Dictionary

A family member who is not an EU citizen with the right to reside in Poland

A family member who is not an EU citizen retains the right of residence in Poland in the case of:

1) the death of an EU citizen, if he stayed with him on the territory of the Republic of Poland for a period of not less than a year before the day of the death of the EU citizen;

2) divorce or annulment of a marriage with an EU citizen if:

  • the marriage lasted at least 3 years before the initiation of proceedings for divorce or marriage annulment, including one year during the EU citizen's stay on the territory of the Republic of Poland, or
  • as the former spouse of an EU citizen, he/she is caring for their children, based on an agreement between former spouses or on the basis of a court decision, or
  • this is supported by particularly important circumstances, including those related to being subject to domestic violence during the marriage, or
  • as a former spouse of an EU citizen, he / she has the right to visit a minor child, based on an agreement between former spouses or on the basis of a court decision, when the agreement or decision indicates that the visit takes place on the territory of the Republic of Poland.

In the event of the death or departure of an EU citizen from the territory of the Republic of Poland, the child of an EU citizen staying and studying or studying in Poland and the parent caring for him, regardless of his/hers citizenship, retain the right to stay until the child completes their education or studies.

A household/a shared household

A household is made up of individuals who live together at the same address and share living expenses — e.g., spouses and their children. A single person who supports themselves independently constitutes a one-person household.

Access to the labour market

An annotation to be found on the residence card if you are entitled to work in the territory of the Republic of Poland or you are exempt from the obligation to hold a work permit. This annotation does not mean full access to the Polish labour market. Your access may be limited, e.g. if you have received a temporary residence and work permit, you are allowed to work for a particular employer and in a specific position, as indicated in the decision.

Act on foreigners

Legal regulations that define the conditions for entry and residence of foreigners in Poland and the criteria for granting various entry and stay entitlements.

Address/place of residence

The premises where you are residing during your stay in Poland. Please make sure to provide the exact address. If you change your place of residence, it is necessary to notify us of this change. Providing your current place of residence enables us to contact you while your application is being processed. Your place of residence should be confirmed in writing by the person providing the accommodation. Please note that we may also require some proof of legal title to the premises.

Amendment of the decision

The change of the employer or the user-employer, obtaining the right to work without a work permit, or changing the conditions specified in the decision on granting the single permit for temporary residence and work — such as job position, salary, working hours, or type of contract — requires an amendment of the permit. Only a foreigner can apply for this amendment. The amendment request is subject to a stamp duty.

Annex No 1 to the application for a temporary residence permit

An additional form to the application for a temporary residence permit, which you must submit if the purpose of your stay in Poland is to perform work, perform work in a highly qualified profession, or run a business activity. Annex No. 1 to the application for a temporary residence permit must be completed and signed by your employer.
Annex No. 1 download

Appeal

An expression of objection to an administrative decision with which you disagree. You have 14 days from the receipt of the decision to submit an appeal. The appeal must be submitted in writing and must bear your signature. Filing an appeal within the time limit suspends the execution of the decision, which means that your case will remain open until the appeal is reviewed.

Applicant

The person who signed the application; in the case of minors, the applicant is the parent or legal guardian.

Application for temporary residence due to studies

Temporary residence permit due to studies

Application form

An official template of a document, the form of which is defined by law.
A valid template can be found on our website describing the procedure. Submitting an unsigned or incomplete form or not using a valid official template is considered a formal deficiency.

Application return

Your application will not be processed If you do not provide proof that the stamp duty for submitting the application has been paid. In such cases, a provision is issued to return the application, and the case is closed. If you disagree with the provision, you have the right to file an appeal.

Ascendant

An ascendant is your direct ancestor: your parent, grandparent, great grandparent, etc.

Attorney-in-fact/representative

A person who has been granted authorization to perform specific actions on your behalf, such as submitting applications and documents, collecting correspondence, etc. The scope of the authorization depends on your personal preferences. The attorney-in-fact may act on your behalf only after submitting an original document of the power of attorney to the Office. The stamp duty for granting a power of attorney is PLN 17, but it does not apply when the attorney-in-fact is your spouse, ascendant, descendant, or sibling.

Authorisation to receive information on the status of the case

A written statement authorizing a designated person to obtain information about the status and progress of your case. The scope of the authorization includes access to information only. It is not the same as the power of attorney.

Average gross salary in the national economy

It is the amount of income determined based on statistical data from a given year for the entire country or province announced by the President of the Central Statistical Office. Check the amount per province here.