UDSC

› MAIN PAGE › REFUGEE STATUS › SUBMISSION OF A REFUGEE STATUS APPLICATION › HOW SHOULD A REFUGEE STATUS APPLICATION BE SUBMITTED?

A A A

A person intending to submit a refugee status application (applicant) to the Head of the Office for Foreigners must visit a competent Border Guards authority. If the application is to concern other people as well (such as minor children, the applicant's spouse), these persons also need to be present during the submission of the application.

Submission of a refugee status application is possible:

• when entering the territory of the Republic of Poland during border control (a Border Guards officer must be informed about your intention to apply for refugee status),
• during your stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland (you need to visit the Nadwiślański Oddział Straży Granicznej [Vistula Border Guard Unit] at ul. Taborowa 33),
• with the chief of a division of the Border Guard Service which covers the territory in which the activities of a detention centre are located or those of a deportation detention centre, remand centre or a correction unit - in cases when the person seeking refugee status is staying in the above detention places.

While submitting an application you need to produce all the documents possessed (including identity and travel documents) and all the other evidence possessed which might confirm your circumstances. This rule applies both to the applicant and all the persons which the application concerns.

Refugee status application is filled in Polish using a special form (see: the FORMS tab) based on the information obtained during the foreigner's conversation with a Border Guards officer. A translator of the language spoken by the person participates in the conversation if required.

Application submission is accompanied by additional procedures such as:

• (compulsory) photographing,
• taking fingerprints (compulsory for persons aged above 14),
• medical examinations and sanitary treatment,
• hand searches and luggage screening.

Each adult will be informed in writing of the rules of and modus operandi of the refugee status procedure, as well as of their rights and responsibilities arising from the submission of the application.

When the application is accepted, the refugee status procedure is started. To confirm this, each adult person receives a document - a temporary identity document which, during its validity period, will confirm the person's identify and give them, and their minor children entered therein, the right of stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland.

The person who has submitted a refugee status application may be detained and then placed in a detention centre or a deportation detention centre for a period of between 30 to 60 days. Any decisions regarding this matter will be issued by a court. The period of stay in a centre may be extended. An early release of the detainee is also possible.

Persons who are not subject to detention when their application is being processed may take advantage of social assistance and medical care provided by the Head of the Office for Foreigners (see: the ASSISTANCE FOR FOREIGNERS tab)