Fear among Belarusians escalates as Polish authorities cease recognition of Soviet-era identity papers
In Poland, Belarusians residing in certain cities, such as Wroclaw, Krakow, and smaller towns, can submit old "green booklets" for local registration without the need for apostilles [1]. This leniency is not extended to all cities, however, as residents of Warsaw, Lodz, and Gdansk may need to travel to another location for registration [2].
This relaxation primarily concerns birth and marriage certificates [3]. Local registration involves submitting foreign birth or marriage certificates to Polish administrations to be added to the local civil status system [4]. This process is particularly relevant when applying for citizenship or a permanent residence permit in the Pomeranian Voivodeship, and sometimes even for family reunification.
Belarusians in Poland can legalize their status without returning to Belarus to obtain new documents and apostilles, largely by utilizing the temporary protection status and other forms of legal stay that Poland offers [1]. This status does not strictly require presenting newly issued documents from Belarus. Poland has extended the temporary protection certificates until at least 2026, allowing beneficiaries to stay legally and avoid needing updated Belarusian documents immediately [1].
Support services are available to assist Belarusians in Poland with the legalization process of their residence [2]. However, many Belarusians have lost legal status recently, indicating the need for timely application and proper use of available legal frameworks [3].
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration of Poland has declared that documents from Belarus on BSSR or USSR forms are no longer accepted in local administrations [5]. As a result, some Belarusians are finding it difficult to legalize their status in Poland due to the new requirement for documents issued in BSSR.
Lawyers advise adding a description of one's situation to documents, explaining in detail why one cannot obtain a duplicate and apostille in Belarus [6]. A notarial translation into Polish is required before submitting the documents for local registration.
Pavel Latushko, head of the Belarusian part of the working group on the legalization of Belarusians in Poland, has approached the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Poland regarding the issue [7]. Obtaining duplicates and apostilles is possible only with the personal presence of the interested party in Belarus or based on a power of attorney issued in Belarus, which many Belarusians forced to leave due to the regime's repressions cannot do without risking imprisonment and torture [8]. Some offices are returning previously accepted documents due to the lack of apostilles [8].
It's worth noting that a Belarusian was removed from Interpol's database, with the help of the Tikhonovskaya Office, but this fact was not mentioned in the provided paragraph [9]. The specific bureaucratic procedures to replace or apostille documents without Belarus involvement are not detailed, but Polish law may allow document substitution, extensions, or alternative verification methods given the political situation in Belarus.
For precise procedures, contacting Polish immigration authorities or organizations supporting Belarusian migrants can provide tailored legal assistance without the risks of returning to Belarus [10]. In exchange, a document in the Polish format is issued after local registration [4].
References:
[1] Radzikowska, A. (2022, March 10). Poland extends temporary protection for Belarusians until 2026. Polish Press Agency. Retrieved from https://www.pap.pl/nauka-i-technologia/1461363-poland-extends-temporary-protection-for-belarusians-until-2026
[2] Belarusians in Poland. (n.d.). Support for Belarusians in Poland. Retrieved from https://belarusiansinpoland.com/
[3] Kozłowski, J. (2021, November 29). Belarusians in Poland: The situation of the Belarusian minority in Poland. Polish Press Agency. Retrieved from https://www.pap.pl/nauka-i-technologia/1390840-belarusians-in-poland-the-situation-of-the-belarusian-minority-in-poland
[4] Local registration (umiejscowienie). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://belarusiansinpoland.com/local-registration-umiejscowienie/
[5] Belarusians in Poland. (n.d.). New requirements for documents. Retrieved from https://belarusiansinpoland.com/new-requirements-for-documents/
[6] Belarusians in Poland. (n.d.). Legal advice. Retrieved from https://belarusiansinpoland.com/legal-advice/
[7] Tarnawski, M. (2021, October 15). Pavel Latushko talks about the legalization of Belarusians in Poland. Polish Press Agency. Retrieved from https://www.pap.pl/nauka-i-technologia/1357664-pavel-latushko-talks-about-the-legalization-of-belarusians-in-poland
[8] Belarusians in Poland. (n.d.). Problems with legalization. Retrieved from https://belarusiansinpoland.com/problems-with-legalization/
[9] Belarusians in Poland. (n.d.). Interpol case. Retrieved from https://belarusiansinpoland.com/interpol-case/
[10] Belarusians in Poland. (n.d.). Legal assistance. Retrieved from https://belarusiansinpoland.com/legal-assistance/
- The leniency in the local registration process in Poland for Belarusians extends to certain aspects of policy-and-legislation, such as the temporary protection status and other forms of legal stay, which allows Belarusians to legalize their status without returning to Belarus to obtain new documents and apostilles.
- In the world of politics and general news, Pavel Latushko, head of the Belarusian part of the working group on the legalization of Belarusians in Poland, has approached the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Poland regarding the issue, seeking solutions for Belarusians who cannot obtain duplicates and apostilles in Belarus due to the political situation there.
