    • · Open instructions on gov.pl — do not copy links from chats
    • · Never enter Profil Zaufany password on third-party sites
    • · Save backup codes if the system issues them

    Why this matters: Scams: fake 'activate Profil Zaufany' pages asking for your password. The official route is gov.pl and SMS to your number.

    Official source: gov.pl

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Poland

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  6. 6

    mObywatel — only when the app shows your document

    The residence document in mObywatel appears only when you meet the app's current conditions. PESEL UKR alone does not mean the button is already active.

    What to do

    • · Check gov.pl / mObywatel whether your status provides the document
    • · If the app is empty — carry paper confirmation from the office
    • · Do not pay for 'mObywatel activation for UKR'

    Why this matters: People show an 'mObywatel screenshot' they do not have. Check the official page before visiting a doctor or employer.

    Official source: gov.pl

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Poland

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  7. 7

    Check which healthcare entitlement applies after 5 March 2026

    From 5 March 2026, the previous universal healthcare arrangement for Ukrainian citizens ended. For full publicly funded care, an adult with PESEL UKR generally needs health insurance and contributions; specific protected groups have separate entitlements, while necessary emergency care remains available to temporary-protection beneficiaries with PESEL UKR.

    What to do

    • · If you work or are otherwise insured in Poland, check that your entitlement is visible in the healthcare system
    • · If you are under 18, pregnant/postpartum, or belong to another protected category, use the separate rule for that category
    • · For an emergency health threat, seek necessary urgent care; do not delay it while checking insurance

    Why this matters: PESEL UKR alone no longer automatically means the same full public healthcare scope for every adult.

    Official source: Ministerstwo Zdrowia / gov.pl

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Poland

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  8. 8

    Apply to the school head

    To enrol your child, submit an application to the school head. The public primary school serving your home area admits the child under the local catchment rule; if the required place is unavailable, the gmina or powiat should help identify a school with space.

    What to do

    • · Submit the application to the head of the relevant school
    • · If this is the public primary school for your home area, ask for admission under the catchment rule
    • · If there is no place, contact the gmina or powiat education office and ask them to identify a school with availability

    Why this matters: You do not need to wait for a complete set of Ukrainian school records before starting enrolment.

    Official source: Ministerstwo Edukacji Narodowej / gov.pl

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Poland

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  9. 9

    Work with PESEL UKR — umowa o pracę, not a bought 'work permit'

    PESEL UKR with UKR status gives labour-market access in Poland for most beneficiaries. Show the employer PESEL/register print, not a chat screenshot.

    What to do

    • · Check gov.pl for current rules for your category
    • · Sign a written umowa o pracę
    • · Do not pay for 'zezwolenie na pracę for UKR' when status already grants the right

    Why this matters: Intermediaries sell oświadczenie / permits when UKR status is often enough. Check umowa o pracę and ZUS registration.

    Official source: gov.pl

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Poland

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

  10. 10

    800+ and other benefits — check conditions, not chat promises

    Family benefits (e.g. 800+ when your profile qualifies) go through official gmina / ZUS / gov.pl channels — not a 'Telegram manager'. Amount and eligibility depend on PESEL UKR, income and category.

    What to do

    • · Open the official benefit page on gov.pl
    • · Check the deadline and document list for your gmina
    • · Do not pay for '800+ registration for Ukrainians'

    Why this matters: Having a child ≠ automatic payment. A missed deadline or wrong application can mean months without money.

    Official source: gov.pl

    Verified · Last checked 1 Oct 2026 · Poland

    The source page may be in the destination country’s language.

Popular questions

PESEL UKR in Poland: where to apply and what to do after arrival?Profil Zaufany after PESEL UKR: what should you do next?Healthcare in Poland with PESEL UKR in 2026: what is covered?How do you enrol a Ukrainian child in school in Poland?Working in Poland with PESEL UKR: what does a Ukrainian need?Family benefits in Poland for Ukrainians: what should you check in 2026?

Official institutions

  • Urząd Miasta Krakowa — PESEL UKR (os. Zgody) — Published city desk for PESEL UKR. National rule: you may file at any gmina/city office. Confirm appointment rules and hours on the office page before travelling.
  • Urząd Miejski Wrocławia — PESEL UKR (Zapolskiej) — Published city desk for PESEL UKR. National rule: you may file at any gmina/city office. Confirm appointment rules and hours on the office page before travelling.
  • Urząd Miejski Wrocławia — PESEL UKR (Nowy Targ) — Published city desk for PESEL UKR. National rule: you may file at any gmina/city office. Confirm appointment rules and hours on the office page before travelling.
Show all verified institutions
  • Urząd Miasta Łodzi — PESEL UKR — Published city desk for PESEL UKR. National rule: you may file at any gmina/city office. Confirm appointment rules and hours on the office page before travelling.
  • Urząd Miasta Poznania — PESEL UKR — Published city desk for PESEL UKR. National rule: you may file at any gmina/city office. Confirm appointment rules and hours on the office page before travelling.
  • Gdańskie Centrum Świadczeń — PESEL UKR — Published city desk for PESEL UKR. National rule: you may file at any gmina/city office. Confirm appointment rules and hours on the office page before travelling.
  • Urząd Miasta Lublin — PESEL UKR — Published city desk for PESEL UKR. National rule: you may file at any gmina/city office. Confirm appointment rules and hours on the office page before travelling.
  • Urząd Miejski w Białymstoku — PESEL UKR — Published city desk for PESEL UKR. National rule: you may file at any gmina/city office. Confirm appointment rules and hours on the office page before travelling.
  • BOM Katowice — PESEL UKR — Published city desk for PESEL UKR. National rule: you may file at any gmina/city office. Confirm appointment rules and hours on the office page before travelling.
  • Centrum Kontaktu i Spraw Obywatelskich — PESEL UKR — Published city desk for PESEL UKR. National rule: you may file at any gmina/city office. Confirm appointment rules and hours on the office page before travelling.
  • Urząd Miasta Szczecin — PESEL (WSO) — Published WSO desk in Szczecin. UNCERTAIN: the e-Urząd page describes generic PESEL-on-request — confirm that UKR-status filing is still taken here; nationally PESEL UKR can be filed at any gmina.
  • BAiSO Wawer — PESEL UKR — Representative BAiSO delegation (Wawer). In Warsaw PESEL UKR is handled at BAiSO delegations; nationally at any gmina. Check booking and the current desk before travelling.
  • MOS — wniosek CUKR — From 4 May 2026 the CUKR card is filed online only via MOS (Trusted Profile). There is no walk-in desk to start the case — after the decision the voivode summons you for card pickup. No dedicated cukr journey id: in BESSMERA the step is linked to mObywatel / digital access.
  • Urząd gminy / urząd miasta — The gmina office for PESEL UKR. It is the office for the application, not the nearest police station.

What is available now

The core path is available. For some topics BESSMERA may ask for more details or mark that additional verification is needed.

  • Core journeyVerified
  • Temporary protectionVerified
  • Address registrationBasic guidance available
  • WorkBasic guidance available
  • HealthcareBasic guidance available
  • SchoolBasic guidance available
  • HousingBasic guidance available
  • BankingBasic guidance available
  • Life toolkitBasic guidance available
  • PetsBasic guidance available
  • Driving licenceAdditional verification needed
  • Car registrationIn preparation
  • DocumentsBasic guidance available
  • Local languageIn preparation