It is no secret for anyone that after February 24, 2022, a large number of people left the territory of Ukraine for other countries. The largest hub for Ukrainians was the neighboring Poland, where according to official statistics there are about 4-5 million citizens of Ukraine. The new law that was adopted in April 2024 has brought a lot of fear and misunderstanding to Ukrainians who are abroad.
Do you want to know what to do if your Ukrainian passport is about to expire and you are on the territory of Poland? In this article we will tell you what a gray passport is, who can get it and how to do it as soon as possible.
Why should Ukrainians get a gray passport in Poland?
According to the new law, persons obliged to military service will no longer be able to use consular services abroad, including Poland. This means that when your passport expires, you will simply not be able to renew it for a new one. What to do?
Many people still do not know that it is possible to live abroad even if your passport expires. To do this, you need to get a temporary foreigner's identity card in Poland, or as they call such a document - gray passport. It represents international protection for a foreigner and is issued in many EU countries and Poland is no exception.
Gray passport for Ukrainian citizens in Poland
Such a document is called «TZTC (Tymczasowe Zaświadczenie Tożsamości Cudzoziemca)» in Poland. As stated above, it is a foreigner's identity card. Foreigners can obtain such a document not only for themselves, but also for minor children.
The first temporary ID card is issued for a period of 3 months by the Polish Border Guard. For this purpose, you need to state your wish to obtain such a document and fill in an application form. The advantage is that you do not need to collect almost any documents. It is enough to fill in the application form and attach one 3x4 cm color photo.
After the end of the temporary term of such a document, it is necessary to re-issue it. The procedure is the same as the first time. The only thing is that this time it will be necessary to apply to the refugee rights office. In fact, the gray passport in Poland is valid until the state grants international protection. You can find out how to get international protection in Poland and learn about the large financial benefits in our article.
Where can you get help?
If your Ukrainian passport is soon to expire, you need to think in advance for your future while abroad. An excellent solution is to obtain a gray passport (temporary foreigner's identity card) in Poland. Migration agency aksis is always ready to help you in obtaining assistance with gray passport in Poland. We will help you to collect the necessary documents, fill out the application correctly and advise you on related issues.
