Do I have to apply for international protection if I would like to stay in Poland?

No, you do not. If you have arrived in Poland on February 24, 2022 or later, you are covered by temporary protection if you are: – a citizen of Ukraine, – a person with refugee status/international protection in Ukraine, – a member of immediate family of one the aforementioned persons. 

You may also be granted temporary protection if you have a permanent residence permit in Ukraine and cannot safely return to your country. Depending on whether you entered Poland legally and whether you are a Ukrainian citizen or a third-country national, your rights and the period of your legal stay will be determined differently: on the basis of the Act on Assistance to Foreigners in the Territory of the Republic of Poland or the Act on Assistance to Citizens of Ukraine in Connection with the Armed Conflict in the Territory of Ukraine. For more information, visit: https://ukraina.interwencjaprawna.pl/the-act-on-assistance-for-ukrainian-citizens/ If you are a third-country national who does not belong to any of the aforementioned categories, see the possibilities of legalizing your stay in Poland at: https://ukraina.interwencjaprawna.pl/options-for-third-country-nationals-other-than-ukrainian-citizens-residing-in-poland-on-a-15-day-permit/