Job Discussion Forums

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Is it difficult to avquire permanent residency in Poland? I've tried doing a serach here and yahoo and haven't been able to come up with much info. Anyone done this?

Is a work visa the same as permanent residency?

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

A work visa is not the same as permanent residency. Permanent residency usually is available when you've married a citizen of the country, or sunk considerable funds into the country in the form of opening a business.

Work visas are generally for a 12 - 24 month period.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

So there's no way to get permanent residency without opening a business or marrying a local?

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I don't know the specific laws for Poland, only for the Czech Rep, where I've been through the process. Also, bear in mind that the laws change.

But, no, the general answer is that permanent residency is only granted when the candidate's proven some kind of long-term commitment to the country. Without family ties or significant investment, that's kind of tough to do.

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Guess we'll be foreigners forever then. I'd like to move to Macedonia, Bulgaria or Slovakia, possibly Romania because of family ties. My husband's got his heart set on Finland. BUt I think all of these places have similar rules.

joey_b · Joined: 13 Jul 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Poland

You should first aim at getting a temporary residence card.
The order in which things are done (as far as I know) is:
-being on a work visa (for your first year in Poland)
-if you want to stay longer, you have to apply for a temporary residence card (these are sometimes valid for 1 year, sometimes for 2 years - the law seems to change from time to time
-after being in the country on temporary residence cards (you have to keep renewing them) for a certain period (I think 5 years, but this might have changed), you can then apply for permanent residence.

Of course, I'm assuming you're not an E.U. citizen.

Try to find an employer who's willing to help you through the whole temporary residence process, because it does require a lot of paperwork. I would never have managed to get mine without the help of my boss.

Good luck

wildphelps · Joined: 11 Jul 2007 Posts: 39 Location: Lubuski

Getting residency can take quite a bit of time and requires quite a bit of paperwork. You can see what is required for yourself using the following link:

http://www.polandembassy.org/

Go to the "Consular Information" link, and then choose the "Residence in Poland" link.

Good luck.

patrykt · Joined: 18 Aug 2004 Posts: 51

I just got my karta stalego pobytu (permanent residency card), which is not permanent; it's valid for 10 years. Let me tell you, the Polish authorities want you to really love Poland to get residency here. You either have to have continuous work and work visas for five years or three years should you be married to a Polish citizen. You canot have any breaks in your visas-none! The kicker is that you cannot be outside of Poland for more than 10 months total in that five or three year period. I go home to the States every summer to work for three months so I had problems with the 10-month rule. I got around by getting married. Yes, I do love my wife and didn't marry her just for the card.

Good luck as you've got a long road ahead of you.

patrykt · Joined: 18 Aug 2004 Posts: 51

Isn't it funny how you always see your typing mistakes after you've posted your message.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

If you leave Poland now is your permanent residency no longer valid ?

patrykt · Joined: 18 Aug 2004 Posts: 51

I hope not as we are leaving in three weeks for Saudi Arabia for two years.

misteradventure · Joined: 18 Aug 2003 Posts: 246

after five years of legal residency, it appears that you qualify to apply for citizenship.

If they refuse to let you back in during your 10-year period, I would ask them how your wife is supposed to live without you. It really challenges their worldview and they may let it slide. Laughing

IN the case of NatureGirl, if you have Romanian ties, I would approach the consulate in your nearest country. You may wish to look here to see if you have a snowball's chance in Hell to qualify through family ties:

http://www.multiplecitizenship.com/wscl/ws_ROMANIA.html

I've found it to be generally reliable regarding general conditions and easier to read than the official government webpages.