FAQ

The National Court Register is a centralised, computerised database consisting of three separate registers:

• - register of entrepreneurs,
• - register of associations, other social and professional organisations, foundations and public health care institutions,
• - register of insolvent debtors.
  
  The purpose of the National Court Register is to provide universal access to quick and reliable information about the legal status of the registered entity (Central Information of the National Court Register), the most important elements of its financial situation and the method of its representation.

 

Everyone has the right to view the data entered in the register. KRS is available at: https://wyszukiwarka-krs.ms.gov.pl/

 

Central Information of the National Court Register

Czerniakowska 100, 00-454 Warszawa

working hours: Monday-Friday 8:15 a.m.-4:15 p.m.

mobile: 880 524 721/phone: 22 397 65 15

The foreigner’s stay in Poland is uninterrupted if none of the interruptions exceeded 6 months and all interruptions did not exceed 10 months in total during the period in question, except for the following cases:

- when the interruption was related to the foreigner’s performance of professional duties or work outside Poland on the basis of a contract concluded with an employer whose head office is located in the territory of the Republic of Poland;

- accompanying the aforementioned foreigner by their spouse or minor child;

- or a special personal situation requiring residence outside Poland for a period not exceeding 6 months;

- or departure of a foreigner from Poland for the purpose of an internship or participation in classes provided for in the curriculum of a Polish university.

Any person staying in Poland for more than 30 days should remember about the residence registration obligation. This applies to both Polish citizens and foreigners.

Registration can be done in the city (municipality) office having jurisdiction over the foreigner’s place of residence. Registration is free, and the residence registration certificate costs PLN 17. Residence registration certificate is issued immediately.

You can register for permanent or temporary residence.

 

What documents should be prepared to register for temporary residence:

• - temporary residence application form,
• - valid travel document,
• - document confirming your legal stay in Poland (e.g. visa, residence card)
• - document confirming that you have legal title to the apartment where you want to register (lease agreement, copy of the land and mortgage register, administrative decision)

To register for permanent residency, you must stay in Poland on the basis of one of the following documents:

• - a residence card issued in connection with the granting of a permanent residence permit, a EU long-term residence permit, a residence permit for humanitarian reasons, subsidiary protection, or the granting of refugee status in Poland,
• - a tolerated stay permit,
• - a permanent residence permit,
• - a EU long-term residence permit,
• - a decision to grant refugee status in the Republic of Poland, to grant subsidiary protection in the Republic of Poland, a residence permit for humanitarian reasons, or a tolerated stay permit;

A foreigner, wishing to enter Poland, must have a return ticket to the country of origin or residence or funds to cover the cost of returning to the country of origin or residence in an amount equal to the cost of the ticket.

The amount of these funds may not be less than:

PLN 200 for a foreigner arriving from a country neighbouring Poland;

PLN 500 for a foreigner from a European country;

PLN 2,500 for a foreigner from a third non-European country (or the equivalent amount in foreign currency).

Stable and regular income are regularly earned amounts of the minimum required amount that must be demonstrated when applying for a certain type of residence permit. If you stay in Poland alone, the minimum amount is PLN 776 net per month. In the case of a person staying with a family, the minimum amount is PLN 600 net per month . Documents confirming a stable and regular income are, for example, an employment contract, an income certificate, a tax return for the previous calendar year, or a statement indicating the amount of income earned. The income must come from a legitimate source.

 

The photographs attached to the application must meet the following criteria: they must be undamaged, in colour, and well-focused; have dimensions of 35 mm x 45 mm; be taken no earlier than 6 months before the date of application; show the foreigner’s face from the top of the head to the upper part of the shoulders, with the face occupying 70-80% of the photograph; be on a uniform light-coloured background; show the person looking straight ahead with eyes open, hair uncovered, with a natural facial expression and closed mouth, and depicting the natural colour of their skin; clearly show the foreigner’s eyes, especially the pupils, with the line of the foreigner’s eyes being parallel to the upper edge of the photograph.

Note: A foreigner wearing headgear in accordance with the rules of their religion may attach to the application a photograph showing them wearing headgear, as long as their face is fully visible. In this case, the application shall be accompanied by a statement of the foreigner’s affiliation with the religious community.

This certificate confirms the current tax situation.

You can apply for a certificate:

• - when the law requires official confirmation of the absence of arrears or the status of tax arrears
• - to confirm the absence of arrears or the status of tax arrears due to your legal interest.

An application for a certificate can be submitted to the tax office at any time.

The application can be submitted electronically (e-Tax Office, e-PUAP) or on paper (in person or by mail)

Applications and certificates submitted on paper or via e-PUAP are subject to a stamp duty of PLN 21.

The certificate is issued within 7 days.

A fee reduction (of 50%) for the issuance or replacement of a residence card is available to foreigners:

• - who are in a difficult financial situation;
• - whose purpose of stay is to receive education in a secondary school or higher education institution in the territory of the Republic of Poland;
• - who are minors under 16 years of age on the date of application for the document.

 

To apply for payment relief, you need to prepare:

• - certificate of the competent social welfare authority on the use of cash benefits from social welfare at any given time;
• - a certificate confirming that you are studying at a secondary school or higher education institution at the time;
• - a copy of the birth certificate of a minor foreigner, and if it cannot be obtained – a travel document or other identity document confirming the age of the minor foreigner.

 

The labour market test is a document that the employer can obtain from the district labour office with jurisdiction over the place of work. If it is difficult to determine the main place of work, the labour market test is issued by the staroste competent for the seat or place of residence of the employer.  The document specifies the number of people, entered in the register of unemployed and job seekers, who meet the conditions required for the position. In order to obtain a work permit or a temporary residence and work permit, the employer must demonstrate that it cannot meet its staffing needs based on these records. The working conditions specified in the labour market test, i.e. the type of contract, salary, working hours and position, must coincide with those specified by the employer in the application for a work permit or in Appendix 1 to the application for a temporary residence permit. The labour market test cannot be issued earlier than 180 days before the application for a work/residence permit is submitted. Only the original copy of this document shall be submitted.

 

Not all individuals are required to provide a labour market test. Those exempted include, for example:

 

- persons performing work on the list of shortage professions specified by the voivode’s regulation (the list of professions exempt from the need to obtain labour market test varies depending on the voivodeship);

- persons performing a profession exempted under the regulation of the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy

 

or

 

• - citizens of Ukraine legally residing in Poland
• - full-time students at a Polish university,
• - graduates of full-time studies at a Polish university,
• - graduates of a secondary school completed in the territory of Poland,
• - citizens of the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Georgia, the Republic of Moldova who perform work on the basis of a statement of entrustment of work for the same employer, in the same position, for a period of min. 3 months immediately before applying for temporary residence and work, on the basis of an employment contract and under the conditions specified in this statement (does not apply to seasonal work),
• - foreigners residing continuously and legally in Poland for at least 3 years before submitting the application,
• - graduates of a Polish university or a university in another country of the EEA area or the Swiss Confederation who have completed these studies within the 3 years preceding the application,

 

or

 

 

• - foreigners who, immediately prior to the submission of the application, held a work permit or a temporary residence and work permit with the same employer in the same position, or obtained a work permit or a temporary residence and work permit with the same employer in the same position already after the submission of the application and held them on the date of adjudication on the granting of a temporary residence and work permit
• - persons holding Pole’s Card [Karta Polaka],

 

or foreigners. Who will work as:

 

• - domestic help or will perform nursing and care work for individuals in the household,
• - sports coach or athlete, performing work for sports clubs and other entities whose statutory activities include the dissemination of physical culture and sports,
• - a doctor/dentist undergoing training or pursuing a specialisation program, based on the regulations on the specialisation of doctors and dentists.

The Polish Classification of Business Activities (PKD) is an orderly grouping of business types, industries or sectors. In it, each entrepreneur should find the code that best describes their own business.

The obligation to use PKD codes applies to:

• - persons engaged in sole proprietorship, registered in CEIDG (Central Register and Information on Economic Activity)
• - entities required to be registered in the National Court Register (KRS), that is, for example, partnerships, companies, cooperatives, foundations.

PKD codes should already be provided when you register your company, both in the application for entry into CEIDG (Central Register and Information on Economic Activity) and when you register a partnership or a limited liability company in the National Court Register (KRS). These codes are the basis for assigning a REGON number by the statistical office.

To find the code for your business, use the PKD code search engine on Biznes.gov.pl Home | Business.gov.pl - Information and services website for entrepreneurs

 

Regulated profession - a profession, the practice of which is allowed only after meeting the requirements set by law (e.g., passing an exam, completing the required professional practice, obtaining registration, completing the appropriate education or training)

Such professions in Poland include: lawyer, attorney, architect, doctor, nurse, midwife, dentist, dental assistant, psychologist, physiotherapist, paramedic, pharmacist, tower crane operator and many others.

Check the database of regulated professions to see if your profession is regulated in Poland. You will also learn which institution grants the right to exercise it.

While I’m waiting for my permit to be granted, can I go home or take a trip to another Schengen country for a few days?

If you are waiting for a residence permit to be granted, you can leave for your country at any time, but keep in mind that in order to re-enter Poland you must meet the general entry requirements, that is, have a valid visa or be entitled to a visa-free entry, and not exceed the previously permitted period of stay in the Schengen area, which is 90 days in any 180-day period.

If you would like to go to another Schengen country for a few days (e.g. Germany, France, Czech Republic, Austria), you must remember that your stay while waiting for a residence permit is considered legal only in Poland. The stamp placed in your passport does not entitle you to legally leave Poland and stay in another Schengen country. If you leave, you must have a valid visa, unless you are entitled to a visa-free stay in the Schengen area and you have not yet exceeded the permitted period of stay, which is 90 days in any 180-day period. However, remember that a stay in Poland is always a stay in the Schengen area.

According to Article 2(1)(21b) of the Act, the entity entrusting the performance of work to a foreigner is an organisational unit, even if it does not have legal personality, or a natural person who entrusts the performance of work to a foreigner on the basis of a contract or other legal relationship.

 

Depending on the type of contract, the entity entrusting the performance of work is

 

• - If it is an employment contract - the employer;
• - if it is a mandate contract - the principal;
• - in the case of a specific work contract - the ordering party.

Yes, you can apply for a long-term residence permit. The voivodeship office will verify whether your average income for the past year, when converted into a 12-month period, was not less than the required income for that period. Currently, the required minimum income is PLN 600 net for a family member and PLN 776 net for a single person.

Gross remuneration is the total amount an employee earns, depending on the type of contract they have with their employer. Net remuneration, on the other hand, is the amount you will receive from your employer at the end of the pay period, after certain contributions, funds (if applicable) and tax have been deducted from the gross amount. The document you sign before you start work will include the gross amount, regardless of whether you enter into a contract of employment, a contract for specific work or a mandate contract.

Gross vs. net remuneration - the difference between the two is due to the deduction of advance personal income tax payments and, in the case of employment contracts and mandate contracts, social security and health insurance contributions.

Below you will find links to sites where you can quickly and easily calculate the net amount of your salary:

Salary calculator – taking into account the assumptions of the Polish Order – Kalkulatory.gofin.pl – GOFIN Wydawnictwo Podatkowe

Calculator database – VAT, remuneration, gross net calculator – INFOR.pl

Gross-net salary (wages) calculator – Bankier.pl

Albania (only for biometric passport holders), Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina (only for biometric passport holders), Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Montenegro (only for biometric passport holders), Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Grenada, Georgia (only for biometric passport holders), Guatemala, Spain, Honduras, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of the PRC), Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Canada, Kiribati, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, North Macedonia (only for biometric passport holders), Macao (PRC Special Administrative Region), Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova (for biometric passport holders only), Monaco, the Netherlands, Germany, Nicaragua, Norway, New Zealand, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Romania, El Salvador, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia (only for biometric passport holders), Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, St. Lucia, St. Pierre and Miquelon, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan (only for holders of passports with ID number), East Timor, Tonga, Tuvalu, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine (only for holders of biometric passports), Uruguay, USA, Vatican City, Venezuela, Hungary, Italy, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, São Tomé and Príncipe, Vanuatu, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Within 3 days of losing the document, notify the voivode who issued your residency card. You can find the form for reporting lost or damaged documents HERE.  

 

Also report the theft/loss of the card at the nearest Police Station. To get a new card apply for a replacement/issue of a residence card.

What documents should be submitted:

- application;

- 2 photographs;

- a photocopy of a valid travel document;

- confirmation of payment for replacement of residence card;

- confirmation of registration for permanent or temporary residence of more than 2 months;

- report on the loss of the residence card issued by the Police unit (optional) or statement of the Foreigner concerning the circumstances of loss/damage of the residence card made under pain of criminal liability

- a photocopy of the decision to grant a residence permit in Poland;

- a photocopy of the most recently held residency card.

Fee for issuance of residence card:

- PLN 100

- PLN 200 in the case of culpable loss or culpable damage

- PLN 300 in the case of another culpable loss or another culpable damage.

The residence card is replaced within 30 days of receipt of the complete set of documents. In a situation where the current residence card has been issued by another voivode, the procedure for replacing the card may take 2-3 months.

 

If you have a foreign driver’s license and have been in Poland for more than 185 days, exchange it for a Polish driver’s license.

Where to apply?

• - at the office of the district administration in your place of residence,
• - at the city office - if you live in a city with poviat rights,
• - in the office of the district competent for your place of residence - if you live in Warsaw

What documents to prepare?

• - application for driver’s license replacement
• - colour photography, dimensions 35 x 45 mm
• - residence card, visa, or other document that confirms your legal stay in Poland
• - a photocopy of the foreign driver’s license with a sworn translation into Polish
• - a document that will confirm your registered address
• - confirmation of payment of the fee for the issuance of a driver’s license (PLN 100)

How long will you wait?

Up to 9 business days from the day the office receives confirmation of the data from your foreign driver’s license and confirmation of payment of the fee

! If your driver’s license does not conform to the model specified in the Geneva Convention or the Vienna Convention - you must pass the theoretical part of the state exam. You should go to your office to find out how to do this.

NO. All third-country nationals subject to visa requirements entering the territory of the Republic of Poland should have a valid travel document and a valid visa or residence card confirming the right to legally enter and stay in Poland.

If you plan to stay in Poland for less than 3 months, there is no need to apply for temporary residence. However, if you intend to stay longer, but not more than 360 days, and have a valid residence permit or a long-term visa with the annotation “STUDENT” issued by another EU country, the university where you study in Poland should inform the Head of the Office for Foreigners of your intention to take advantage of student mobility. If you stay longer than 360 days or do not have the annotation “STUDENT” on your residence permit or long-term visa, you will need to apply for a temporary stay.

When calculating the cost of housing, take into account:

- Rent - these are fixed fees related to the use of the premises, divided by the number of people living in the premises.

- Utility fees - these are the costs of supplying electricity, gas, water, and disposal of sewage, waste and liquid waste.

The stamp in your passport indicates that the application for temporary residence has been submitted and you are awaiting a decision. Your stay is legal until a decision is issued. Just because you have such a stamp does not mean that you can “automatically” start working in Poland.

In order to work legally, one of the following circumstances must occur:

 

- On the day you submitted your application for temporary residence, you had the right to work in Poland (e.g., a statement on entrusting work to a foreigner from the Poviat Employment Agency (PUP) or a work permit) and you currently have such an entitlement.

- You have submitted another application for a uniform residence and work permit in the same company and in the same position, the same type of contract (continued employment).

- On the day of submitting the application for a uniform residence and work permit, you had a valid type A work permit and submitted an application for the same company and the same position, the same type of contract (continued employment) for which you had a type A work permit.

- On the day of submitting the application for a uniform residence and work permit, you had a valid declaration of entrusting work to a foreigner from the Poviat Employment Agency (PUP) issued on the basis of an employment contract, on the basis of which you worked continuously for over 3 months and submitted an application for the same company and the same position and the same type of contract (continuation of employment) for which you had a declaration issued.

- On the day of submitting the application for a uniform residence and work permit, you had a valid declaration of entrusting work to a foreigner from the Poviat Employment Agency (PUP) issued on the basis of an employment contract, on the basis of which you worked continuously for less than 3 months, the application had no formal deficiencies and you received a stamp - you are waiting for a decision on your stay - you can only work until the expiry of the statement, unless your employer additionally applies for a type A work permit, after the full 3 months of your work on the basis of the statement, but before the expiry of the statement, and the type A work permit will be submitted for the same company, position and type of contract for which the statement from the PUP was issued.

The US-7 certificate on your social security record can be obtained online, by logging in to PUE (electronic services platform), in person at a Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) branch or by sending an application by conventional mail.

Certificates on social security record are issued immediately, no later than 7 days from the date of receipt of the application. In cases of no doubt, certificates are issued immediately.

If you have placed an instruction to collect the certificate in electronic form, you will be notified of the arrival of the document by e-mail or additionally by SMS defined in the PUE profile. After logging in to your PUE profile, sign the Official Delivery Confirmation (UPD). Only then will you gain access to the electronic document.

If you have made an instruction to send the certificate on paper, by conventional mail, wait for a letter from the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS).

 

If you have made an instruction to collect the certificate in paper form, collect the certificate in person or by proxy at the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) organisational unit. In the event that the certificate is not collected within 14 days from the date of issuance, despite instructions for personal collection, the certificate will be included in the file.

 

Detailed information can be found on the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) website: How to get a certificate on your social security record - Social Insurance Institution (ZUS)

The link to the application can be downloaded here: US-7 application - Social Insurance Institution (ZUS)