Since 2021 until the end of 2023, Belarusians were the most numerous nationality group among asylum applicants in Poland. Poland registers around 72% of all applications for international protection submitted by Belarusians in Europe.[1] At the same time applicants for international protection constitute only 6% of Belarusian nationals applying for all sorts of stay permit in Poland. In 2021-2024 (until the end of February 2024) Poland issued 8,836 decisions, out of which 8042 were positive (570 persons were granted refugee status and 7,472 – subsidiary protection). Very few cases are considered negative or discontinued, that is why the refugee rate in this period amounts to 99%.[2]
The second biggest group of asylum applicants in 2023 were Ukrainians, as a result of the Russian invasion that started on 24 February 2022 in Ukraine. On the different treatment of Ukrainian nationals and persons of other nationalities fleeing war, see more in the Annex on temporary protection to the report.
For many years prior to 2021, Russian citizens of Chechen origin were the main group applying for international in Poland. In 2023, almost half of Russian applicants submitted a subsequent application (770 persons out of 1,766 applicants in total), which explains the increase in the number of inadmissibility decisions issued in 2023, which was higher (567 persons) than that of those rejected (310 persons).
As of 31 December 2023, according to the Border Guard, no returns are carried out to the following countries: Syria, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, Palestine, Ethiopia, Sudan and Ukraine (for more on returns of Ukrainian nationals, see Annex on temporary protection).[3]
[1] Office for Foreigners, Report on the situation of Belarusians in Poland, 29 February 2024.
[2] Ibidem.
[3] Information provided by the Border Guard, 18 March 2024.