The Silesian Border Guard reported on 29 September that routine internal-Schengen checks at Katowice-Pyrzowice airport detained five foreign nationals—including two U.S. citizens—who had overstayed by up to 169 days after entering Poland from Czechia by car. Officers also intercepted two Paraguayan travellers who exceeded their visa-free allowance by 110 days and a Colombian passenger arriving from Madrid without a work visa or proof of funds. Return decisions with 30-day voluntary-departure periods and two-year re-entry bans were issued, while proceedings against the remaining individuals are under way. The crackdown is part of nationwide “second-line” controls that have intensified since the full roll-out of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) in April 2026. Airlines operating domestic Schengen hops should remind passengers that random documentation checks may occur even on intra-EU flights. For employers the message is clear: ensure posted staff and project-based contractors monitor cumulative Schengen days and hold the correct Polish residence permits. Fines for facilitating illegal stay can reach PLN 30 000, and reputational damage may compromise future work-permit quotas.
Source: Śląski Oddział Straży Granicznej
