Polish foreigners office head: migration strategy not an obstacle to legalization of Belarusians

November 1, Pozirk. Warsaw’s new migration strategy will not affect most Belarusians staying or planning to stay in the country legally, Tomasz Cytrynowicz, head of the Polish Office for Foreigners, has told Belarusian opposition politician Pavieł Łatuška.

The strategy is primarily aimed at raising a reliable barrier to illegal immigration. The changes will primarily concern those who storm the border with support from the Belarusian border service as part of the “hybrid war,” Łatuška’s Telegram channel quoted Cytrynowicz as saying.

Polish authorities will also check whether visas are used for declared purpose, Cytrynowicz said, noting that it will be impossible to get a job in Poland on the basis of a tourist visa.

“Those who have legal jobs, families in Poland, or stood up for democratic values in Belarus and have been forced to leave the country, and most importantly those who respect the Polish law, should not worry about the upcoming changes in Poland’s migration policy, he said.

Following the 2020 political crisis in Belarus, Poland became a primary destination for Belarusians fleeing politically-motivated persecution at home.

More than 118,000 Belarusian nationals resided in Poland in late 2023, including 578 with refugee status.

Since January, some 12,300 foreigners, including 2,900 Belarusians and 4,500 Ukrainians, have applied for asylum in Poland.

According to Cytrynowicz, 137,000 Belarusians already have the legal right to live in Poland. Taking into account those in the process of legalization, the total number is close to 200,000.

Cytrynowicz also said that Polish authorities consider extending the issuance of travel documents for Belarusians from January 1.

About 1,500 such documents were issued to Belarusians in 2024 and 450 last year.

For his turn, Łatuška warned that more Belarusians may seek asylum in Poland amid the relentless repression in Belarus, especially in the run-up to the January presidential election.

Also read: Duda criticizes new migration strategy as a mistake