Increased Border Wait Times with Poland: Key Updates
Border guards are warning about significant increases in wait times at the Ukrainian-Polish border due to a new entry system for EU countries, alongside the upcoming holidays and the start of autumn vacations.
In the Lviv region, delays are being observed at the border due to the new biometric control system EES, which allows for the recording of crossings at the Schengen zone borders without the need for passport stamps. This system is already fully operational at the Polish border points «Medyka» and «Korczowa» as well as at the railway station «Przemyśl».
At other border crossing points adjacent to the Lviv region, the system is currently functioning in a trial mode.
«During the first entry into EU countries after the launch of EES, citizens undergo an extended registration process, which includes facial photography and the collection of four fingerprints. This procedure applies to individuals aged 12 and over and requires additional time, affecting the processing speed of travelers», - stated the 7th Carpathian Border Detachment.
The EES system will apply to all citizens of third countries, including Ukraine, who cross the external borders of the Schengen zone for short stays - up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
Current information about the border situation can be tracked on the official pages of the border guards: the Western Regional Administration of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine-Western Border and the 7th Carpathian Border Detachment.