Border Guard officers at Warsaw-Chopin Airport refused entry to sixteen foreign nationals over the past weekend, according to an official communiqué released on 15 September. The individuals—originating from thirteen different countries—were turned back after routine checks showed they lacked valid visas, had exhausted their visa-free allowance, appeared in the Schengen Information System as undesirable, or were deemed security threats. Those denied entry included citizens of Georgia, Colombia, Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan, Japan, Honduras, the United Kingdom, Turkey, South Korea, the United States, Uzbekistan and Moldova. Seven travellers could not substantiate the purpose or conditions of their stay; six had overstayed earlier visits; two appeared on SIS alerts; and one Georgian national was assessed as a risk to public order. All received written decisions and were re-routed on the next available flights. The incident underscores Poland’s strict application of the 90/180 Schengen rule and its growing use of API/PNR data to profile arrivals at the country’s busiest hub. Warsaw-Chopin processed a record 14.7 million passengers in the year to August, with 11 % arriving from non-Schengen points such as Dubai, London and Istanbul. For employers flying in assignees or short-term business visitors, the case is a reminder to double-check that travellers carry invitation letters, hotel bookings and proof of sufficient funds—even when they benefit from visa-free regimes. Individuals previously issued with return decisions elsewhere in Schengen should verify that any entry bans have been lifted before boarding. Immigration advisers expect closer scrutiny in the run-up to the EU-wide Entry/Exit System (EES) go-live, now pencilled in for late 2026, which will automatically flag overstays at all Polish border posts.
Source: Polish Border Guard
