Polish Sejm extends 60-day asylum restriction at Belarus border

The Sejm of the Republic of Poland has given its consent to extend for a further 60 days the temporary restriction on the right to file applications for international protection at the state border with the Republic of Belarus. The decision, adopted by resolution of 4 September 2026 and published in Monitor Polski of 9 September 2026 (item 906), keeps in force a measure that has been renewed continuously since it was first introduced in March 2025.

The resolution was signed by the Marshal of the Sejm, W. Czarzasty, and is based on Article 33a(3) of the Act of 13 June 2003 on granting foreigners protection on the territory of the Republic of Poland (Dz. U. 2026, item 862) and Article 117d(3) of the Sejm’s Rules of Procedure.

Legal basis and scope

The restriction limits the right of migrants and asylum seekers to lodge applications for international protection at the Polish–Belarusian border. It was originally introduced by a regulation of the Council of Ministers of 27 March 2025 (Dz. U. item 390) and has since been renewed through a series of successive regulations.

The measure has been extended on a rolling basis by the following regulations of the Council of Ministers:

• 23 May 2025 (Dz. U. item 673)
• 24 July 2025 (Dz. U. item 992)
• 17 September 2025 (Dz. U. item 1256)
• 18 November 2025 (Dz. U. item 1581)
• 16 January 2026 (Dz. U. item 58)
• 18 March 2026 (Dz. U. item 376)
• 18 May 2026 (Dz. U. item 660)
• 13 July 2026 (Dz. U. item 945)

Parliamentary consent procedure

Under Polish law, the temporary restriction on filing asylum applications at the border can only remain in force with the prior consent of the Sejm, which must be renewed each time the government extends the measure. The resolution of 4 September 2026 constitutes that parliamentary approval for the latest 60-day extension, allowing the restriction to continue operating without interruption.

The decision follows the procedure set out in the 2003 Act on granting foreigners protection, which requires parliamentary scrutiny of any prolongation of the border restriction. The consent is time-limited, meaning the government must return to the chamber for a fresh vote before the new 60-day period expires.

Impact and outlook

The extension reflects the continued pressure on Poland’s eastern border, where the restriction has been in place for more than a year and a half. For migrants and asylum seekers attempting to cross from Belarus, the measure means that applications for international protection cannot be filed at the border crossing points during the extended period, redirecting the handling of such cases through other channels.

For readers, the practical consequence is that the border regime on the Polish–Belarusian frontier remains unchanged for at least another two months. The decision also signals that Warsaw intends to maintain its restrictive stance on irregular migration along the eastern flank of the European Union, subject to renewed parliamentary approval at the end of each extension period.

Source: Monitor Polski, no. 906 of 9 September 2026, section I, p. 1 (official reference: Monitor Polski 2026, item 906).