Residence documents issued to the United Kingdom nationals and their family members until the end of the transition period will remain valid for the period for which they were issued, but no longer than until 31 December 2021.
Permanent residence permits (previously known as settlement permits) granted to the United Kingdom citizens under the Act on Foreigners also remain valid (indefinitely).
From 1 January 2021, beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement will be able to submit applications for a new residence document to voivodeship offices (competent for the place of stay). The documents will contain an annotation referring to the Withdrawal Agreement: “Article 50 TEU, Article 18 para. 4 of the Withdrawal Agreement”.
Proceedings in matters of the right of residence or the right of permanent residence of British citizens and their family members initiated and not completed before the end of the transition period will continue after the end of this period. These proceedings will also result in issuing new documents to the beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement. However, to obtain such documents, the applicant will have to provide their fingerprints.
After the end of the transition period, beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement will be able to use the following residence documents entitling them to travel within the Schengen area without a visa:
- issued before the end of the transition period (these documents will remain valid for the period for which they were issued, but not longer than until 31 December 2021):
- document confirming the right of permanent residence;
- residence card of a family member of an EU citizen;
- permanent residence card of a family member of an EU citizen.
- issued after the end of the transition period:
- certificate of submission of an application for obtaining a residence document for the beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement, valid for 1 year;
- certificate of registration of residence (in case of a British citizen in the case of having the right of residence; it will not apply to a certificate of registration of residence of a frontier worker);
- document confirming the right of permanent residence (in case of a British citizen with the right of permanent residence)
- residence card (in case of a family member who is not a British citizen and holds a residence right);
- permanent residence card (in case of a family member who is not a British citizen and holds a permanent residence right).
Moreover, after submitting one of the residence applications' mentioned above, you will receive a certificate valid for one year, which also allows you - together with a valid travel document - to cross borders multiple times without the need to obtain a visa.
