Ukrainian refugee numbers in Poland decline by 11 percent

The number of Ukrainian refugees holding temporary protection status in Poland has decreased by over 107,500 since the spring. Government statistics released on September 8 show that the number of registered individuals fell from approximately 974,500 in April to 868,000 by early September, representing an 11 percent decline.

While some media reports suggest rising hostility toward refugees is driving an exodus, many Ukrainians attribute the drop to bureaucratic hurdles. An immigration expert from the Ukrainian House in Warsaw noted that a legal change approved in March requires refugees to explicitly declare their intent to seek temporary protection to border guards upon entry.

Failure to make this declaration results in travelers being registered under general visa-free travel rules as tourists. Those entering as tourists are ineligible to apply for temporary protection status. Polish border guard spokespeople confirmed that without such a declaration, entry is recorded under standard travel regulations.