Poland: ZUS withheld several thousand benefits for refugees from Ukraine who left Poland

From June 1, 2023, the Social Insurance Institution suspended the payment of PLN 18,000. childcare benefits for Ukrainian citizens in connection with their departure from Poland, said the spokesman for ZUS, Paweł Żebrowski. He explained how you can apply for reinstatement of benefits.

The ZUS spokesman explained in a statement sent to PAP that ZUS has a statutory obligation to suspend the payment of the childcare benefit to a refugee from Ukraine immediately after his departure from Poland.

“It is temporary and does not entail the loss of the right to the benefit if the person returns to Poland within 30 days and this information is recorded in the Border Guard register. In such a case, the citizen of Ukraine does not lose the legality of his stay in Poland, and the payment of the benefit is resumed together with the compensation for the suspended month, provided that the other conditions entitling to this benefit are met,” emphasized Żebrowski.

He noted that people who have lost the legality of stay report to ZUS, although they returned to Poland within 30 days of leaving. “Such people probably did not show an electronic document when crossing the border diia.pl and did not report the use of temporary protection. As a result, after 30 days, counting from the date of departure, they lose the legality of their stay and, consequently, the right to benefits,” explained the spokesman.

ZUS informed that in order to avoid the loss of the legality of stay, a foreigner who returns to our country should inform the Border Guard officer (during passport control) of his intention to enter in connection with the use of temporary protection in Poland and each time present a document diia.pl.

“A person who has not complied with these formalities and has lost the legality of stay should report to the commanding officer of the Border Guard post at the border crossing he or she crossed with a request to correct the data in the Border Guard register and restore the legality of stay” – indicated ZUS.

Such a notification should be sent to the e-mail address of a specific border post. The list of e-mail addresses is available on the website of the Border Guard.

Then inform the Social Insurance Institution (in any branch or hotline) that such a notification has been made. As soon as the Institution receives this information and the data in the SG register are updated, the payment of the benefit will be resumed along with compensation for the period for which the legality of stay was restored.

The situation of a person who returned from Ukraine to Poland, for example through Slovakia, is different. She should first go to the commune office in order to register this entry, submitting an application for re-assignment of the “UKR” status in the PESEL register. The application should indicate the exact date of entry into the territory of Poland and the date and place of crossing the external border of the Schengen area, which is not the Polish border. (PAP)

Author: Karolina Kropiwiec

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