Poland's Border Guard breaks up group accused of selling fake student certificates to foreigners
Polish border officers say a group sold forged student-status certificates in the names of Ukrainian universities and Polish schools, which foreigners allegedly used to obtain residence and work permits. Charges have been brought against 23 people.
Poland's Border Guard says it has dismantled a group accused of supplying forged student certificates to foreigners seeking residence and work permits, according to reports by RMF24, citing the Polish Press Agency, and UA News on 29 October 2026.
Officers from the Border Guard post at Rzeszów-Jasionka in south-eastern Poland led the investigation. A Border Guard spokesperson for the Bieszczady division gave details of the case.
The alleged scheme
According to the reports, the group operated across Poland from June 2022 until the end of 2025. It allegedly produced certificates confirming that foreigners were studying at five Ukrainian higher education institutions or attending two post-secondary schools in Piotrków Trybunalski, Poland.
The documents were reportedly sold for between 230 and 800 zloty per document or package, including a Polish translation. Investigators say they were submitted to voivodeship (regional government) offices in Rzeszów and Łódź in support of residence and work permit applications. RMF24 reported that the certificates were used by people under 26, an age group for which student status exempts employers from some social security contributions.
Arrests, seizures and charges
Officers searched six premises in several cities, including Warsaw and Kraków. Three Ukrainian citizens were detained in late 2025, among them a 42-year-old man described as the group's leader, and further detentions followed. Investigators seized 87,000 zloty in cash and traced about 1.2 million zloty to the suspected leader's bank accounts.
Charges have been brought against 19 Ukrainian citizens, three Moldovan citizens and one Georgian citizen, as well as foreigners who allegedly used the forged documents. The suspected leader has been charged with directing an organised criminal group. The allegations have not been tested in court.
Why it matters
Student status is a common route to legal residence in many European countries, and enrolment letters are rarely checked with the issuing institution at the point of application. Immigration offices and employers can reduce the risk by confirming enrolment directly with the named university or school, using contact details from the institution's official website rather than the document itself. Prospective students should treat any offer to supply enrolment papers without genuine admission as a warning sign.
This News Desk report summarises information published by the sources above, written in our own words. Persons named in criminal matters are accused, not convicted, unless a court has ruled otherwise. To report an error, use our contact page.
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