Wrocław Airport Becomes Poland’s First to Issue Biometric Passports On-Site

(WROCŁAW) Wrocław Airport has become the first in Poland to offer full on‑site biometric passport issuance services, bringing a core identity document directly into a high‑traffic transport hub for the first time nationwide. The expanded passport office, operated by the Ministry of Interior and Administration, opened in August 2025 in the public area of the terminal next to the airport information desk. It offers a single location where Polish citizens can apply, provide fingerprints and a photo, and later collect their new biometric passport.

Standard processing is about seven business days, while temporary passports for urgent travel continue to be issued on the spot during weekday hours. Officials and industry observers say the move cuts time, eases pressure on provincial offices, and fits with upcoming EU border changes that will rely more on biometrics.

Why this matters

Until now, people living in Lower Silesia and travelers passing through Wrocław often had to book a trip to provincial offices for a regular passport and then return to collect it. The airport’s new issuance services shorten that journey by placing biometric capture equipment and document vetting inside the terminal’s public zone.

This setup lets travelers fit a crucial errand into a day of errands or a commute, while residents who aren’t flying can still access the same service without going to a separate government building across town.

Operations and opening hours

• Operator: Ministry of Interior and Administration
• On-site staffing and verification: Lower Silesian Voivodeship Office
• Location: Public area of the passenger terminal, next to the airport information desk
• Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The schedule is designed to cover morning and early afternoon airport traffic. People who encounter last‑minute problems—such as a lost passport or a mismatch discovered at check‑in—can apply for a temporary passport at the same counter with a valid airline ticket and proof of identity. Temporary documents are issued immediately and can be valid from one day up to one year, depending on travel needs.

How the service meets international and national standards

• Photos and fingerprints are captured to meet ICAO biometric guidelines, the baseline for secure machine‑readable travel documents used at border checks worldwide.
• Staff confirm identity and citizenship in national registers (e.g., PESEL and the Passport Documents Register).
• The service remains part of the national identity-document chain—run by the Ministry with verification from the Voivodeship Office—rather than an outsourced kiosk.

When the passport is ready, the holder returns to Wrocław Airport and collects it in the same public‑area office, avoiding previous back‑and‑forth.

“This is a practical modernization that supports both local residents and frequent flyers who rely on Wrocław as a regional hub.”

Demand, context and prior experience

Since airport counters began issuing temporary passports in Poland in 2023, more than 34,000 temporary documents have been produced nationwide. Wrocław’s step up to full biometric passport issuance builds on that record and gives people a permanent solution at the same place where urgent documents have long been handled.

Travel industry voices expect:
– Fewer bottlenecks
– Higher passenger satisfaction (especially for families and busy professionals)
– Reduced cancellations caused by document problems

Immigration lawyers and policy analysts see this change as part of a broader European trend toward biometric checks at borders. With the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) due to start checks on October 12, 2025 and roll out fully by April 2026, Polish passport issuance that matches those standards is timely. For official context, see the European Commission’s overview at the European Commission’s Entry/Exit System page.

Practical steps — what applicants should bring

• Valid identity document (e.g., national ID card or current passport)
• For temporary passport requests: valid airline ticket
• Plan for about seven business days processing for a biometric passport
• For urgent travel: temporary passports are issued immediately during weekday hours

Typical use cases

1. Business trip in two weeks:
   • Visit the public‑area office during weekday hours.
   • Provide fingerprints and photo on site.
   • Return in about one week to pick up the finished biometric passport.
2. Parent with a child who misplaces a passport the day before a flight:
   • Present a valid airline ticket and identity document.
   • Receive a temporary passport issued immediately (validity tailored to travel needs).

The airport setting saves time and reduces stress for both scenarios.

Benefits to the broader network

• Eases pressure on provincial offices, which often see surges before school holidays and peak months.
• Spreads queues and processing loads more evenly across the network.
• Airport‑based identity services often reduce turnaround by moving biometric capture closer to where people travel.
• The key difference at Wrocław is that the office completes the full chain: intake → biometric capture → collection.

Security and data handling

Biometric passports embed digital data that border checks use to confirm the holder matches the recorded enrollment. ICAO‑compliant images and fingerprints:
– Help guard against fraud
– Support automated checks at e‑gates
– Improve processing at Schengen and major hub borders

Security and privacy are maintained under the national framework, with trained staff following the same safeguards used in other issuance points.

Logistics, tips and important reminders

• The office is in the landside (public) zone, not behind security—so passengers with layovers can plan a stop if time allows.
• Early morning slots are popular with commuters and flight crews; late morning tends to have fewer walk‑in pressures.
• Check passport expiry well ahead of travel—many countries require six months’ validity beyond travel dates.
• When the EES begins, allow extra time at border control during initial rollout months.
• For emergencies, the temporary passport can be valid from 1 day to 365 days depending on travel plans.

Contact and further information

• Phone: +48 532 691 571
• Airport information page: airport.wroclaw.pl/en/temporary-passport-at-wroclaw-airport/

Governance and potential expansion

• The Ministry runs the service; the Lower Silesian Voivodeship Office handles staffing and verification.
• This keeps the process within the national identity-document chain and maintains consistent standards and privacy protections.
• If Wrocław’s pilot meets expectations, other major airports (Warsaw, Kraków, Katowice, Gdańsk) that already handle high volumes of temporary passports could be candidates for future rollouts.

Who benefits

• Students studying abroad, retirees visiting family overseas, and cross‑border workers with restrictive schedules
• People with mobility challenges who prefer barrier‑free access
• Families who already use the airport for travel and can combine tasks with trips
• Small businesses and professionals who need efficient, reliable document services

Final takeaway

Bringing passport issuance into an airport setting blends security, convenience, and policy goals into a single counter in a familiar building. Wrocław Airport’s public‑area, weekday service—complete with on‑site biometric capture and later collection—creates a local change with national importance. Other airports will likely watch closely as EU systems like the EES come online and daily travel needs continue to grow.