Andrzej Poczobut Asked The Polish Prime Minister To Issue Foreigner’s Permits To Belarusians For At Least Three Years
3- 23.07.2026, 21:15
Photo: gazetaby.com
A former political prisoner, journalist, and activist with the Union of Poles in Belarus wrote an open letter to Donald Tusk.
Andrzej Pochobut, a former political prisoner, journalist, and activist with the Union of Poles in Belarus, along with the human rights organization Amnesty International, sent an open letter to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. They proposed improving the legal status of Belarusians living in Poland, according to the publication Most.
One of the main proposals was to extend the validity period of the Polish travel document for foreigners—a temporary document replacing the national passport—to at least three years.
The letter notes that many Belarusians currently in Poland are unable to return to Belarus because they fear persecution and repression. As a result, they cannot obtain or renew their Belarusian passports in their home country.
In Poland, a simplified procedure for issuing foreigner travel documents is in place for such individuals; however, at present, these documents are regularly extended only for short periods—usually six months. According to the authors of the appeal, this situation creates legal uncertainty and complicates the lives of Belarusians living in Poland.
Pochobut and the director of the Polish branch of Amnesty International Anna Błaszczak-Banaszak also drew attention to the problem of children of Belarusian political exiles born in Poland.
As noted in the letter, these children may face difficulties in legalizing their stay, since their parents are often unable to obtain Belarusian passports for them without the entire family traveling to Belarus. This creates the risk of an undefined civil status.
Among the proposed measures are:
extending the validity period of a foreigner’s travel document to at least three years;
establishing a special procedure for obtaining an identity document for children of Belarusian citizens born in Poland;
enshrining in law the status of the foreigner’s travel document as a full-fledged identity document.
The appeal also emphasizes that Poland must uphold its traditions of hospitality and not allow another state to use Polish territory as a means of exerting pressure on people who are forced to leave their country.
Bank's name: Bank Millennium S.A.
Address: ul. Stanislawa Zaryna, 2A, 02-593, Warszawa
IBAN: PL97116022020000000216711123
SWIFT: BIGBPLPW
Name of the account holder: Fundacja “KARTA ‘97”
Purpose/title of payment: Donation for statuary aims
You can contact us by the e-mail charter97@gmail.com
