FAQ

ISSUE/REPLACEMENT OF THE RESIDENCE CARD

Created on: 10.02.2020

No. A residence card issued in Poland you can travel around the Schengen Area for the purpose of tourism, for a period of up to 90 days within a 180 days period, without the need to obtain a visa. If you would like to perform work in another EU member state, you should contact the Consular Office/Embassy of a given country.

Created on: 10.02.2020

The residence card issued by Polish authorities does not entitle you to travel to countries that do not belong to the Schengen Area. The United Kingdom is an EU member state that does not belong to the Schengen Area. In order to be able to enter the territory of the United Kingdom, you need to obtain a British visa – contact the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Warsaw.

Created on: 10.02.2020

If you have a Polish residence card, you can move around the Schengen Area for a period of up to 90 days within a 180 days period without the need to obtain a visa. While travelling around the Schengen Area, you should present a valid passport and as well as a valid residence card. Apart from that, you need to hold a document confirming having a health insurance.

The Schengen Area countries include: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Spain, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, Sweden, Italy, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, as well as Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland (the last four are non-EU Schengen countries).
The United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia are the EU Member States that do not belong to the Schengen area.
Created on: 10.02.2020

No. The annotation does not necessarily mean that the foreigner gained a full access to the labour market. His/her access to labour market may be restricted to performing work for a specific employer and on terms specified in the foreigner’s residence permit (if the foreigner was granted a temporary residence and work permit). You should check what type of residence permit was granted to the foreigner ( e.g. a permanent residence permit, a temporary residence permit for the purpose of following higher education studies, etc.) and verify whether the type of residence permit gives the foreigner a full access to labour market without the need to obtain a work permit (as specified in the Act of 20 April 2004 on Employment Promotion and Labour Market Institutions). If the type of permit does not entitle the foreigner to work without a work permit, the annotation „access to labour market” means that the person means that the foreigner’s access to labour market was restricted to performing work for the employer and on terms of employment specified in the residence permit.

Created on: 10.02.2020

If you were granted a temporary residence and work permit, you employer was specified in the administrative decision. This means you have received you residence card with relation to performing work for the employer appointed in the decision and on the terms specified in the permit. The „access to labour market” annotation means that you can work legally for the employer specified in your permit. i.e. it does not give you to full and unrestricted access to labour market.  If you would like to change your employer, you should submit an application for an amendment of the temporary residence and work permit. The annotation “access to labour market” will also be placed in your card if you have been granted a different type of residence permit than the temporary residence and work permit, and you are entitled to perform work without the necessity to obtain a work permit: 

  • You are a student of full-time studies in Poland or full-time doctoral studies at a Polish university or scientific and research institution;
  • You are a spouse of a Polish citizen;
  • You were granted a temporary residence permit for family reunification;
  • You were granted a permanent residence permit or a residence permit for long-term EU resident.

In any of these cases, you do not have to obtain a work permit and have a full access to labour market (you can freely change employers).

Created on: 10.02.2020
  • Yes, if you have a residence card with a registered address - submit an application to exchange the card due to a change in the data contained in the existing residence card, i.e. the address. An application for exchange of a residence card should be submitted within 14 days of changing the address of residence or other data entered in it.
  • If you have a residence card without an address printed on it, changing your place of residence does not change the data contained therein, so there is no need to exchange it.
Created on: 10.02.2020

No, unless the data in your new passport has changed which are included in the residence card, e.g. name. If you have a new passport in your new name, apply for an exchange of residence card.

Created on: 10.02.2020

You submit the application for the issue / replacement of the residence card to the Head of the Border Guard unit or the Head of Border Guard station competent for your place of stay.

Created on: 10.02.2020

Such information should be reported to the Office: in person at the information desk, by telephone through the helpline or by a letter by post. You should describe what the error is. If we have made a mistake, we will order a new card, and you will not have to pay for it. However, if the error in the residence card was your fault (e.g. you gave incorrect data in the application), you will have to apply for a residence card replacement and pay for its replacement.

Created on: 10.02.2020

Within 3 days of losing the document, notify the governor who issued your residence card. Also report the theft/loss of the card at the nearest Police Station. To obtain a new card, submit an application for replacement/issue of a residence card.

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