UKR status can be lost automatically if you stay outside Poland for more than 30 days. In practice, many Ukrainians find out about it only at the border, when officers inform them that their status has changed or that their UKR status has been fully cancelled. As a result, Diia.pl may stop working and the right to temporary protection may be revoked. However, most of these situations can be prevented if you understand the critical mistakes people make when re-entering Poland. In this article, we explain how to check your UKR status before travelling, which documents you must carry, and what to do if your refugee or temporary protection status is lost at the border.

Critical mistakes Ukrainians make when crossing the border

Failing to inform border officers about UKR status

When approaching border control, you should present your electronic Diia.pl document and clearly state the purpose of your entry. Many Ukrainians make a serious mistake by not declaring that they are entering under temporary protection. Even if the officer does not ask, you should say it yourself: “I am entering Poland under temporary protection (UKR status).”

If you do not show Diia.pl or fail to state that your entry is connected with the war in Ukraine, your crossing may be recorded outside the temporary protection register. In that case, your UKR status may be automatically changed to NUE, a status used for third-country nationals. This can lead to the loss of key benefits, including free healthcare, social assistance and the right to work without an additional permit.

The Border Guard does not have a mechanism that grants UKR status without properly recording the border crossing. If you do not show Diia.pl during control, officers may not register your entry as an entry under temporary protection.

Technical problems with the mObywatel app

From 7 January 2026, the mObywatel app stopped working on devices running iOS 15 or older versions. The app requires version 4.71.1 or later. Users who did not update the application may be unable to log in and show their documents at the border.

This is particularly important for people using iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and the first-generation iPhone SE, because iOS 15 is the newest system available for those devices. If your phone does not support a newer operating system, the only practical solution may be to replace the device.

Entering under visa-free travel instead of temporary protection

If you do not use Diia.pl and do not declare the proper reason for entry, your arrival may be treated as tourist entry under the visa-free regime. In practice, the system can then register your crossing as visa-free travel rather than re-entry under temporary protection. As a result, your UKR status may be switched to NUE automatically and your ZUS-related entitlements may stop.

In practice, ZUS has access to Border Guard records showing when Ukrainian citizens leave Poland. However, return entries are not always recorded correctly, which creates an additional risk of losing UKR status even if the absence was shorter than 30 days.

How to check UKR status before travelling to Poland

Online verification through official public services

You can check your UKR status through the official gov.pl portal in the section “Sprawdź swoje dane w rejestrze PESEL”. To access the system, you need a Profil Zaufany, which can be set up using a qualified electronic signature or online banking offered by Polish financial institutions.

After logging in, click “Pobierz zaświadczenie” and choose whose data you want to check, your own or your child’s. In the downloaded document, find the section “Status cudzoziemca” or “Dane statusu cudzoziemca”. If you see “UKR” or a dash, your status is active. It is worth saving or printing this document because employers and social support institutions often request it.

Another way to verify your status is to visit your local urząd miasta or urząd gminy in person. The staff can check your record directly in the system and provide current information.

What to do if your status has changed to NUE

If the “Status cudzoziemca” field shows NUE, this usually means your UKR status has been cancelled. In such a case, contact the local office that issued your PESEL number, such as urząd miasta, urząd dzielnicy or urząd gminy.

If the local office refuses to restore your status or redirects you to the Border Guard, contact the regional Wydział Spraw Cudzoziemców at +48 22 695 67 73 or the Office for Foreigners in Warsaw at +48 47 721 75 75. According to the source article, support is available in Ukrainian.

When UKR status is lost automatically in Poland

Every time you leave Poland, the status in the system may automatically change from UKR to NUE under Article 4(17a)(1) of the Special Act. If your absence lasts less than 30 days, the status should be restored under Article 4(17b). If you remain outside Poland for more than 30 days, Article 11(2) of the Special Act may apply and UKR status may be cancelled permanently.

UKR status may also be cancelled if you obtain temporary protection in another EU country. In that situation, you should inform ZUS about your departure and resign from social benefits, otherwise you may later be required to return the funds for the period you stayed outside Poland.

Rules for re-entering Poland without losing UKR status

Mandatory communication with the Border Guard

When returning to Poland, inform the Border Guard officer that you are entering in order to continue using temporary protection. This is required even if you are travelling for work or another purpose, as long as you intend to remain under protection in Poland. Each time you cross the border, show your electronic Diia.pl document during passport control. Without this communication, your data may not be entered correctly into the registers used for PESEL UKR.

Documents you should carry with you

For border crossing, carry a valid passport and the electronic document available in the Diia.pl mobile application. Together, these documents allow travel across Poland’s borders, the EU external border and movement within the Schengen area for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. A paper certificate confirming PESEL assignment without the electronic Diia.pl document does not grant the right to re-enter Poland or travel to other Schengen countries.

The 30-day rule: how to count the period of absence

Leaving Poland for more than 30 days may result in losing UKR status. It does not matter whether you travel to Ukraine or to any other country. The Border Guard monitors these time limits through the electronic register. If you return to Poland after a longer absence, for example 29 days, and notice that your UKR status is missing in the register, contact your local urząd gminy immediately to request restoration.

Re-entry after applying for a residence card

Submitting an application for a residence card does not, by itself, prohibit you from leaving Poland. However, UKR status remains valid only until the decision on the residence card is signed. The electronic certificate in the mObywatel app allows multiple entries to Poland while you are waiting for the physical card. If your card has expired and you are staying in Poland under an extension based on the Special Act, that extended card allows legal stay in Poland but does not give you the right to cross the border.

What to do if UKR status is lost at the border

How to restore UKR status in Poland in 2026

Restoring UKR status may be possible if you entered from Ukraine through the external border of the Schengen area. Under Article 4(17g) of the Special Act, UKR status may be granted again automatically when crossing the Polish border, but the officers must make the proper note in the system. After entry, you should apply within 30 days at the gmina office for restoration. The procedure is similar to obtaining UKR status for the first time. Once all conditions are met, the status in the databases should change from NUE back to UKR.

Alternative legal entry options

If the status has been lost permanently, consider applying for a national D visa valid for six months or longer. Such a visa overrides the visa-free corridor and allows multiple departures and re-entries during its validity. Another possible route is to declare that you are entering because of the war in Ukraine under Article 32 of the Act on Foreigners. If the request is accepted, you may be allowed to enter Poland legally.

When refugee status is lost permanently

According to Article 11 of the Ukrainian law on refugees and persons in need of additional or temporary protection, a person may lose refugee status if they voluntarily use the protection of their country of nationality. Loss of status may also occur after acquiring citizenship of Ukraine or another country, voluntarily returning to the country they left, or receiving protection in another country. The article also indicates that status may be cancelled if temporary protection is used in another EU member state.

Legal assistance after refusal of entry

The source article states that around 15% of refusals are successfully appealed with the help of qualified lawyers. Free legal aid is available through the 24/7 Victim Support Helpline at +48 222 309 900. The hotline reportedly operates in Ukrainian. The deadline for appealing a decision on deprivation of status is five working days from the date of receiving the notice.

Conclusion

Keeping UKR status depends heavily on your actions at the border. Always declare the purpose of your entry to border officers, especially every time you return to Poland. Monitor the 30-day period spent abroad and check your status regularly through gov.pl. Under the Special Act, timely contact with your local gmina may help restore status after it is lost. Also make sure you keep the latest version of mObywatel on your phone so that you can cross the border without unnecessary problems.