Home > INTERPOL Red Notice Lawyer in PolandINTERPOL Red Notice Lawyer in Poland
An INTERPOL Red Notice can create legal risks for a person living in, entering or travelling through Poland, but it is not an international arrest warrant. It is a request to law-enforcement authorities to locate and provisionally arrest a wanted person pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action. Poland applies its own law when deciding what action can be taken.
Our lawyers assist clients affected by Red Notices in Poland by reviewing the international alert, the underlying foreign proceedings and any related extradition or surrender process. Where the INTERPOL data itself may be non-compliant, a separate challenge can be considered before the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files.
How Does INTERPOL Work in Poland?
Poland’s National Central Bureau is located in Warsaw and operates within the International Police Cooperation Bureau of the Polish National Police Headquarters.
NCB Warsaw connects Polish law-enforcement authorities with INTERPOL and other National Central Bureaus for the exchange of international criminal information. INTERPOL states that national and border police in Poland have access to its databases concerning wanted persons, stolen passports and stolen vehicles.
This makes INTERPOL information operationally relevant to police and border checks in Poland.
However, INTERPOL itself does not arrest people. Any enforcement action in Poland must be taken by Polish authorities under the applicable national or international legal framework.
Is an INTERPOL Red Notice a Warrant in Poland?
No.
Queries such as “INTERPOL warrant” are common, but legally a Red Notice should not be described as an international arrest warrant.
A Red Notice is based on an underlying arrest warrant or judicial decision issued by the requesting country. INTERPOL then circulates a request asking member countries to locate and provisionally arrest the person for extradition, surrender or similar action.
This distinction matters in Poland because several separate instruments may exist at the same time:
- a foreign national arrest warrant;
- an INTERPOL Red Notice;
- a European Arrest Warrant;
- a formal extradition request.
The legal effect of each instrument must be assessed separately.
What Should Be Reviewed in a Polish Red Notice Case?
The first step is to establish exactly why the person is internationally wanted and what legal measures already exist.
Our lawyers review:
- the requesting country;
- the underlying warrant or court judgment;
- the offence and alleged individual conduct;
- whether an EAW or extradition request also exists;
- the accuracy and purpose of the INTERPOL data;
- relevant national court decisions;
- the person’s nationality and residence status; and
- whether a challenge before INTERPOL may be appropriate.
This prevents a Red Notice from being treated as if it automatically determines what Polish authorities must do.
Can a Red Notice Be Challenged From Poland?
Yes.
A person living in Poland can request access to, correction of or deletion of personal data processed through INTERPOL by applying to the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files.
Since 26 March 2026, CCF requests must be submitted through INTERPOL’s secure online portal.
Possible compliance issues depend on the individual case and may concern the accuracy or relevance of the information, the continued purpose of processing, the nature of the underlying proceedings or other requirements of INTERPOL’s legal framework.
The CCF does not decide whether the applicant committed the underlying offence. It reviews whether INTERPOL’s processing of personal data complies with the Organization’s rules.
Where the principal objective is deletion of the Red Notice rather than assessment of its consequences in Poland, our Red Notice removal lawyers can assist with that separate procedure.
Red Notice vs European Arrest Warrant in Poland
A Red Notice and a European Arrest Warrant are different mechanisms.
The Red Notice operates through international police cooperation. An EAW is an EU judicial surrender mechanism used between Member States.
Poland actively uses the EAW system for surrender between EU countries, and Polish legislation regulates how these requests are handled.
A person may therefore face both an INTERPOL alert and a separate European Arrest Warrant.
Challenging or deleting the INTERPOL data does not automatically cancel an EAW. Conversely, the outcome of an EAW proceeding does not automatically determine whether INTERPOL should retain the Red Notice.
Does Polish Citizenship Prevent Extradition?
Polish citizenship can be legally important, but it should not be treated as an absolute guarantee against surrender or extradition.
Article 55 of the Polish Constitution states that extradition of a Polish citizen is prohibited subject to specified exceptions. Among other things, extradition may be permitted where the applicable basis derives from a ratified international agreement or legislation implementing an act of an international organisation of which Poland is a member, subject to constitutional conditions.
Article 55 also provides that extradition is prohibited where it concerns a person suspected of a non-violent offence committed for political reasons or where extradition would violate constitutional freedoms and human rights. A court decides whether extradition is admissible.
The effect of nationality therefore has to be assessed against the particular surrender or extradition mechanism involved.
What Happens if Extradition Proceedings Begin in Poland?
An INTERPOL challenge and a Polish extradition case are separate proceedings.
A CCF application concerns the lawfulness of data processed through INTERPOL. Polish courts apply the national, EU and international rules governing surrender or extradition.
Removing a Red Notice does not itself cancel:
- the underlying foreign arrest warrant;
- an EAW;
- the foreign criminal proceedings;
- a formal extradition request already submitted to Poland.
Where a national surrender or extradition procedure is active, our international extradition lawyers can assess that process separately from the INTERPOL challenge.
Legal Help With an INTERPOL Red Notice in Poland
A Red Notice matter in Poland may involve INTERPOL, NCB Warsaw, Polish police or border authorities, a foreign requesting state and, in some cases, Polish courts.
Our role is to identify which legal issue belongs before which authority.
We review the Red Notice and underlying criminal case, assess the possible consequences in Poland and determine whether action should be taken through INTERPOL, through Polish proceedings, or through both processes in parallel.
If an INTERPOL Red Notice is affecting you in Poland, contact our team for a confidential assessment of the available legal options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Polish border police see a Red Notice that is not published on INTERPOL’s website?
Yes. The majority of Red Notices are restricted to law-enforcement use and are not published publicly. INTERPOL states that Poland’s NCB in Warsaw has given national and border police access to INTERPOL databases on wanted persons, so the absence of a public Red Notice does not mean that no INTERPOL data exists.
Can I challenge a Red Notice before I am detained in Poland?
Yes. A CCF request concerning access, correction or deletion of INTERPOL data does not depend on a prior arrest in Poland. The CCF deals specifically with data processed in the INTERPOL Information System and can review that data independently of any national detention or extradition proceeding.
Can a CCF decision be reviewed if new evidence appears later?
Yes, but this is not a normal appeal. A revision request must be based on a newly discovered fact that could probably have led the CCF to a different conclusion. The application should generally be made within six months after discovery of that new fact.
