Benefits for Pole's Card holders
Foreigners who hold Pole’s Card (Karta Polaka) can apply for financial support to cover costs of settling in Poland permanently. The change came into force January 1st, 2017, and gave Polish voivodes the power to grant these special benefits.
Financial support can be given to those foreigners who apply for a permanent residence permit to a relevant voivode on the basis of being a Pole’s Card holder. Within three months’ time of this application, a foreigner needs to apply for a benefit, which can be used for covering the costs of settling and securing livelihood in Poland. The benefit can be given to a foreigner, as well as their spouse and minor children residing with them in Poland. There is no stamp duty for filing an application form asking for a permanent residence permit on the grounds of Pole’s Card, but the benefit application costs PLN 10.
The benefit is provided for the period of up to 9 months and amounts to:
- In the first three months:
- 50 percent of a minimum wage in the year the application is filed, for a foreigner and their spouse;
- 50 percent of the sum above for every minor child under the custody of a foreigner or their spouse.
- In the next months (4-9): 60 percent of these sums respectively.
The final decision is made by a voivode, but the payouts are provided by county head (starosta) office’s, either in cash windows or via bank transfer. If a foreigner moves, the starosta office providing the benefit does not change.
Are you interested in getting this form of financial support?
Forms need to be filed after making an appointment for a specific day and hour. Necessary documents include: Pole’s Card, birth certificate, valid travel document (with a stamp confirming crossing the border), documents confirming family relations (in the case of spouse and/or minor children benefit – birth and/or marriage certificates, valid travel documents), confirmation of intention to settle in Poland, e.g. apartment rental contract, registered address (meldunek), confirmation of schooling (if applicable to children).
