Starting February 1, 2026, new rules will apply to part of the Ukrainian community in Poland under the Rodzina 800+ program. It is important to understand: this is not a “cancellation of 800+,” but rather a verification of eligibility and a requirement to reapply for a specific group — Ukrainian citizens with UKR status. The Polish Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) has officially announced that payments for this group will be suspended on January 31, 2026, and to continue receiving benefits, a new/updated application must be submitted from February 1 with expanded data.
In this article — explained simply: who will be affected, what must be confirmed, which documents and data to prepare, key deadlines, and how to avoid losing payments due to minor mistakes.
Tell us: how many children you have, your status (PESEL UKR or other), whether your child attends school in Poland, and whether you work or run a business — we will explain what to prepare and how to submit your application correctly.
Who Will Be Affected by the Changes from February 1, 2026?
The new rules from February 1, 2026 apply to Ukrainians with UKR status (i.e., persons staying in Poland due to the war and holding a PESEL number marked “UKR”). According to ZUS, the changes will affect approximately 150,000 people.
The key point: this is not a general reform of 800+ for everyone, but a targeted change specifically for the UKR group, requiring submission of a new application with additional confirmations.
What Will Change: Summary of the New Requirements
ZUS has clearly stated that from February 1, 2026, the scope of mandatory data in the application will change. The most important elements are resubmission of the application and confirmation of eligibility conditions.
In the new application, you will need to provide or confirm, among other things:
- PESEL numbers of the applicant and the child (mandatory);
- information on border crossings;
- legal stay in Poland;
- fulfillment of the activity requirement (employment/work — referred to by ZUS as “warunek aktywności zawodowej”);
- a declaration that the child attends a school or kindergarten in Poland;
- new questions regarding the child’s disability (if applicable).
An Important Detail Many Overlook: School Attendance in Poland
Even before February 2026, an important rule applied: families receive 800+ for a child only if the child physically attends a Polish school or kindergarten (not just online education in Ukraine). Polish media have reported on this based on ZUS practice.
In 2026, this requirement becomes even more formalized: it is now explicitly included in the structure of the new application as a mandatory declaration.
What Does the “Activity Requirement” Mean and How to Prepare?
One of the most sensitive new conditions is confirmation of the applicant’s activity. In practice, this means the state wants to see that the parent (applicant) is genuinely integrated into the labor market or engaged in legal economic activity in Poland.
ZUS emphasizes that this requirement must be confirmed in the new application.
Deadlines: When to Apply to Avoid Losing Payments
ZUS announced that 800+ payments for UKR will be suspended on January 31, 2026, and new applications will open on February 1.
Polish media and legal portals highlight an important practical detail: to maintain continuity of payments, applications typically must be submitted within the established deadlines (often mentioned as “by the end of April” to avoid payment interruption).
The best strategy is not to delay: submit your application as soon as the new period opens and carefully check all data for accuracy.
How to Submit the Application: Practical Steps
Applications for 800+ are submitted electronically (standard procedure for the program). After February 1, 2026, you must not simply “update” your previous application informally — you must submit a new one including the new mandatory fields and confirmations.
Before applying, make sure to:
- verify PESEL numbers of both applicant and child (no digit errors);
- prepare information about entry/border crossings (dates and logic);
- check your legal status and validity of documents;
- prepare confirmation of employment/activity (work/business);
- be ready to confirm that the child attends school/kindergarten in Poland.
The VisaV.pl team can help you structure your case step by step: what to prepare based on your status and family situation, so your application process is smooth and stress-free.
After a short consultation, you will clearly understand whether the changes apply to you, what exactly needs to be confirmed, and which data to prepare for the new application from February 1, 2026.
