In this article some important issues faced by Poland as a country hosting asylum seekers are pointed out. It also describes factors influencing process of asylum seekers' integration to the hosting society. Peculiarity of the Polish situation is constituted by the nationality of asylum seekers. Since 2000 Russian citizens of Chechen origins have dominated the flow and they constitute approximately 90% of applicants for refugee status. Almost none of them is left without any form of international protection – majority is granted tolerated stay. For majority of Chechens Poland is the first safe country on their route to Western Europe. Therefore they apply for refugee status here but they treat it only as a transfer country.