Recognized refugees and those granted subsidiary protection who were separated from their family members before or during flight can apply for family reunification within 6 months of being granted international protection in Poland.
There can be serious consequences if you do not meet this deadline (see details below).
| This is not a comprehensive guide. Before beginning the process, it is important to seek individual legal counselling (Link to available services here) |
Who is eligible for family reunification?
Under Polish law, only the following categories of family members can join the applicant in Poland:
- Spouse (via marriage recognized under the law of the Republic of Poland)
- Child (under 18) of the applicant and/or their spouse, including an adopted child, over whom the applicant exercises parental custody
- [If the applicant is an unaccompanied child] Parent or other adult responsible for the child.
How to apply
A recognized refugee or person granted subsidiary protection in Poland must submit an application for temporary residence for the purpose of family reunification at their Voivod office.
What documents should I collect before applying?
Before you start, you will need to collect the following documents:
- Proof of your refugee status or subsidiary protection in Poland.
- Signed consent, in Polish, by your spouse to submit an application for family reunification on their behalf. Examples can be found on the voivodeship office website.
- Sworn polish translation of marriage/birth certificates
- A statement on the number of dependents
- 4 recent color passport photos of each relevant family member
- 2 photocopies of travel documents (and the original available for inspection) of each relevant family member (For children under age 13: 1 photocopy of travel documents, presenting the original for inspection).
- General evidence (family photos, e-mail and phone correspondence, etc)
- Confirmation of payment of application fees (PLN 340 for each application).
For family members outside Poland:
- Travel documents must be certified as a true copy by a Polish consul.
- If family members do not have a valid travel document and are unable to obtain it, they may be permitted to present another document confirming identity. They may also request an emergency travel document issued by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) or by UNHCR.
For details of the procedure: (Polish, English): https://www.unhcr.org/pl/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/02/laczenie-rodzin-FIN07-01.pdf