Immigration & Removal · Poland
Find a deportation lawyer in Poland before the appeal window closes
A decision that could lead to deportation is usually reviewed by an administrative court, not by the authority that issued it. The time available to react is short, and the file has to be built in Polish. Tell us what happened and we will match you with a lawyer who handles these cases.
- Removal, entry-ban and refusal decisions
- Appeals before the Polish administrative courts
- Free matching, no obligation to instruct
We are a matching platform, not a law firm. We do not give legal advice — we introduce you to a regulated lawyer practising in Poland.
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The problem
Why the first days after a removal decision matter
A decision that could lead to deportation is rarely the end of the process. In Poland, immigration and entry-ban matters are decided by administrative authorities, and those decisions are reviewed by the voivodeship administrative courts, with a further appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court. A deportation lawyer in Poland works within that structure: reading the decision, checking whether the facts and the procedure were handled properly, and lodging the appeal inside a short statutory window. Through this platform you describe your situation once, in confidence, and we match you with a lawyer whose practice covers removal and immigration cases. Matching is free, there is no obligation to instruct anyone, and you keep control of the decision.
Poland in practice
Courts, time limits and representation in Poland
Poland follows the continental civil-law model, so procedure is set out in codes and statutes rather than built up from judicial precedent. For anyone facing removal, that means the practical questions are which body decided, which court reviews it, and how much time is left.
Administrative courts review administrative decisions
Polish administrative cases are heard by the voivodeship administrative courts (wojewódzkie sądy administracyjne), with appeals going to the Supreme Administrative Court (Naczelny Sąd Administracyjny). The Constitution of 1997 places the administrative courts alongside the Supreme Court, the ordinary courts and the military courts, so a challenge follows the administrative route rather than the civil or criminal one.
The fourteen-day administrative appeal
An administrative appeal must generally be lodged within 14 days. That window is short, and time spent gathering documents, arranging translations or waiting for a reply from the authority can consume it. A lawyer will normally begin by fixing the date from which the period runs and by building the appeal around the grounds that an administrative court can actually review.
Who is allowed to represent you
Poland has two legal professions with equal rights of audience before all courts since 1 July 2015: the adwokat and the radca prawny. Both must complete a three-year professional training and pass a professional examination before being entered on a regional list, and both are compulsory members of a self-governing bar that sets ethical rules and disciplines its members.
Free legal aid and court-appointed representation
Two mechanisms support people of limited means. Free legal aid (nieodpłatna pomoc prawna), regulated by the Act of 5 August 2015, is delivered through non-governmental legal aid points. Separately, a court may exempt a party from court costs and appoint an adwokat or radca prawny, whose remuneration is paid from public funds. Eligibility depends on the rules in force.
Fees, court costs and the role of EU law
Lawyers’ fees are freely agreed between lawyer and client, with no binding official tariff; a Minister of Justice regulation fixes the rates used to calculate recoverable costs and the pay of court-appointed lawyers. Court fees follow the Act on Court Costs in Civil Cases of 28 July 2005. EU law applies directly in Poland and takes precedence over conflicting national legislation, which matters for EU citizens.
All country information on this page was taken from official sources — the European e-Justice Portal and Polish legislation published in the ISAP database — and was verified at the time of writing.
- European e-Justice Portal — National justice systems: Poland
- European e-Justice Portal — Types of legal professions: Poland
- Prawo o adwokaturze of 26 May 1982 (ISAP)
- Act on Court Costs in Civil Cases of 28 July 2005 (ISAP)
- Code of Administrative Procedure — time limit for an administrative appeal (ISAP)
- Civil Code — limitation and succession periods (ISAP)
- Labour Code — time limit for a dismissal claim (ISAP)
Common situations
What people facing removal in Poland are up against
Most of the difficulty is procedural rather than personal: knowing which body to answer, which court reviews the case, and how much time is genuinely left.
A deadline may already be running
You have the decision in your hands but no clear idea whether the 14-day period for an administrative appeal has started. Every week spent deciding reduces the options a lawyer can realistically use.
The file is written in Polish
Administrative proceedings in Poland are conducted in Polish, and the reasoning behind a removal or entry-ban decision often turns on provisions and procedural steps you have never encountered before.
It is hard to judge who is qualified
Poland has two regulated legal professions and no binding official fee tariff, so from the outside it is difficult to tell which firms genuinely handle removal and immigration work rather than general practice.
How we help
A free route to a lawyer who handles Polish removal cases
You describe the situation once; we compare it with lawyers whose practices match, and you decide what happens next.
Practices that match your problem
We match you with lawyers whose work includes challenging administrative decisions in Poland, rather than with the first firm that answers the phone.
One description, several options
You explain the facts a single time. That description is used to identify suitable lawyers, so you do not repeat the same difficult story to five different offices.
No cost to be matched
Using the matching service is free of charge. You agree fees directly with the lawyer you choose, and Polish law leaves those fees to be freely agreed.
You stay in control
Being matched creates no obligation. You speak to the lawyer, ask about the 14-day appeal window, and then decide whether to instruct them.
Also available in
European countries covered by our network
Removal and entry-ban questions rarely stop at one border. If your case touches another European country, you can start the same matching process there.
Questions
Frequently asked questions about removal cases in Poland
What does a deportation lawyer in Poland actually do?
A deportation lawyer in Poland reviews the decision you have received, identifies the grounds on which it can be challenged and prepares the appeal or application before the competent body. Because administrative cases are decided on the file and on statutory grounds, the work normally starts with establishing the deadline and assembling the evidence a reviewing court can take into account.
Which courts hear challenges to removal and entry-ban decisions in Poland?
Administrative decisions, including immigration decisions, are reviewed by the voivodeship administrative courts, and their judgments can be appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court. These courts sit outside the ordinary court structure of district, regional and appellate courts, so the route differs from a criminal or civil case.
How quickly must an appeal be lodged in Poland?
An administrative appeal generally has to be lodged within 14 days. Other Polish time limits vary widely by subject matter — three weeks for a dismissal claim, six months for a declaration accepting or rejecting an inheritance — so the date on which the decision was delivered is usually the first thing a lawyer checks.
Should I instruct an adwokat or a radca prawny?
Both are regulated Polish legal professions and, since 1 July 2015, both have equal rights of audience before all courts, including the Supreme Administrative Court. The practical difference lies in how they practise: a radca prawny may be employed under a contract of employment, while an adwokat practises alone or in partnership.
Can I get help in Poland if I cannot afford a lawyer?
Poland provides free legal aid (nieodpłatna pomoc prawna) under the Act of 5 August 2015, delivered through non-governmental legal aid points. A court may also exempt a party from court costs and appoint an adwokat or radca prawny whose remuneration is paid from public funds. Whether you qualify depends on the rules in force.
Why use a matching service rather than searching on my own?
You describe your situation once and we compare it with lawyers whose practices include removal and immigration work in Poland. Matching is free, there is no obligation to instruct anyone, and you decide after speaking to the lawyer. With a 14-day appeal window, that saved time can matter.
Next step
Tell us about your case in Poland
Describe what you have received and when. We will match you free of charge with a deportation lawyer in Poland whose practice covers your type of case, so you can discuss the appeal route and the time you still have.