In this article, we will discuss the importance of the Polish passport, both for free travel across Europe and for immigration purposes within European Union countries.
Poland is a full member of the European Union, which means that every Polish citizen is also considered an EU citizen. The European Union treaties establish a “common citizenship” for all citizens of member states (also known as “Community countries”). Accordingly, Article 20 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union states that anyone holding the citizenship of a member state shall also be regarded as a citizen of the European Union. This EU citizenship complements national citizenship, such as Polish citizenship, without replacing it.
Full EU membership also includes membership in the Schengen Area – a zone of free movement between member states without internal border controls. This means that traveling from one country to another within the EU does not require an immigration procedure, there are no passport checks, and in some cases, no passport presentation is required at all – whether traveling by car, train, bus, or plane. Airports within the EU have two separate areas: one for domestic or Schengen flights, and another for flights to destinations outside this area.
When traveling from a non-Schengen country, such as Israel, to an EU country, a Polish passport allows fast and convenient entry through automated passport scanning – without long waits or strict immigration checks, which are typically required for non-European passport holders.
Following the tightening of immigration policies in Europe, starting in 2025 a new mechanism called ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) will come into effect. This authorization will be valid for three years and will be required for all non-European passport holders arriving from over 60 countries currently exempt from visas – including Israel.
It is important to note that an ETIAS travel authorization:
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Does not guarantee entry and does not replace entry requirements of individual European countries.
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Is an additional requirement for short stays of up to 90 days.
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Does not grant the right to work.
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Does not permit studies within EU territories.
Therefore, as we have seen, holding a Polish passport – and, accordingly, European citizenship – is highly valuable when planning a trip or considering immigration to any EU member state.
In the next blog posts, we will focus on additional and significant advantages offered by the Polish passport.
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