August 31 Deadline: Ukrainian Parents Risk Losing 800 Plus and UKR Status Without Identity Verification

The Social Insurance Institution warns that certain Ukrainian citizens in Poland must confirm their identity at a municipal office by August 31, 2026, or lose their UKR status and 800 plus benefits.

Social Insurance Institution Warning

Parents have until August 31. From September 1, they may lose 800 plus if they fail to complete the formalities.

The Social Insurance Institution reminds citizens of a deadline whose oversight can have serious financial consequences. By August 31, 2026, some parents must confirm their identity at a municipal office. If they fail to do so, they will lose their UKR status from September 1, and along with it, the rights resulting from temporary protection, including the possibility of receiving 800 plus.

Scope of the Obligation

The obligation applies to some Ukrainian citizens living in Poland. It concerns individuals who were assigned a PESEL number with UKR status based on a declaration of personal data, without presenting a valid travel document.

Who must confirm their PESEL UKR by August 31, 2026?

Automatic Extension Conditions

The most important thing is to determine how a given person was assigned a PESEL UKR. If a valid travel document was shown to an official during registration, the described deadline does not require an additional visit just for that reason. Government administration explains that in such a case, the UKR status is extended automatically.

The situation is different for individuals registered at the beginning of the war solely on the basis of a declaration of identity. By August 31, 2026, they must show a valid travel document at any municipal office. The obligation may particularly concern families with children, because in the first months following the Russian invasion, some of the youngest received a PESEL UKR even though they did not yet have their own passport.

Action Required for Missing Passports

Offices point out, among other things, that:

Current administrative communications also indicate that a person who does not have a valid passport should contact the appropriate consular office of Ukraine as soon as possible.

Where to Confirm Identity

Where to confirm identity and PESEL UKR?

A person covered by the obligation should:

There is no obligation to handle the matter exclusively in the municipality where the PESEL was previously assigned. The law explicitly speaks of “any municipal authority.”

Example Case

Example

A parent obtained a PESEL UKR in 2022 for a child who did not have their own valid travel document at the time. If the child’s situation is subject to the obligation specified in the law, after obtaining the document, the parent should ensure the data is updated at the office. The mere fact that the family has been living in Poland for several years and receiving benefits does not replace the required formality.

Consequences of Status Change to NUE

What will happen after August 31, 2026? UKR status will change to NUE

The deadline has been written into the law very precisely. August 31 is the last day to confirm identity, while on September 1, 2026, the UKR status of those who have not done so is to be changed to NUE. Therefore, the consequence goes beyond the family benefit alone. UKR status is associated with temporary protection and rights defined on that basis. Upon its loss, further stay requires an appropriate legal basis. Government explanations simultaneously indicate that UKR status has generally been extended until March 4, 2027. However, this does not mean that everyone will keep it automatically until that date. Individuals registered on the basis of an identity declaration alone must first fulfill the obligation regarding the travel document.

Impact on 800 Plus Benefits

Does the loss of UKR status mean the loss of 800 plus?

For parents, the most perceptible consequence may be the child-raising benefit itself. The loss of UKR status means the loss of rights resulting from temporary protection, which also translates into the ability to use 800 plus under the rules provided for this group. At the same time, this change must be separated from other 800 plus rules applicable to Ukrainian citizens in 2026. ZUS points out that the benefit for people with UKR status is currently linked, among other things, to

This means that simply confirming identity does not automatically guarantee the right to 800 plus if the family does not meet other statutory conditions. However, it allows avoiding the loss of UKR status due to failure to fulfill the obligation whose deadline passes precisely on August 31.

Legal Basis

Legal basis and documents

Article 25 of the law of January 23, 2026, on the expiration of solutions resulting from the law on assistance to citizens of Ukraine in connection with the armed conflict in the territory of that state and on the amendment of certain other acts (Journal of Laws of 2026, item 203).