In order to legally live and work in Poland, a foreigner must obtain a temporary residence and work permit. This can be done in two ways:
Personally:
- The application for a permit must be submitted on the last day of legal stay in Poland.
- The application is submitted to the voivode competent for the foreigner’s place of residence.
- When submitting your application, you must take your fingerprints and present the original of your valid passport.
- A temporary residence and work permit is issued for a period of 3 months to 3 years. It is possible to extend the permit.
Electronically:
- The possibility of submitting an application online depends on the voivode. Please check this option on the website of the voivodeship office.
- The rules for submitting an application, required documents and the duration of the permit are the same as in the case of submitting an application in person.
Remember that before leaving for Poland, you should check the current requirements and procedures for applying for a temporary residence and work permit. This information can be found on the websites of Polish offices or at Polish embassies/consulates in the foreigner’s country of residence.
Also check out:
Additional information:
- A foreigner may apply for a temporary residence and work permit in order to perform specific work for a specific employer.
- There are also other types of temporary residence permits, e.g. for education, studies, or running a business.
- A foreigner who stays in Poland for more than 90 days is obliged to register at the place of stay.
Necessary documents for submitting an application for a temporary residence and work permit:
3 copies of the completed application – remember to sign each copy!
4 current photos, dimensions 35 mm x 45 mm – colorful, on a light background, with the oval of the face visible.
2 photocopies of a valid travel document (original to be presented when submitting the application).
Confirmation of payment of the stamp duty – check the current amount of the fee on the website of the voivodeship office.
Documents confirming the circumstances indicated in the application:
Information from the starosta on the lack of contraindications to the stay of a foreigner on the territory of Poland (original). You may be exempt from this obligation if, for example, you have an EU Permanent Residence Card.
Documents confirming having health insurance or covering the costs of treatment in the territory of the Republic of Poland. This may be, for example, an insurance policy, a contract with a health care facility, or an employment certificate.
Documents confirming residence in Poland. This may be, for example, a rental agreement, lending agreement, registration confirmation, hotel reservation. Certificate of no tax arrears – applies to persons running a business in Poland.
Employment certificate from your last employer (if you previously worked in Poland).
Documents confirming having a source of stable and regular income. The amount you need to prove depends on your family situation (check the current thresholds on the website of the provincial office). Documents confirming income include, for example, an employment contract, a PIT return, a certificate from the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS).
Remember:
- The attached documents should be translated into Polish, unless they are prepared in Polish, English, French, German, Spanish or Italian.
- Translations of documents must be made by a sworn translator.
- Original documents must be presented when submitting the application.
Fees
When submitting the application, a stamp duty of PLN 440 is payable
For issuing a temporary residence and work permit to a foreigner holding a position on the management board of a limited liability company. or a joint-stock company in which it does not have shares, a stamp duty of PLN 340 is charged.
The fee for issuing a residence card is PLN 50 (fee upon receipt of the decision)
A foreigner who has received a temporary residence permit on the territory of Poland also receives a residence card. A residence card is a document confirming the identity of a foreigner during his or her stay in Poland. It entitles a foreigner to repeatedly cross the Polish border without the need for a visa, provided that it is presented together with a valid travel document.
Additional obligations of a foreigner after obtaining a permit
Within 15 business days of losing a job with one of the employers listed in the permit, the foreigner is obliged to submit a written notification of this fact to the voivode who issued the permit.
If a foreigner plans to change the employer listed in the current permit, it is necessary to obtain a new temporary residence and work permit.
If a foreigner intends to take on a different role or work under different conditions than those included in the current uniform permit, or if he or she wants to work for another employer – if he or she is employed as a temporary employee – he or she should submit an application for a change of permit.
ATTENTION!
Replacing a civil law contract indicated in the permit with an employment contract does not require notifying the voivode or changing or issuing a new temporary residence and work permit.