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Polish Travel Document for a Foreigner. What is it?

Last updated: 6 June 2024

What is the Polish Travel Document for a Foreigner?

Polish Travel Document for a Foreigner (abbreviated PDP) is a special document issued to foreigners residing in Poland who do not possess a valid passport from their country of origin or cannot obtain a new one. This document allows foreigners to legally cross borders, travel, and serves as an identity document.

Information regarding the Polish Travel Document are defined in Articles 252–254 of the Act on Foreigners1.

Who can receive the Polish Travel Document?

To receive the Polish Travel Document, three conditions must be met:

  1. The stay in Poland must fall into one of the categories listed below;
  2. The original travel document (passport) has been destroyed, lost (misplaced/stolen), or the foreigner never possessed a passport.
  3. The foreigner is unable to obtain a new passport in their country of origin or at their embassy.

Types of residence entitling holders to receive a PDP

According to Article 252 of the Act on Foreigners, the possibility of obtaining a PDP is reserved only for foreigners who have been granted:

  1. A permanent residence permit.
  2. A residence permit for an EU long-term resident.
  3. A temporary residence permit for humanitarian reasons (which may be granted only to citizens of Belarus).
  4. Subsidiary protection.
  5. Permission to stay on humanitarian grounds.

Exception — citizens of Belarus

Additionally, Article 252a allows a person holding a temporary residence permit (regardless of the basis on which it was granted) who holds the citizenship of a country specified by a regulation of the Minister of Interior to obtain a PDP. To date, only one such regulation2 and an extension3 have been issued, which allow citizens of the Republic of Belarus to obtain a PDP provided the application is submitted by 30 June 2024. For Belarusian citizens, another extension of the regulation’s validity can be expected.

Can a citizen of Ukraine obtain a Polish Travel Document?

Currently in Poland, a Ukrainian citizen is subject to the general regulations, so the possibility of obtaining a PDP depends on the foreigner’s residence status. In most cases, holding subsidiary protection is required. Ukrainian citizens staying in the territory of the Republic of Poland under the special war law4 and holding a residence card issued for work, studies, family reunification or other circumstances — do not have the possibility to apply for a Polish Travel Document.

Do you have questions or is something unclear? Contact us! We offer professional consultations and support in the process of applying for a Polish Travel Document. Schedule a consultation!

Is it recognized abroad?

The Polish Travel Document for a Foreigner is not equivalent to a passport and may not be accepted in some countries. We recommend always verifying whether a given country recognizes this document as a valid travel document.

Within the Schengen area, acceptance of the document is governed by the implementing Convention of the Schengen Agreement. Despite the document’s legal recognition, problems may arise, for example at airports where staff may be unfamiliar with this type of document.

How to submit an application?

The application should be submitted to the Voivodeship Office corresponding to the foreigner’s place of residence. The application must clearly describe the foreigner’s personal circumstances that prevent them from obtaining a passport in their country of origin or at their country’s embassy.

Steps to submit the application:

  1. Fill in the PDP application form.
  2. Pay the stamp duty to the Voivodeship Office’s account.
  3. Attach to the application:
    • 2 recent photographs,
    • a photocopy of the previous travel document or another identity document,
    • documents confirming the impossibility of obtaining a travel document in the country of origin,
    • confirmation of payment of the stamp duty,
    • a copy of the decision granting a residence permit in Poland.
  4. Submit the application in person at the Voivodeship Office or send it by mail.

Need help with the application? Contact us! We will provide professional support, help complete your documents and submit the application on your behalf!

Travel Document – Geneva Convention

The Geneva Convention5 also provides for issuing a Travel Document to foreigners who have been granted refugee status6. Refugee status is granted only in exceptional cases by the Head of the Office for Foreigners. The validity period of such a document is 2 years.

Refugee status is not the same as temporary protection. Ukrainian citizens with the UKR status do not have international protection; they have temporary protection, which is a completely different legal arrangement.

Temporary Certificate of Identity for a Foreigner

To clarify and correct inaccurate information that appears on the internet, social media and other sources, we provide detailed information regarding the Temporary Certificate of Identity for a Foreigner.

The Temporary Certificate of Identity for a Foreigner is a document issued to foreigners who have submitted an application for international protection (refugee status or subsidiary protection); it confirms the foreigner’s identity during the processing of the application. It is issued by the Border Guard or by the Head of the Office for Foreigners.

The document is valid only for the period during which the application for international protection is being processed, during which the foreigner is obliged to deposit their original passport.

It is important to understand that the Temporary Certificate of Identity for a Foreigner does not replace a passport or any other travel document. It is only a temporary document confirming the foreigner’s identity for the duration of the consideration of their application for international protection.

Clarifying this information is crucial to avoid misunderstandings and to ensure a correct understanding of the role and significance of the Temporary Certificate of Identity for a Foreigner.

References:

Act on Foreigners of 12 December 2013 (Journal of Laws 2024, item 769)
Regulation of the Minister of Interior and Administration of 28 December 2023 (Journal of Laws 2023, item 1247)
Regulation of the Minister of Interior and Administration of 28 December 2023 (Journal of Laws 2023, item 2814)
Act on Granting Protection to Foreigners on the Territory of the Republic of Poland of 13 June 2003 (Journal of Laws 2023, item 1504) 

  1. Act of 12 December 2013 on Foreigners, Journal of Laws 2024, item 769 ↩︎
  2. Regulation of the Minister of Interior and Administration of 28 June 2023 (Journal of Laws 2023, item 1247) ↩︎
  3. Regulation of the Minister of Interior and Administration of 28 December 2023 (Journal of Laws 2023, item 2814) ↩︎
  4. Act on Assistance to Ukrainian Citizens in connection with the armed conflict on the territory of that state of 12 March 2022, Journal of Laws 2022, item 583 ↩︎
  5. Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Geneva, 28 July 1951 ↩︎
  6. Act on Granting Protection to Foreigners on the Territory of the Republic of Poland of 13 June 2003 (Journal of Laws 2023, item 1504) ↩︎