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BIOMETRIC PASSPORTS
Dear Sirs,
Biometric passports entered into force on 28 August 2006.
The introduction of electronic protections in passports in a form of a chip with encoded information on passport owner is a vital modification. The introduction of a new passport pattern, apart from fulfilling obligations resulting from the EU membership, shall, first of all, contribute to the minimization of material losses relating to crime linked with identity theft and document forgery. This document also raises Poland’s international prestige as it is one of the most modern documents in the world.
Issuing passports with biometric elements requires both system and organizational changes. All centres accepting applications and centres releasing personalized documents should be furnished with a new IT equipment with an appropriate software. With regard to limited funds, assigned for biometrics introduction, it is impossible for the State Treasury to incur expenses for equipment for passport issuing centres, which annually released several hundred passports at most. In relation to the above, all voivodes were obliged to select the optimal localisation of passport centres to ensure that all citizens were able to obtain their passports within the statutory time limit. Simultaneously, it was necessary to guarantee the security of the system, and all the people involved should meet the requirements set by the Law on personal data protection, i.e. possess appropriate certificates of access to confidential information.
Below please find the most relevant information on passports. We kindly invite you to use our PASSPORT INFORMATION PORTAL.
Introducing biometric passports, the Ministry of Interior and Administration obtained, for one of projects thereof realizing this task, financial support from the EU, from the SCHENGEN FUND. This project was realized under the name “Biometric passport for Polish citizens and Polish biometric documents for foreigners”.
THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Passports and temporary passports are issued and modified in Poland – by a voivode locally competent for the habitat of a person applying for the passport, and abroad – by a Polish consul.
By consent of the competent minister of interior, the passport and temporary passport may be issued with omission of the local competence.
- Passport is issued for one person
- It is valid:
- 10 years from the date of issue
- 5 years for children aged 5-13
- 1 year (temporary passport) for children under 5 - On parents request, children under 5 may obtain the passport for 5 years
- Passport expiration does not deprive owner thereof of the right to arrive to the Republic of Poland, on the basis of this document
- The competent minister of interior exerts supreme supervision over problems relating to passports and temporary passports
- In case when a person, for which the passport has been issued, forfeits Polish citizenship, the passport authority issues a decision upon passport invalidation
- An appeal against the decision on passport matters may be lodged to the Minister of Interior and Administration
A temporary passport is issued:
- for children under 5
- for Polish citizens staying abroad, while they are waiting for a 10-year passport or are obliged to return to the country in case of the passport loss
- in emergency cases, relating to a disease or funeral of a family member or a need to go abroad urgently
Temporary passports are issued by a voivode.
The temporary passport is valid for 12 months from the date of issue thereof or for a period indicated therein by the passport authority.
No biometric data are contained in the temporary passport.
Which documents should be submitted to obtain a passport?
To obtain the passport, the following documents should be submitted:
- filled application for passport issue
- two identical photographs meeting requirements laid down in the legislation
- in case of applying for the passport for the first time – an abbreviated or un abbreviated copy of birth certificate
- abbreviated copy of marriage certificate if an applicant solemnized marriage abroad
- receipt of payment of the passport fee
The passport application should be submitted in person. The passport is collected in person either, reading the data contained in a microprocessor.
How to obtain a passport abroad?
To obtain the Polish passport abroad, it is necessary to visit the Polish consulate and submit the same documents as required in Poland. In case of any doubts with respect to possession of the Polish citizenship, it is required to submit a document certifying possession thereof or, via the consulate, apply at the competent Polish office to obtain same.
In case of persons without a PESEL identification number, the consul submits an application for assignation thereof.
How to obtain a passport for a child?
Children must not be included in new biometric passports and temporary passports. On behalf of a juvenile, both parents submit an application for passport issue, unless, pursuant to a court adjudication, one of the parents has been deprived of parental authority or this authority has been restricted.
In case of lack of consensus between parents or inability to obtain consent of one parent, the consent to issue a passport is substituted for by a family court adjudication. The application submitted by one parent along with a written consent of the other, acknowledged by the passport authority or notary, is regarded as submitted by both parents.
The passport for the juvenile may be issued abroad by consent of one parent, providing it is in the best interests of the child, particularly, when obtaining consent of the other parent is not possible.
What is the cost of passport issue?
Fees for passport issue are as follows:
- passport valid 10 years – 140 PLN
- passport for children who, as at the day of application submission, were under 7 – 30 PLN
- passport for children who are over 7 but under 13 – 60 PLN
- temporary passport for children – 30 PLN
- temporary passport for other persons – 45 PLN
The passport fee is not collected from:
- persons over 70
- persons living in social welfare centres or in care centres or benefiting from social assistance in a form of a permanent allowance, if their travel abroad relates to a long-time therapy or necessity to undergo surgery
- persons who applied for passport replacement due to technical default thereof
- soldiers appointed to serve abroad, excluding professional soldiers
The following persons are entitled to a 50% allowance:
- pensioners, disabled persons exclusively dependent on their spouses,
- persons living in social welfare centres or care centres or benefiting of social assistance in a form of a permanent allowance
- combatants and other certain victims of war and post-war repressions
- pupils and students
The partially reduced fee is collected in case of:
- change of surname, name or other data included in the passport
- change of physical appearance of the passport owner, which may hinder identification of this person
- no space for visas and stamps confirming passing the border in the current valid passport
The fee increased by 200% of a price of an issued passport is collected:
when previously possessed passport has been lost or destroyed for reasons attributable to owner thereof
Fees for passports issued abroad vary in different countries and are subject to a regulation on principles of consular fees collection and their amounts.
What is the waiting time for a passport?
The date of passport issue is defined by the authority issuing the passport. An average waiting time for the document issued at home does not exceed 30 days.
Passport documents throughout the period of their validity shall remain a property of the Republic of Poland.