Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) on 22 February issued a wide-ranging advisory covering ten European countries—including Poland—citing “ongoing visa and passport processing congestion” linked to the EU’s forthcoming Entry/Exit System (EES). According to Travel and Tour World, British authorities fear that backlogs in biometric enrolment and residency-card renewals could translate into long waits at land borders and airports during Easter and May-day peaks.
While the notice primarily targets UK nationals travelling abroad, it signals potential knock-on effects for Polish residents returning home. Carriers operating London-Warsaw and Edinburgh-Kraków routes have already warned of possible check-in cut-offs if passengers fail to present correct travel documents—particularly children’s passports nearing six-month expiry.
![UK Issues Spring Travel Warning that Flags Poland Among ‘Heightened Documentation Risk’ Destinations]()
For travellers who find themselves short on time or unclear about document requirements, VisaHQ can streamline the process of renewing Polish passports, securing visas and staying compliant with new EES rules. The service offers step-by-step online support and real-time status updates—visit https://www.visahq.com/poland/ to learn more.
HR departments managing UK-based assignees of Polish nationality should remind employees to verify passport validity and carry proof of settled or pre-settled status. The FCDO also urges dual nationals to travel on the same passport throughout an itinerary to avoid mismatched records once EES launches in October.
In the medium term, Poland’s inclusion on the list underscores a broader regional strain as EU states retrofit border posts with biometric kiosks. Expect sporadic pilot outages and data-sync errors through summer 2026; contingency plans—extra layover buffers and flexible tickets—are advisable.
While the notice primarily targets UK nationals travelling abroad, it signals potential knock-on effects for Polish residents returning home. Carriers operating London-Warsaw and Edinburgh-Kraków routes have already warned of possible check-in cut-offs if passengers fail to present correct travel documents—particularly children’s passports nearing six-month expiry.
For travellers who find themselves short on time or unclear about document requirements, VisaHQ can streamline the process of renewing Polish passports, securing visas and staying compliant with new EES rules. The service offers step-by-step online support and real-time status updates—visit https://www.visahq.com/poland/ to learn more.
HR departments managing UK-based assignees of Polish nationality should remind employees to verify passport validity and carry proof of settled or pre-settled status. The FCDO also urges dual nationals to travel on the same passport throughout an itinerary to avoid mismatched records once EES launches in October.
In the medium term, Poland’s inclusion on the list underscores a broader regional strain as EU states retrofit border posts with biometric kiosks. Expect sporadic pilot outages and data-sync errors through summer 2026; contingency plans—extra layover buffers and flexible tickets—are advisable.
