Poland’s Ministry of Interior and Administration has moved to prolong the temporary exclusion zone that runs along 78 kilometres of the country’s eastern border with Belarus. A draft regulation released on 18 February extends the ban on public access from 5 March through 3 June 2026, citing “constant migration pressure” and a spike in airborne smuggling attempts that use weather balloons to drop tobacco products into Polish territory.
The buffer zone, first introduced in June 2024, bars tourists, journalists and most local residents from entering a strip of land that in some places reaches three kilometres inside Poland. Only farmers, accredited service providers and people who live permanently inside the zone may enter with special passes. The Interior Ministry argues that the measure gives border guards freedom to monitor and intercept irregular crossings without interference or safety risks to civilians. Since September 2025 the Border Guard has recorded more than 4,600 attempted crossings from Belarus, a figure Warsaw says is fuelled by Minsk’s policy of “instrumentalising” migration to pressure the EU.
![Poland extends 78-km buffer zone on Belarusian frontier for another 90 days]()
Whether you’re a journalist seeking accreditation, a logistics manager dispatching drivers, or an employee relocating to Poland, securing the right documentation can be as challenging as navigating the exclusion zone itself. VisaHQ’s Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) offers streamlined online visa applications, residence-permit guidance and passport services, helping travelers and businesses stay compliant even as local rules shift.
For businesses, the extension means continued disruption for haulage firms that normally use minor border roads, as well as for eco-tourism operators in the primeval Białowieża Forest. Transport associations have renewed calls for temporary fast-track permits so that supply chains serving local factories are not forced to make 150-kilometre detours. Human-rights NGOs, meanwhile, warn that the buffer zone keeps independent monitors away from areas where push-back allegations have been made.
The draft will remain open for public consultation for seven days but is expected to be enacted unchanged. Companies moving staff or goods through north-eastern Poland should therefore plan for at least three more months of restricted access and possible spot checks on secondary roads. Employers with Belarusian nationals on assignment in Poland are also advised to brief them on potential delays when travelling near the frontier.
The buffer zone, first introduced in June 2024, bars tourists, journalists and most local residents from entering a strip of land that in some places reaches three kilometres inside Poland. Only farmers, accredited service providers and people who live permanently inside the zone may enter with special passes. The Interior Ministry argues that the measure gives border guards freedom to monitor and intercept irregular crossings without interference or safety risks to civilians. Since September 2025 the Border Guard has recorded more than 4,600 attempted crossings from Belarus, a figure Warsaw says is fuelled by Minsk’s policy of “instrumentalising” migration to pressure the EU.
Whether you’re a journalist seeking accreditation, a logistics manager dispatching drivers, or an employee relocating to Poland, securing the right documentation can be as challenging as navigating the exclusion zone itself. VisaHQ’s Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) offers streamlined online visa applications, residence-permit guidance and passport services, helping travelers and businesses stay compliant even as local rules shift.
For businesses, the extension means continued disruption for haulage firms that normally use minor border roads, as well as for eco-tourism operators in the primeval Białowieża Forest. Transport associations have renewed calls for temporary fast-track permits so that supply chains serving local factories are not forced to make 150-kilometre detours. Human-rights NGOs, meanwhile, warn that the buffer zone keeps independent monitors away from areas where push-back allegations have been made.
The draft will remain open for public consultation for seven days but is expected to be enacted unchanged. Companies moving staff or goods through north-eastern Poland should therefore plan for at least three more months of restricted access and possible spot checks on secondary roads. Employers with Belarusian nationals on assignment in Poland are also advised to brief them on potential delays when travelling near the frontier.
