Introducing the Republic of Poland: Poland can be described as a European country in a heart of Eastern Europe. Statistics tell us that the population of Poland can currently be estimated at around 38 million people. The dominant ethnic group is polish (94%). The official language is Polish and the currency is Zloty (PLN). Poland is a proud member state of the European Union and the Schengen area, which provides many benefits for its residents.

The most popular city by population is Warszawa (Warsaw). The next largest cities by population are Krakow and Lodz, however there is a large immigrant population in the small city of Wroclaw due to the presence of several large international companies – including IBM. The population of Warszawa (Warsaw) during the last century has increased 2.5 times, while the population of Krakow has increased 5 times during the same period. Krakow have rich heritage and is the second most popular city for tourists and immigrants.

Immigration legislation requires that if you are a non-European Union Citizen and you intend to stay in the Republic of Poland in excess of 90 days consecutively or if you want to conduct business activities or work, then you must apply for a residence permit. The law currently provides three major grounds for doing so: Starting a business in Poland, getting an education or getting a job.

Immigration services

Immigration services in the Republic of Poland are not well developed, since Polish immigration law is very strict. The Migration Policy Department at the Ministry of Interior, which is responsible for immigration issues, does not offer residence permits on the basis of investment. Therefore, it may be quite difficult to obtain a residence permit in Poland. However, it is still possible to acquire a residence permit if you want to live, work or study there.

In order for immigration to Poland to be lawful, an immigrant needs to follow all the requirements laid out in the immigration laws of the Republic of Poland. There are several possibilities, depending on the purpose of your visit. You will need a visa or Schengen visa in order to visit the country. If you plan to immigrate to Europe and reside in Poland for a long period of time – you need a residence permit, which can be acquired on different grounds.

legal Basis

The main immigration laws for immigrants from non-EU states in the Republic of Poland are the Aliens Act and the Act on granting protection to aliens within the territory of the Republic of Poland. The 10th article of the Aliens Act demonstrates that immigration policy in Poland is friendlier, than in some other countries. However, despite that fact, it may quite difficult to obtain a residence permit: An alien who applies for the granting or prolongation of visa, the granting of the residence permit for a fixed period, the permit to settle or the long-term resident’s EC residence permit shall be informed in the language understandable to him/her about the procedure and its principles as well as about rights granted to him/her and obligations imposed on him/her.

 

Poland in Schengen

The Republic of Poland is a member state of the Schengen area. Countries of the Schengen Agreement have abolished passport and immigration control at their common borders and for travel between their member states. Member countries also recognize Schengen visas issued by other Schengen states. On the outer border, or upon first entry to the Schengen area, normal immigration control procedures apply, however admission to any Schengen country is considered admission to the whole Schengen area (all member countries), with no further immigration checks needed.

 

Residence permit

Polish legislation is not very flexible when it comes to the provision of residence permits to non-EU citizens. Many European countries, such as Latvia or Estonia, provide many more opportunities for potential investors in order to submit an application for a residence permit. Currently there are three ways to obtain a residence permit in the Republic of Poland for non-EU citizens: establishing a company in Poland, getting an education or getting a job. According to statistics, provided by the Ministry of Interior, company formation is one of the best solutions to obtain a residence permit.