Recently, it became known about the deportation of another Ukrainian from an EU country, namely neighboring Poland. In a case where a man arrived at a kindergarten to pick up his child while intoxicated, an administrative fine was issued and the procedure of forced deportation to his homeland was applied.
Considering that this is not the first precedent and informational event caused by this news, in this article, our editorial team of “Ukrainian Information” decided to take a detailed look at why Ukrainians who are in the EU or specifically in Poland can be deported to Ukraine?
Important note: rules may vary depending on the country, but similar principles of migration law apply within the EU.
What is deportation?
Despite the fact that most Ukrainians are in the EU legally – under temporary protection programs as refugees, with work visas or residence permits, any violation of the rules of stay can lead to deportation and an entry ban .
What is Deportation? It is the forced removal of a foreigner from a country due to violation of the law or rules of stay. Along with deportation, most countries often use:
- entry ban (from 6 months to 5 years or more);
- entry into the Schengen Information System (SIS) ;
- cancellation of a visa or residence permit.
Main reasons for deportation from Poland and the EU
Illegal stay
The most common and most understandable reason: They overstayed their stay, or generally arrived illegally after the expiration of:
- visas;
- visa-free regime (90 days);
- residence permit.
Lack of documents confirming legal stay in an EU country. Migration lawyers point out that even a few days of “delay” can be grounds for a fine or deportation.
Illegal work
If a Ukrainian who arrived as a tourist or on a Schengen visa for 90 days:
- works without a permit (even part-time);
- works for a different employer than the one indicated in the documents, i.e. the one who issued the documents;
- has “fictitious employment” and is not actually an employee; –
The legislation of EU countries, including Poland, considers this a serious violation of the rules and may impose the following penalties:
- fine;
- cancellation of the permit;
- deportation to Ukraine, which we wrote about in the example above.
Violation of the conditions of temporary protection
Many Ukrainians in Poland are under temporary protection status (PESEL UKR) . But are wondering what reasons they can be deprived of this status, here is a list:
- departure from Poland for a long period of time;
- obtaining protection in another EU country;
- providing false information when submitting documents for processing.
In some specific cases, according to practicing migration lawyers, this may lead to the loss of the right to stay.
Read also: Why is it not easy abroad? Refugees are returning to Ukraine
Administrative and criminal offenses
Most countries that accept migrants, or as in the case of Ukraine, refugees from war, hope for their good faith and basic integration into society. No EU country wants to have a stronghold of crime on its territory, or a sharp increase in the criminal element. Therefore, in this matter, most countries apply the penalty of deportation even for administrative offenses, such as: speeding, smoking or drinking in an unspecified place, traveling without paying for the fare, pollution of public places or other minor offenses. Even one administrative offense provides serious grounds for deportation. Therefore, it is clear that any criminal acts such as theft, fraud, violence or drugs become an instant basis for opening criminal proceedings or applying the deportation procedure.
Intermediate summary: even minor offenses (or, for example, their systematic nature) often become the basis for the authorities to make a decision to expel you from the country.
Threat to public order or security
We single out a threat to public order or security as a separate group. Many people do not know that a person can be deported, even if they have not formally done anything yet, but legally:
- poses a threat to state security (through his public statements, video appeals, public speeches, photos with a certain content, and other actions that local authorities may consider threatening);
- participates in dubious or illegal activities in another country (receives funds of unknown origin, cannot confirm the source of income, has assets that have not been previously declared according to the requirements of the host country, etc.);
- is a declassed element in the host country (begging, homeless people).
Forgery of documents
This is probably obvious to many, but we should also note that using:
- false certificates;
- fake employment contracts;
- providing false information when submitting documents;-
You risk being deported and banned from entering the EU. This is one of the frequent and serious grounds for immediate deportation.
Violation of rules when crossing the border
If the local authorities or police establish the fact of:
- attempting to enter the country illegally;
- the fact of illegal border crossing;
- use of other people’s documents.
Failure to pay fines or ignore court decisions
If a person, after committing an administrative offense:
- does not pay fines;
- ignores court decisions;
- does not comply with the requirements of migration authorities;
this may lead to forced deportation back to Ukraine.
What are the most common consequences of deportation?
As we mentioned above, deportation is often not an independent problem; in most cases, it carries additional possible consequences, such as:
- a ban on entry to the Schengen countries (and not only to the country where the violation occurred, for example, Poland);
- problems with obtaining visas in the future (due to a mark in the migration service);
- registration in the EU’s international databases as a violator of the rules of residence;
- difficulties with legalization in countries other than the European Union.
Can deportation be appealed?
Thus, in most cases, EU countries allow that a person has the right to:
- to appeal the decision to bring to justice;
- go to court and appeal the decision to ban entry;
- receive legal assistance in litigation (for a fee).
But it is important to act quickly, the appeal period is often limited to about 1 month or less.
How to avoid deportation
Although the rules sound banal, here is a list of basic requirements that should be followed:
- keep track of document deadlines
- only work legally
- don’t break the law
- check the employer and the legality of registering you as an employee
- don’t use “gray schemes”
- Keep all documents for immigration officers to prove legality at the time of inspection.
Read also: Eclipse Corridor 2026: what it is, when it will be and how it affects people
Conclusion
Deportation from Poland or another EU country is a serious decision that often has long-term consequences. For most of those who are legally residing and complying with the rules of residence, working legally, this is not a threat. It is only worth fearing those who do not always adhere to order and law, this is not liked in all countries and not only by migrants. The best strategy that will protect against deportation is attentiveness to documents and a responsible attitude to the laws of the country in which you are .
