The Polish government has once again prolonged the extraordinary measure that limits the ability to lodge an application for international protection at the land border with Belarus. A regulation adopted on 16 January 2026 and published on 20 January confirms that the restriction, first introduced in March 2025, will remain in force for another 60 days from 21 January 2026. The Council of Ministers acted after the Sejm voted to authorise the extension, citing the continuing “instrumentalisation” of migration by Minsk and the resulting threat to public security.
Under Article 33a of the Act on Granting Protection to Foreigners, Border Guard officers posted to the affected crossing points can refuse to accept an asylum claim unless the applicant falls into one of five humanitarian exceptions—unaccompanied minors, pregnant women, people requiring special care, persons at obvious risk of serious harm, and citizens of Belarus itself. Even those exceptions disappear if the individual attempts a forceful crossing.
The restriction does not close the entire frontier: trade and passenger traffic through the designated road and rail gates continues, but NGOs report that the measure has made access to the asylum procedure almost impossible for people pushed to remote green-border areas. Warsaw insists the policy is temporary and proportionate, stressing that migrants can still file claims at Polish diplomatic posts abroad or at other external borders.
![Poland extends 60-day curb on asylum applications at Belarus border]()
For employers and global-mobility managers the renewal signals that staff movements between Belarus and Poland will remain tightly controlled for at least two more months. Third-country nationals transiting Belarus as a travel hub are advised to reroute via Lithuania or Ukraine, and humanitarian-parole options for dependants remain limited. Companies operating near the border should prepare for ad-hoc checks and possible freight delays while the heightened regime is in place.
Amid these shifting border protocols, VisaHQ can streamline the process of determining the correct Polish visa or residence pathway for affected staff and family members. The platform’s Poland-dedicated page (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) offers up-to-date guidance, electronic application tools and personalised support, helping travellers avoid refused entries and ensure compliance even while the land-border limits are in force.
Human-rights advocates are likely to challenge the fresh prolongation before administrative courts, arguing that successive 60-day roll-overs amount to a de-facto long-term derogation from EU asylum law. Until any ruling is handed down, however, the restriction remains binding and will continue to shape mobility flows into eastern Poland.
Under Article 33a of the Act on Granting Protection to Foreigners, Border Guard officers posted to the affected crossing points can refuse to accept an asylum claim unless the applicant falls into one of five humanitarian exceptions—unaccompanied minors, pregnant women, people requiring special care, persons at obvious risk of serious harm, and citizens of Belarus itself. Even those exceptions disappear if the individual attempts a forceful crossing.
The restriction does not close the entire frontier: trade and passenger traffic through the designated road and rail gates continues, but NGOs report that the measure has made access to the asylum procedure almost impossible for people pushed to remote green-border areas. Warsaw insists the policy is temporary and proportionate, stressing that migrants can still file claims at Polish diplomatic posts abroad or at other external borders.
For employers and global-mobility managers the renewal signals that staff movements between Belarus and Poland will remain tightly controlled for at least two more months. Third-country nationals transiting Belarus as a travel hub are advised to reroute via Lithuania or Ukraine, and humanitarian-parole options for dependants remain limited. Companies operating near the border should prepare for ad-hoc checks and possible freight delays while the heightened regime is in place.
Amid these shifting border protocols, VisaHQ can streamline the process of determining the correct Polish visa or residence pathway for affected staff and family members. The platform’s Poland-dedicated page (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) offers up-to-date guidance, electronic application tools and personalised support, helping travellers avoid refused entries and ensure compliance even while the land-border limits are in force.
Human-rights advocates are likely to challenge the fresh prolongation before administrative courts, arguing that successive 60-day roll-overs amount to a de-facto long-term derogation from EU asylum law. Until any ruling is handed down, however, the restriction remains binding and will continue to shape mobility flows into eastern Poland.
