Poland is a European state that enjoys constant popularity among emigrants from the CIS countries. Currently, immigration to Poland is possible for various reasons: by marriage, origin, after training, through starting a business, family reunification and registration of refugee status. Simplifies the procedure for having a Pole Card.
Benefits of moving to Poland for permanent residence
The Republic of Poland attracts potential immigrants mainly from the countries of the former USSR for the following reasons:
- a simpler move procedure from a legal point of view than in other European countries;
- ease of adaptation and ease of language learning;
- territorial proximity to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus;
- a higher standard of living (Poland - 34th in the world, Ukraine - 64th, Russia - 61st, Belarus - 58th).
Not only residents of the Russian Federation, but also citizens of Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus are wondering whether it is worth moving to Poland and whether this will really improve the quality of life.
If we compare with the Russian Federation, then the quality of products in Poland is higher and their cost is 20% lower (with the exception of tobacco and alcohol).
Wages in Poland are 10% higher, housing rent is 18% cheaper, and the solvency of Poles, compared to Russians, is 30% higher. Business immigrants will be pleased with the minimum requirements for their companies in Poland and the low cost of opening them in comparison with other European countries.
Methods of immigration to Poland
The choice of the direction of immigration depends on the origin of the applicant, his level of education, financial solvency and marital status. Based on this, the optimal basis for the move is determined.
Immigration on the basis of a Pole card issued to a foreigner
The Pole's card certifies that its holder belongs to the Polish people by roots. It is not a visa, it is not identical to the Residence Card and does not automatically entitle you to move to Poland for permanent residence. Moreover, the Pole's Card has a validity period of 10 years.
The real benefits this document provides are as follows:
- registration of a national Polish visa under a simplified scheme;
- employment in the country without a work permit;
- the opportunity to receive, on a competitive basis, a free education at a Polish state university, after which to get a job and move to a permanent place of residence;
- the opportunity to conduct business in the country on the same conditions as its residents.
All of this can be a good reason, or at least a good ground for future immigration.
Provided that you have a valid Pole Card, speak the Polish language and are ready to pass an interview for knowledge of Polish history and culture, you can apply for a free move to Poland, receiving benefits and obtaining Polish citizenship after a year of permanent residence in the country.
Immigration through family reunification
If the applicant has relatives in Poland, he can apply for the move on such a basis as family reunification. In this case, a relative of the moving person is obliged:
- confirm your family ties with those wishing to move;
- undertake the obligation to ensure the residence of the invited foreign citizen;
- provide proof of your financial solvency.
Family reunification can be carried out not only with persons holding Polish citizenship. If your relative has a residence card and has lived in Poland for at least 2 years, you have the right to apply for moving to the country for the purpose of family reunification.
In this case, the work of the husband / wife / parent / child becomes the basis for issuing the Residence Card to relatives. If you plan to move with children of a minor age, the consent of their legal representatives (both parents / guardians / custodians) will be required.
Moving to Poland through employment
Any adult foreign citizen can get a job in Poland. To do this, you must fulfill a number of conditions:
- conclude a formal employment contract with a Polish employer;
- to leave, you must obtain a work permit (except for students who graduated from Polish secondary specialized and higher educational institutions, as well as citizens of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine who work in Poland for less than 6 months a year);
- apply for a work visa.
A work permit is issued by a Polish employer. At the same time, he must provide convincing evidence that he could not employ a Pole for this position. All the necessary documents are drawn up by the administration of a particular voivodeship on the territory of Poland.
Freelancers can officially find a job through an incubator - a company that acts as an intermediary between a foreign freelancer and his clients in Poland. This makes it possible to issue a Residence Card for up to 3 years.
Initially, a foreign worker receives a residence permit for up to 15 months. After five years, he can apply for permanent residence, and after another three years, he can apply for Polish citizenship.
Starting a business in Poland and business immigration
Those wishing to open their own business in the Republic of Poland for the purpose of a future move should pay attention to the following points:
- only Polish citizens can apply for an individual entrepreneur (engage in entrepreneurial activity without creating a legal entity);
- An LLC can have one or more members;
- a company with a foreign founder will have the same status as that created by a Polish citizen;
- a fictitious LLC can be legalized for only 1 year, so its opening is impractical.
Having opened your company in Poland, you can apply for a residence permit for a period of 1-2 years (at the discretion of the Polish authorities).
The temporary residence permit will be extended only if the company is successful. In 5 years you will be able to apply for permanent residence, in another three - for Polish citizenship.
Immigration through admission to a Polish university or a police school
This is one of the most popular ways of immigration among young people who have just graduated from school, and people under the age of 30 who want to get a second education in Poland and move to the country for permanent residence.
On the territory of Poland, you can study in English (on a paid basis), which is a huge plus for many applicants - this gives them time to study Polish directly in the country itself.
Graduates of educational institutions do not need a work permit, they are given 1 year to find a job. After successfully gaining work experience within 5 years, emigration for permanent residence is possible.
In most cases, when entering a university, only the average score of the certificate is taken into account, there are no entrance exams (except for admission on the basis of the Pole's Card and competitive selection for grants and scholarships). As for the cost of education, it is much lower than in other EU countries.
The police school is an analogue of a technical school, where persons aged 30-60 and even older with knowledge of the Polish language can enter. Here you can get the profession of a massage therapist, cook, accountant or tour operator. Education is often free.
After you master a new profession, there is a chance to find a job and think about moving to Poland for permanent residence. This option is suitable for both young people and Ukrainian, Belarusian, Kazakh or Russian pensioners.
Immigration through marriage with a citizen of Poland
Marriage in Poland is possible between persons who have reached the age of 18. If there are objective reasons (in particular, pregnancy), the age threshold for women, by decision of the authorities, can be reduced to 16 years. The ceremony takes place in a church or a registry office.
Foreigners from Russia and other countries will need to submit a certificate from their home country about the possibility of marriage. The marriage is concluded one month after the submission of documents. The union can also be concluded on the territory of another state.
The package of documents includes:
- copies of birth certificates of future spouses, certified and translated into Polish;
- originals of passports or other documents that can act as identity documents;
- a receipt for payment of stamp duty;
- a document confirming belonging to a specific religion (baptism or confirmation certificate) - is provided to the church, as well as a certificate from the registry office confirming that there are no compelling reasons for refusing to hold the ceremony.
Same-sex marriage is not recognized by local law.
Asylum
In addition to the above methods, moving to Poland for permanent residence is also possible by acquiring refugee status. In accordance with the Geneva Convention, the following categories of persons can obtain refugee status in the country:
- subjected to political, racial or other type of persecution in their state;
- whose lives in their homeland are in real danger.
An application for granting refugee status is submitted when crossing the border. In this case, a visa is not required. Then the candidate will have an interview.
At the time of consideration of the application, the potential refugee lives in a special camp, where he is provided with free housing and food. It is prohibited to leave the country during the procedure.
In case of a positive decision, the refugee is provided with a residence permit for 2-3 years. After that, he can apply for permanent residence.
The main stages of immigration to Poland
How the immigration process goes depends on the candidate's chosen method of moving to Poland for permanent residence. Its main stages are as follows:
- obtaining a Pole's Card, registering a marriage or confirming family ties with Polish citizens, concluding an employment contract or obtaining a study permit;
- registration of a national Polish visa;
- obtaining a temporary residence permit;
- registration of a long-term, and then a permanent residence permit in the country;
- application for Polish citizenship.
Visa to Poland
To enter Poland, you can use a short-term Schengen visa of category C or a national Polish visa of category D. A Schengen visa of category C is issued on the basis of an employment contract, by invitation, for persons undergoing the repatriation procedure, as well as tourists.
A category D national visa is issued to those who plan to stay in the country for a long time, most often to workers and students.
Registration of entry permits is carried out at visa centers or diplomatic missions of Poland.
A standard package of documents includes:
- a completed application form;
- international passport issued in the last 10 years, and its photocopy;
- photo of the established sample;
- a photocopy of the internal national passport;
- copies of other passports and visas (if any);
- medical policy valid in the EU;
- confirmation of financial solvency (salary certificate, bank statement);
- invitation, employment contract, Pole's card, study permit and other additional documents.
The visa can be valid for 6 or 12 months. Restrictions on the length of stay are 3 or 6 months, respectively. The maximum visa validity period is 2 years.
Obtaining a residence permit and permanent residence in the Republic of Poland
A residence permit in Poland is issued for 3 years. If there is sufficient reason, it can be extended. Most often, a residence permit is issued by foreign workers, students, persons undergoing family reunification or repatriation. The main advantage of a residence permit is the ability to obtain permanent residence and Polish citizenship in the future.
A permit for permanent residence in Poland can be obtained only after 5 years of residence in the country (special conditions are provided only for refugees and persons undergoing family reunification). Moreover, during this time, the candidate should not be absent from the country for more than 10 months in total.
The term for consideration of the application is 3-4 months. The papers are submitted to the Border Service, and then sent to the local governor for consideration.
A simplified procedure for holders of a temporary residence card allows you to submit documents immediately to the voivode.
Permanent residence in Poland is valid for 10 years. It can be renewed an unlimited number of times.
Registration of Polish citizenship
Currently, Polish citizenship can be obtained on the basis of a residence permit and permanent residence. Moreover, it is not at all necessary to have Polish roots. It is enough to live in the country for 8 years in total.
The package of documents depends on the program for which you are applying for Polish citizenship. The basis for obtaining a residence permit can be an employment contract with a Polish employer, a study permit, a Pole's card.
Dual citizenship has been legalized in Poland since 2021. However, for this, an agreement on the recognition of dual citizenship must be signed between the two states. So, despite the fact that the Russian Federation and Poland signed a protocol on the termination of the "Convention on the Prevention of Cases of Dual Citizenship", there is no agreement on dual citizenship between the countries.
How much does it cost to move to Poland for permanent residence?
The cost of moving to permanent residence in the Republic of Poland depends on the specific immigration program. It can include tuition fees, rent, utilities, and many other items. In the table, we list just some of the mandatory spending.
Obligatory expenses when moving to Poland for permanent residence:
| Immigration program | Expenditure item | Sum |
|---|---|---|
| By Pole's Card | Obtaining a Pole's Card | Is free. Expenses only for registration and translation of documents, on the basis of which the status will be issued. |
| Through education | State university, teaching in Polish | Is free The student only pays a registration fee of about 100-350 €. When applying for a student visa, the student is obliged to present proof of his financial security. The amount on the account must be from 8,000 €. Senior students can attach a certificate of the scholarship they have received (at least 600 € per year). |
| Private university or Study in English at a public university | about 2000 € | |
| Marriage with a Pole | Stamp duty | 84 PLN |
| Sworn translation | 35-50 PLN for 1 document | |
| Business immigration | Company registration cost | 500 € |
| Charter capital | from 5,000 PLN | |
| Family reunification | Postcard | 700 PLN |
| Employment | Postcard | 700 PLN |
| Refugee status | Accommodation, consideration of documents | Is free |
The cost of issuing a Residence Card: 640 PLN - stamp duty and 50 PLN - payment upon receipt of a ready-made card. Registration of a student visa - 35 €.
Immigration statistics in Poland
Currently, immigrants in Poland are divided into refugees and those who have received a temporary / permanent residence permit. The table shows statistics for 2014-2017. by the number of received permits for temporary and permanent residence.
The total number of immigrants who arrived in Poland according to statistics for 2009:
| Country | Number of immigrants |
|---|---|
| Ukraine | 127 000 |
| Germany | 23 000 |
| Belarus | 13 500 |
| Russia | 11 000 |
| Vietnam | 11 000 |
| China | 8 000 |
| Italy | 7 500 |
| France | 6 000 |
| India | 5 700 |
| United Kingdom | 5 500 |
The number of refugees from Ukraine decreased in 2021: 625 people applied for this status. This is four times less than in previous years. At the same time, the number of Ukrainians who received work permits increased. Currently, over 500,000 Ukrainians work in Poland.
Summing up
Moving to Poland for permanent residence implies first obtaining a temporary and then a permanent residence permit. After that, the candidate can apply for Polish citizenship.
It should be borne in mind that in old age immigration with the Pole Card or through family reunification will be more comfortable. But young people who have just graduated from school should think about getting an education at a Polish university.
However, middle-aged and elderly people also have a chance to learn a new profession - this opportunity is given by police schools.
If your choice is to get married, be prepared for tests for fictitious relationships.
Labor migrants from Belarus, Ukraine, the Russian Federation and other countries can obtain permanent residence on the basis of an employment contract.
