Immigrate to Poland

Persons moving to Poland can request the professional services provided by immigration lawyers, who are specialized in various branches regulating this field. This is highly recommended, as the legal procedures through which a person can immigrate to Poland can vary based on the nationality of the citizen.

The Poland immigration law covers numerous aspects, regulating the procedures available for those who want to permanently relocate here, for those who want to work here for a given period of time or study in this country, but it also regulates the legal aspects through which a person can immigrate here when seeking for asylum. Considering that there are numerous steps involved in these procedures, as foreigners, it is best to be represented by our team of immigration lawyers in Poland.

What are the basic immigration services available in Poland?

Our team of immigration lawyers in Poland is prepared to provide legal assistance and legal representation to natural persons relocating here for various purposes, to their families, to foreign businessmen who want to start a business activity in this country or to local companies interested in hiring foreign employees. Some of the basic immigration services we can provide are presented below:

• obtaining a work permit for persons who are citizens outside the EU and for other categories of persons;
• applying for a residence permit – it can be issued for employment purposes or for family reunification purposes and it is available for both EU and non-EU citizens;
• applying for visas and assisting persons with legal advice on the embassy procedures;
• legal assistance in registering with the local authorities, which is required for all foreigners working and living here;
• assisting in obtaining various documents and the legalization of such documents as per the Polish law.

If you want to immigrate to Poland, our team of immigration lawyers is ready to assist you.

How can we assist you in obtaining a residence permit in Poland?

One of the most requested documents for Poland immigration is the residence permit, which represents a type of document that provides the right to reside in this country as a foreigner. In order to obtain this document, the applicant has to prepare several papers that will be processed by the local authorities in a given period of time (the process can last several months).

Our immigration lawyer in Poland can offer information on the types of documents you should prepare in this case. Our team can guide you through the registration steps and can also assist you in other legal matters related to the residence permit. For example, our lawyers can assist with legal advice on the procedures one must follow upon the expiration of the document or when the person needs to make various changes on his or her residence permit (such as the modification of the address).

We can also advise on the formalities one should meet with the local authorities based on the nationality of the applicant (which are divided between EU and non-EU citizens) and we can represent our clients in obtaining a residence permit for the family members of those relocating to Poland.

Obtain a Polish visa with the help of our immigration lawyers in Poland

The law in Poland provides the possibility of applying for a visa as a foreigner arriving from specific countries. EU citizens do not need to apply for any of the visas prescribed by the national laws, but citizens outside the EU should first verify if they must apply for a visa or if they qualify for an exemption (the citizens of several countries outside the EU benefit from the right or arriving here for specific purposes without the need of applying for a visa, given the agreements signed by the Polish authorities with their respective partners).

Currently, Poland provides three main categories of visas: the A-type visa (a visa specially designed only for airport transit), the C-type visa (known as the Schengen visa), and the D-type visa (the national visa). The A-type visa can be used only for the purpose of transiting the Polish national territory when arriving in this country during an airport transit. In other words, the foreigner must have this document when traveling to another destination and, during his or her journey, the person must stop here for another flight connection.

The A-type visa cannot be used for moving to Poland and it is a restrictive type of visa, as it only allows the foreigner to stay in one of the Polish airports where the flight connection is booked. This document is required only for certain categories of foreigners, presented in Annex IV of the Community Code of Visas; you may request more information on this type of document from our immigration lawyer in Poland.

In case you intend to immigrate to Poland, you should know that the Schengen visa (the C-type) is available as two basic documents: the Uniform Schengen visa, which grants the right of visiting all the Schengen member states, and the Schengen visa with limited territorial validity, which is issued for specific Schengen states or for only one Schengen state. Regardless of the number of countries the foreigner wants to visit, it must be noted that the visa can be issued for a maximum period of 90 days in a total 180 days period.

The D-type visa can be used as a way of moving to Poland for a definite period, as this document is issued only for stays that are longer than 90 days. However, its validity cannot be longer than one year, but the applicant has the right of applying for an extension of the visa for an additional year. This can be done as long as the initial purpose of stay is maintained. The legislation which provides the legal framework for this type of visa is given by the EU Regulation No 265/2010.

Who can obtain the EU Blue Card in Poland?

The EU Blue Card is a legal document that offers the opportunity of accessing the employment market in all the EU member states, Poland included. This document is designed only for employment purposes and it can be used as a way of moving to Poland in the case of foreigners who are citizens of countries outside the EU.

Persons who are interested in working in Poland, which is now one of the top EU markets where foreigners prefer to find a job opportunity, should be aware that this document can be obtained only by persons who have a higher professional qualification. Foreign applicants can have multiple benefits, including the right of bringing here their close family members. If you want to immigrate to Poland with the purpose of working in this country you should know more details about the EU Blue Card. Some of the basic characteristics of the EU Blue Card issued in Poland are the following:

• the minimum salary that can be offered to EU Blue Card holders in Poland was increased starting with 11th February 2019;
• the minimum salary a Polish employer must give to an EU Blue Card holder is of PLN 6,877.55;
• this accounts for an increase of 7,3% compared to the previous financial quarter;
• the obligation to pay this minimum salary to a EU Blue Card holder is applicable only in the case of persons who have applied for this document starting with 11th of February 2019 or after this date, but also in the case of persons who had pending applications at that moment;
• it must be noted that the salary threshold for the EU Blue Card accounts for 150% of the average national salary, so it can represent an important incentive for foreigners moving to Poland.

The Poland immigration rules that apply to the EU Blue Card stipulate that the foreigner can obtain this document as long as he or she is the holder of a university diploma. The person can have a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree or, if these conditions are not satisfied, then he or she must have been working for at least five years in his or her respective field when seeking employment in Poland. Please mind that the right of moving to Poland for employment purposes in this case is bound by having a real employment offer from a Polish employer or an employment contract.

What is the data on the number of foreigners living in Poland?

The Poland migration data is measured by the Polish Statistics Office and it takes into account, of course, only the persons who have obtained valid immigration documents for the purpose of living and working into this country. Although numerous nationalities can be found here, the highest rates of foreigners are from the following countries: Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Germany. With regards to the number of foreigners, the following data is available:

• at the level of 2010, there were 97,080 foreign citizens living here, out of which 28,450 were from Ukraine;
• in 2012, the number of foreigners increased at 111,971, out of which 34,303 were represented by Ukrainian citizens;
• in 2014, the immigration rate further increased, reaching a total of 175,066 foreign persons;
• in 2014, the number of Ukrainian citizens living in Poland increased at 40,979;
• in 2015, the country accounted for more than 200,000 foreigners (211, 869);
• in 2016, the total number of foreigners increased at 266,218, while the number of Ukrainian citizens increased as well, reaching 103,457.

Those who are interested in moving to Poland should be aware of the fact that the local institutions charge various fees for the issuance of specific immigration documents. The government fees can range from less than EUR 25 for work permits to EUR 100 for residence permits. Please address our immigration lawyer in Poland for advice on the procedures applicable for the immigration document you are interested in.