Do you need a passport to go to Auschwitz Birkenau?

Basic information on entry procedures:

Visiting Auschwitz Concentration Camp is of immense historical, educational and emotional significance. It witnessed one of the most cruel and tragic scenes of the Holocaust and Nazi mass extermination.

The memorial enables people to reflect on history, the Holocaust and human suffering. Indeed, many people believe that by visiting this place, it is possible to understand the past better and learn valuable lessons about tolerance, respect and the significance of preventing violence and persecution.

How to prepare for a visit without encountering obstacles during your Auschwitz tour?

Identity verification: documents required to enter Auschwitz

A passport or other valid identity document is typically required to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. This is due to security procedures and access control to this historical site.

Visitors should have identity documents that confirm their identity and nationality. The passport is the most commonly accepted identity document for non-Polish visitors, but other valid identity documents may also be accepted, as laid down in the regulations.

Other documents are also accepted, including a driving licence and any other documents with a photo or a student ID card.

In case of any doubt, you can check with us to get the most up-to-date information on the documentary requirements before your scheduled visit.

What does a visit to Auschwitz look like?

The site comprises several buildings and areas that are open to visitors. Here are the main facilities that can be visited:

Auschwitz I: This is the main death camp, which includes several buildings such as the barracks blocks, which were used for imprisonment and torture, gas chambers where mass executions and the burning of bodies were carried out, and other administrative buildings.

Auschwitz II Birkenau: This is a vast area, a few kilometres from Auschwitz I, which was used as an extermination camp. This area features vast fields of barracks, the prisoner transport railway, train tracks, the ruins of the crematoria and the symbolic ruins of the railway ramp where prisoners were unloaded. Auschwitz II Birkenau camps represent further evidence of human suffering, where people died.

Auschwitz Museum: In addition to the buildings, the Auschwitz-Birkenau complex itself contains a museum that collects documentation, artefacts and photographs relating to the history of the camp. This museum helps to understand the context and the tragedies that took place there. Therefore, it is advisable to wear comfortable shoes.

All of the above can be viewed during a guided tour so that all detailed information and significant facts are provided to you.