A 54-year-old American woman’s trip to Poland took an unexpected turn when border officials at Kraków-Balice Airport refused her entry because of handwritten notes in her passport. The incident happened on January 8 after the woman arrived on a flight from London and went through passport control.
Traveller’s Notes in Passport Lead to Denied Entry at Polish Border
To their surprise, border guards discovered that nine pages of her passport were filled with handwritten notes she had added under official border stamps. The notes detailed countries she had visited and the names of airports she had travelled through. According to Justyna Drożdż from Poland’s Border Guard, these personal annotations made the passport invalid for travel.
The woman, who claimed she didn’t realize writing in her passport was a problem, was questioned by officials. However, the rules left no room for compromise—her altered passport couldn’t be accepted, so she was denied entry into Poland. She will now have to wait at the airport until she can fly back to London.
Polish Border Guard Warns: Keep Your Passport Untouched to Avoid Travel Issues
The Polish Border Guard used the opportunity to remind travellers about the importance of keeping travel documents in proper condition. They stressed that even seemingly minor changes, like personal notes, can lead to major issues when crossing borders.