Permanent residence card - What does it give and how to obtain it?

What does a permanent residence card in Poland give you? This document allows a foreigner to live legally and take up employment without obtaining additional permits. It also allows you to cross the border of Poland many times without applying for a visa.

Having a permanent residence permit, you can also move for tourist purposes throughout the Schengen area (for a period of 90 days, but within 180 days).

It is worth mentioning that obtaining such a document will significantly facilitate applying for Polish citizenship in the future.

Many foreigners seek to obtain a permanent residence card. How to obtain such a document? It can be issued to a foreigner who meets one of the following conditions:

• one of his parents is a foreigner who has been granted a permanent residence permit (or an EU long-term resident permit), provided that he was born during the validity period of this document,
• one of his parents is a citizen of the Republic of Poland,
• has Polish ancestry and intends to settle permanently in Poland,
• is married to a citizen of the Republic of Poland for a minimum of 3 years before submitting the application, if he or she has lived in Poland for a minimum of 2 years on the basis of a temporary residence permit,
• is a victim of human trafficking who has legitimate symptoms before returning to his/her country, has cooperated in criminal proceedings with law enforcement agencies, has lived in Poland for a minimum of one year immediately before submitting the application,
• has lived in Poland continuously for a minimum of 5 years on the basis of a residence permit for humanitarian reasons, refugee status or subsidiary protection,
• prior to the submission of the application for permanent residence, has lived in Poland continuously for: at least 5 years with refugee status, granted subsidiary protection or on the basis of a humanitarian residence permit; or at least 10 years with a tolerated stay permit, or at least 4 years with a temporary residence and work permit and has a stable source of income,
• has been granted asylum in Poland,
• has a Pole's Card and intends to settle in the country permanently,
• has lived in Poland for at least 10 years with a permit for tolerated stay and has a fear of returning to his or her country where his or her life, liberty or personal safety may be threatened, or where he or she is threatened with torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, deprivation of work or the right to a fair trial.

How to make a permanent residence card for a Ukrainian or a citizen of another country that is not a member of the EU or the Schengen area? The foreigner should submit the appropriate application in person to the provincial office no later than on the last day of his legal stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland.

The application should be accompanied by the following documents:

• a valid travel document (photocopies and the original for inspection),
• four current color biometric photographs,
• proof of payment for the granting of a permanent residence permit (those who have a Pole's Card do not have to pay it).

In addition to this - depending on the individual situation of the foreigner - other documents should also be prepared:

• original documents that confirm the possession of Polish ancestry by one of the parents, grandparents or two great-grandparents,
• documents confirming kinship with a family member with Polish ancestry,
• Pole's Card (photocopy and original for review),
• a document providing evidence of a desire to settle in Poland permanently (for example, a lease agreement, deed of ownership of premises or employment contract),
• a copy of a marriage certificate to a Polish citizen,
• photocopy of the identity card of the spouse,
• copies of birth certificates of joint children,
• a copy of the birth certificate and a copy of the decision on the permanent residence permit of the legal guardian or his identity card (in the case of minors),
• a certificate of not being delinquent in payment of taxes.

A permanent residence card allows you to live and work legally in the Republic of Poland and entitles you to cross the border multiple times. The issuance of a residence card significantly facilitates obtaining Polish citizenship in the future. How to obtain a permanent residence card in Poland? Submit the required documents to the provincial office no later than the last day of legal residence in the country.

Contact us and we will tell you how to increase the chances of a positive decision by the provincial governor and help you gather all the documents. Kancelaria ds. Obywatelskich provides professional support to foreigners in legalizing their stay in the Republic of Poland. Feel free to contact us!