The Consular Section of Poland’s Embassy in Minsk announced that from 11 June all appointments related to the Karta Polaka (Polish Card) must be booked through the online e-Konsulat platform. The change covers extensions, duplicate issuance and data-update requests. Slots are limited and will open in weekly batches; applications submitted after a card’s expiry will be rejected. The Karta Polaka grants holders long-term residence, access to the Polish labour market without a work permit and, eventually, a fast-track to citizenship. Belarusian professionals often use the status as a springboard for IT and engineering roles in Warsaw, Kraków and Wrocław. Moving bookings online aligns Minsk with other Polish consulates but comes amid high demand and rumours of “queue brokers.” Companies relocating Belarusian talent should instruct candidates to create e-Konsulat accounts immediately, monitor release times (typically Mondays 14:00 Minsk time) and gather notarised translations of education documents in advance. HR teams should also plan for a 4–6-week lead time between securing a slot and receiving the updated card, as background checks are now routed through Warsaw. Failure to adapt could delay planned start dates, particularly given Poland’s new rule requiring physical possession of a valid Karta Polaka before signing a local employment contract.
Source: Nasha Niva
