diff --git a/docs/RELEASE_PROCESS.md b/docs/RELEASE_PROCESS.md
index 1252a4a..86438c7 100644
--- a/docs/RELEASE_PROCESS.md
+++ b/docs/RELEASE_PROCESS.md
@@ -367,6 +367,37 @@ bash -n install.sh
 ./install.sh --help | grep -- --tag
 ```
 
+### Upstream Fix Intake (Cherry-Pick Policy)
+
+Upstream Vocalinux fixes enter this fork only as hand cherry-picks: taken at
+defined sync points, never as continuous tracking and never as wholesale
+merges. Like every other change, each port goes through the pull request flow
+with the standard test, lint, and type gates. Never land one as a direct or
+bot commit to `main`, and follow the worktree rules in `AGENTS.md` (one
+worktree per branch, every change via a pull request, never commit on `main`
+— only the pull request base changes).
+
+- **When intake happens.** At each release-preparation cycle, while working
+  through the steps above on the release-prep branch, plus on demand for
+  critical fixes: crashes, data loss, and security issues. Critical fixes
+  follow the Emergency Hotfix Process below.
+- **When intake freezes.** Intake freezes once the release branch opens
+  (Step 6). After the freeze, only justified release-blockers are admitted;
+  everything else waits for the next cycle.
+- **One upstream fix per pull request.** Each port is its own pull request,
+  referencing both the upstream fix and the fork issue/PR numbers.
+- **How conflicts resolve.** Keep the upstream logic and re-apply the fork's
+  renames on top. Conflicts concentrate at the renamed user-visible surfaces
+  (application name, entry points, desktop and D-Bus identity, configuration
+  and data directories, package, website) precisely because the internal
+  Python module name stays `vocalinux` as a retained internal name — that
+  split is what keeps hand cherry-picks nearly conflict-free everywhere else.
+  Upstream URLs and changelog history stay untouched for provenance.
+- **What qualifies.** Fixes and documentation that changes user instructions
+  port. Features are re-decided per release, not ported automatically.
+  Dependency and CI churn ports only when a security advisory names it.
+  Out-of-scope material is dropped at triage.
+
 ### Step 6: Create Release Branch and PR
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/tests/test_upstream_intake_policy.py b/tests/test_upstream_intake_policy.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cb672df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_upstream_intake_policy.py
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+"""The release documentation carries the upstream-fix intake policy.
+
+Ticket #30 (spec #16): the fork's upstream-intake rule must live where
+maintainers run releases from, not only on a decision ticket. A maintainer
+following only docs/RELEASE_PROCESS.md must be able to state when intake
+happens, when it freezes, what qualifies, and how conflicts resolve.
+"""
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+RELEASE_PROCESS = REPO_ROOT / "docs" / "RELEASE_PROCESS.md"
+
+
+def _policy() -> str:
+    assert RELEASE_PROCESS.is_file(), "docs/RELEASE_PROCESS.md is missing"
+    return RELEASE_PROCESS.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+
+
+def test_policy_states_when_intake_happens() -> None:
+    policy = _policy()
+    assert "release-preparation" in policy or "release preparation" in policy
+    assert "on demand" in policy or "on-demand" in policy
+
+
+def test_policy_states_freeze_once_release_branch_opens() -> None:
+    policy = _policy()
+    assert "freeze" in policy.lower()
+    assert "release branch" in policy.lower()
+    assert "release-blocker" in policy or "release blocker" in policy
+
+
+def test_policy_states_one_fix_per_pull_request_through_standard_gates() -> None:
+    policy = _policy()
+    assert "one upstream fix per" in policy.lower() or "one upstream fix" in policy.lower()
+    assert "pull request" in policy.lower()
+
+
+def test_policy_states_conflict_resolution() -> None:
+    policy = _policy()
+    assert "keep" in policy.lower() and "upstream" in policy.lower()
+    assert "re-apply" in policy.lower() or "reapply" in policy.lower()
+
+
+def test_policy_states_qualification_rule() -> None:
+    policy = _policy()
+    lowered = policy.lower()
+    assert "security advisory" in lowered  # dependency/CI churn ports only then
+    assert "re-decided" in lowered  # features are re-decided per release
+    assert "triage" in lowered  # out-of-scope material is dropped at triage
+
+
+def test_policy_names_retained_internal_module_name() -> None:
+    policy = _policy()
+    assert "vocalinux" in policy
+    assert "internal" in policy.lower()
+
+
+def test_policy_keeps_pull_request_flow_and_never_commit_to_main() -> None:
+    policy = _policy().lower()
+    assert "pull request" in policy
+    assert "never" in policy and "main" in policy