Moving to Poland

Granted when the purpose of the stay is work and all of these are met: the applicant has health insurance; the occupation is not on the list of occupations referred to in art. 31(3) of the Act of 20 March 2025 on the conditions for entrusting work to foreigners; the pay the entity entrusting the work states is not lower than that of employees doing comparable work, or in a comparable position, for the same working time; and the monthly pay is not lower than the minimum wage, whatever the working time or type of contract (Act on Foreigners art. 114(1)). Among other grounds it is refused where the entity entrusting the work does not run activity that justifies the employment, or lacks the funds to meet its obligations from it (art. 117a). The decision names the entity entrusting the work, the position or type of work, the lowest pay, the working time and the type of contract (art. 118(1)); to work for another entity the permit must be amended on application (art. 120(1)), apart from the changes art. 119 lists. A temporary residence permit lasts as long as its purpose needs, at most 3 years (art. 98(2)). EU long-term resident status needs 5 years of legal and continuous residence immediately before the application, a stable and regular income, health insurance and certified Polish (art. 211). Recognition as a Polish citizen then needs at least 3 years of continuous residence on permanent residence, EU long-term residence or a right of permanent residence, a stable and regular source of income in Poland, a legal title to a dwelling, and Polish at B1 or a qualifying school certificate (Citizenship Act of 2 April 2009, art. 30(1)(1) and 30(2)).

Granted when the purpose of the stay is work in a highly qualified occupation and all of these are met: an employment, outwork or civil-law contract for at least 6 months; the formal qualifications a regulated profession requires, or otherwise higher professional qualifications - a completed higher-education programme of at least 3 years, or professional experience at that level (3 years within the last 7 in an occupation on the list announced under art. 138a, 5 years otherwise); health insurance; an occupation that is not on the list referred to in art. 31(3) of the Act of 20 March 2025 on entrusting work to foreigners, unless art. 129 applies; and annual gross pay in the contract of at least the equivalent of 150% of the average wage in the national economy in the year before the application, as announced by the President of Statistics Poland (Act on Foreigners arts. 127 and 3(6), (6a), (25)). Statistics Poland announced a 2025 average of PLN 8,903.56 (Monitor Polski 2026 item 192); Roots reads the floor for applications in 2026 as PLN 13,355.34 a month, about EUR 3,135 at about 4.26 PLN/EUR. The permit is granted for the period of work plus 3 months, at most 3 years (art. 128). A change of the entity entrusting the work, or ceasing to meet the conditions, is notified in writing to the voivode within 15 working days (art. 134(2)). Blue Card holders may register a one-person business on the same terms as Polish citizens (biznes.gov.pl). EU long-term resident status needs 5 years of legal and continuous residence immediately before the application, a stable and regular income, health insurance and certified Polish (art. 211). Residence on an EU Blue Card in other EU states counts toward the 5 years when at least the last 2 were in Poland on this permit (art. 212(1)(1)). Recognition as a Polish citizen then needs at least 3 years of continuous residence on permanent residence, EU long-term residence or a right of permanent residence, a stable and regular source of income in Poland, a legal title to a dwelling, and Polish at B1 or a qualifying school certificate (Citizenship Act of 2 April 2009, art. 30(1)(1) and 30(2)).

Poland. Business Harbour is suspended: no new visas or recommendations are being issued, though visas already issued remain in effect (biznes.gov.pl). The temporary residence permit for business activity is granted when the purpose of the stay is to run a business under Polish law and the applicant has health insurance, a stable and regular income enough for themselves and dependent family members, any authorisation a particular position or profession requires, and a place to live in Poland, and the business either earned, in the tax year before the application, income of at least 12 times the average monthly gross wage in the voivodeship where it has its seat or residence, or has employed for at least the year before the application at least 2 workers full-time on indefinite contracts who are Polish citizens or foreigners the 2025 Act on entrusting work to foreigners names, or shows it has the means, or is taking steps, to meet those conditions in future - in particular investment, technology transfer, beneficial innovation or job creation (Act on Foreigners art. 142(1)). The same applies to a limited partnership, limited joint-stock partnership, limited liability company or joint-stock company the foreigner set up or holds shares in, and covers serving on its management board (art. 142(2)-(3)). Citizens of EU and EEA states, the United States and Switzerland may set up any form of business, and so may other foreigners in the cases biznes.gov.pl lists - among them a citizen of Ukraine legally residing in Poland with a PESEL number, and a holder of permanent residence, EU long-term residence, an EU Blue Card, a temporary permit for family reunification, university studies or scientific research, a temporary permit while married to a Polish citizen living in Poland, or a valid Card of the Pole; a foreigner in none of the listed cases may not run a one-person business (registered in CEIDG) and may use a limited partnership, limited joint-stock partnership, limited liability company, simple joint-stock company or joint-stock company instead (biznes.gov.pl). A one-person business needs a PESEL number. EU long-term resident status needs 5 years of legal and continuous residence immediately before the application, a stable and regular income, health insurance and certified Polish (art. 211). Recognition as a Polish citizen then needs at least 3 years of continuous residence on permanent residence, EU long-term residence or a right of permanent residence, a stable and regular source of income in Poland, a legal title to a dwelling, and Polish at B1 or a qualifying school certificate (Citizenship Act of 2 April 2009, art. 30(1)(1) and 30(2)).

Granted when the purpose of the stay is to start or continue studies at a unit the minister of the interior has approved (or one not subject to approval and not barred from admitting foreigners), with proof of paying the fee for the semester or year if the studies are paid, health insurance, and sufficient funds for living costs, return travel and the costs of the studies - monthly funds, after housing costs, above the income threshold for social-assistance benefits for the applicant and each dependent family member (Act on Foreigners art. 144(1)-(1a)). A first-year student's first permit is granted for 15 months (2 years in an EU or multilateral mobility programme, 2 years and 6 months in a doctoral school); later permits cover the studies plus 3 months (6 for doctoral candidates), at most 3 years (art. 145). A graduate of a Polish university who is looking for work or plans to start a business, and a researcher who has finished research in Poland, can get a temporary residence permit once, for 9 months, directly after the studies or research (arts. 186(1)(6)-(7), 190(3)), with health insurance, a place to live, funds for living costs and return, and the Polish diploma or the research unit's confirmation (art. 188(1a), (2a)-(2b)). Half of the time on a study permit counts toward the 5 years needed for EU long-term resident status (art. 212(1)(3)).

Spouse of a Polish citizen: a temporary residence permit is granted to a foreigner married to a Polish citizen in a marriage Polish law recognises, and to that foreigner's minor child once the parent holds such a permit or a permanent residence permit granted because of the marriage (Act on Foreigners art. 158(1)); the Act sets no income, insurance or accommodation condition for it. After at least 3 years of marriage and 2 years of continuous residence immediately before the application on a temporary permit granted because of the marriage, the spouse is granted permanent residence (art. 195(1)(4)); after at least 2 years of continuous residence on it, and at least 3 years of marriage, the spouse can be recognised as a Polish citizen with Polish at B1 or a qualifying school certificate (Citizenship Act art. 30(1)(2)(a), 30(2)) - about 4 years of residence in all. Family of a foreigner: a temporary residence permit for family reunification is granted to the spouse and minor children, adopted children included, of a foreigner living in Poland on, among other grounds, permanent residence, EU long-term residence, refugee status, subsidiary protection, an EU Blue Card, or for at least 2 years on successive temporary permits of which the one held before the application was granted for at least 1 year (art. 159(1)(1), (3)). The family member applying must have health insurance, a stable and regular income enough for themselves and dependent family members, and a place to live in Poland (art. 159(1)(2)-(3)); the income condition is also met when a family member who is obliged to maintain the applicant and lives in Poland covers the applicant's living costs (art. 163(2)). Those conditions do not apply in some cases, among them a refugee's or subsidiary-protection holder's family applying within 6 months of the status being granted (art. 159(2)).

The Card of the Pole may be granted to a person who declares belonging to the Polish Nation and meets all of these: shows a link to Polishness through at least a basic knowledge of Polish, which they regard as their mother tongue, and knowledge and cultivation of Polish traditions and customs; makes a written declaration of belonging to the Polish Nation before a Polish consul (or a designated voivode); shows that they are of Polish nationality, or that at least one parent or grandparent, or two great-grandparents, were of Polish nationality, or presents a certificate from a Polish or Polonia organisation of active involvement in Polish language and culture or the Polish minority for at least the last three years; and declares that neither they nor their ascendants were repatriated from Poland under the 1944-1957 repatriation agreements with the Soviet republics (Card of the Pole Act art. 2(1)). It is refused to someone who has acquired Polish citizenship or a permanent residence permit (art. 19(4)). Polish is shown by a certificate or a Polish-language school or university certificate, or else assessed by the consul in an interview (art. 13(7)-(8)). Applying and the decision are free of all fees (art. 12(3)); the Card is valid for 10 years and renewable for 10 more (without limit if granted at 65 or over) (art. 17), but a minor's Card for no longer than one year after the holder comes of age (art. 17(3)). A minor is granted the Card on the parents' application where both parents hold it, or where one does and the other consents in a statement before a consul or a notary, unless the other has no parental authority (art. 16(1)); a parent whose Card lapsed on obtaining a permanent residence permit counts as holding it (art. 16(4)), a minor aged 16 or over must also consent (art. 16(2)), and after the death of a parent who was of Polish nationality the Card can be granted on the surviving parent's application (or, if both parents have died, the legal representative's) if the minor is shown to meet the Polish-nationality condition of art. 2(1)(3) (art. 16(3)). The Card does not entitle its holder to cross the border or to settle in Poland (art. 7(2)): holders pay no consular fee for a national visa sought to use its rights (art. 5), and may work, run a business on the same terms as Polish citizens and study on the terms art. 6(1) sets. A holder of a valid Card who intends to settle permanently is granted a permanent residence permit (Act on Foreigners art. 195(1)(9)), and the Card then lapses (Card of the Pole Act art. 20(1a)). After at least 1 year of continuous residence on a permanent residence permit obtained through Polish origin or the Card, the holder can be recognised as a Polish citizen (Citizenship Act of 2 April 2009, art. 30(1)(7)), with Polish at B1 or a qualifying school certificate (art. 30(2)).