HOW TO ENTER POLAND? EU/ EEA citizens non-eu/eea countries valid travel document and a visa visa prolongation in Poland is possible only once

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1 HOW TO ENTER POLAND? According to the Schengen regulations, students who are EU/ EEA citizens do not need to obtain any kind of permit in order to enter or study within Polish borders. Should the above-mentioned be your case, you can come to Warsaw on the basis of a valid travel document or any other document certifying your identity and citizenship. It is important to underline that if you intend to visit Poland s neighboring countries a passport is recommended as not all of them are EU Member States. Students of a non-eu/eea countries can enter Poland on the basis of a valid travel document and a visa if required. In such case the student is obliged to obtain a visa from the Polish consulate in his/her country of residence. In order to do so you are asked to submit the following documents: 1. Valid passport 2. Visa application form 3. Letter of Acceptance from the Institute 4. Intention Letter guaranteeing you accommodation during the whole length of stay 5. Proof of health insurance 6. Two recent photos 7. Other supporting documents As visa prolongation in Poland is possible only once and in cases of force majeure or situations impossible to foresee while applying for the visa in the consulate, students coming for a period of study longer than 3 months are obliged to apply for a visa for the whole planned period of stay in Poland. Please note that the process of obtaining a visa takes over a month. Therefore, it is advisable to make all the necessary arrangements in advance. For any further information on visas, please contact your nearest Polish Embassy or Consulate. 1

2 RESIDENCE REGISTERING Each foreign student whose stay in Poland exceeds 3 months and who does not hold a visa, is obliged to register his/her residence in the Department of Foreigners, Mazowsze Province Office in Warsaw, 5 Długa St. EU/EEA citizens are asked to submit the following original documents to the Province Office in order to obtain the residence: 1. Travel document original + 3 photocopies 2. Application form for EU Citizens (in Polish) original + 3 photocopies 3. Health insurance document (EHIC) 4. Declaration about sufficient resources to cover the living costs in Poland (e.g.: bank account statement from the last three months, credit card, scholarship) 5. Legal title to the apartment / flat rent contract 6. Official letter of acceptance from the Institute 7. Fee of 1 PLN Due to the fact that application processing can take up to two months, we would like to advice all students to arrange these matters at the beginning of your stay at the Nencki. Once finished, the Department of Foreigners will notify you via an official letter about the terms of picking up your residence card. Non-EU citizens Preparation of application documents The required documents include: 1. 4 copies of the application form 2. 5 colour photographs (sized 45mm 35mm) 3. Valid travel document (passport), 4 photocopies + original document for verification 4. Confirmation of registration for temporary residence 5. Legal title to the apartment 2

3 Additional documents for Ph.D. students beginning or continuing full-time studies or daytime doctoral studies: 1. Certificate confirming admission to or continuation of the studies issued by the entity in charge of the studies 2. Confirmation of the fee payment for the studies (if relevant) PhD studies at the Nencki are free of charge. It can be proven by a student certificate including the sentence "Studia są nieodpłatne". Please check if your certificate contains the abovementioned sentence. 3. Documents confirming availability of the funds to cover the costs of living and return, and to cover the costs of the studies 4. Documents confirming health insurance Additional documents for Post-docs taking up a job: 1. Work permit on the territory of the Republic of Poland for the period of stay on the basis of the permit or visa 2. Extension of the work permit (if required) 3. Employment contract/contract of mandate or to perform specific task 4. PIT 37 or 40 tax return for the previous year 5. Certificate about the fulfillment of tax liabilities towards the State Treasury by the foreigner, issued by the relevant tax office 6. Documents confirming health insurance or confirmation of covering health treatment costs on the territory of the Republic of Poland by the insurer 7. Documents confirming the amount of the costs of residence Documents preparation check sheet Please find below a short list of required documents. Generally they are enough for the application to be "accepted" by Mazowsze Province Office. It is crucial to submit all the documents at least 45 days before the expiry of your present visa/residence permit. However, some additional documents may be required depending on your individual Ph.D. program. Unfortunately, it also depends on the office staff checking your documents. Be patient and consult with your supervisor or contact us in any cases for support. 3

4 Documents you have to prepare original copy submit Basic documents 1 Application form (Wniosek) original Original with handwritten signature and its 3 copies & 3 copies 2 Portrait photos (45mm 35mm) originals "Zdjęcia legitymacyjne" or "Zdjęcia do dokumentów" format 3 Passport copy (portrait photo page and all stamped pages) 1 * 3 3 copies 4 Registration in Warsaw Capital City Office 1 * 1 1 copy (Potwierdzenie zameldowania na pobyt czasowy) 5 Flat rental contract (Umowa wynajmu mieszkania) 1 * 1 1 copy 6 Copies of invoice (faktura) and receipt (dowód wpłaty) 1 * 1 1 copy Flat, electricity, gas, water, etc. 7 Original receipt of the fee (dowód wpłaty) original for issuing a residence permit (340 P) Documents related to the Institute 8 Student certificate original (Zaświadczenie, or Zaświadczenie o przyjęciu na studia containing information about the amount of stipend) 9 ** Employment contract (Umowa o pracę) including 1 * 1 1 copy notification of basic payment if relevant 10 Health insurance document original 11 *** Justification (Uzasadnienie) original Explaning the reason for early submission * The Office staff will ask you to show ALL original documents for verification. Be ready for it. ** Required if you are employed by the Institute. Otherwise, no need. *** Better to prepare when you apply earlier than the expiry date of your "D" visa. Make a copy of all documents for your files. It might be helpful next time. 4

5 PRACTICAL TIPS FOR DOCUMENTS PREPARATION English version "Residence permit for a defined period of time on the territory of the Republic of Poland" Russian version "Разрешение на проживание на территории Республики Польша на определенный срок" Printouts of the instruction in other languages are available in the office of Department of Foreigners, Mazowsze Province Office in Warsaw, 5 Długa St. 1. Application form (Wniosek) The pdf is available at: szkanie%20na%20czas%20oznaczony.pdf 2. Portrait photo Empik on Nowy Świat Street (ul. Nowy Świat 15/17) has print service spot on -1 floor. It costs 4,99 zł for 4 printouts (45mm 35mm) - probably the cheapest price in town. Unfortunately, the stand alone printing machines in Empik doesn't have 45mm 35mm format. So ask a staff to printout from their equipment (verified 20.II.2010). For details, see "Empik photo" site: In Profilab EXPRESS it costs 15 zł for 4 printouts (45mm 35mm) and takes around 20 minutes. They have a place to snap inside. Taking picture there and print 4 copies usually costs zł. There are many Profilab EXPRESS spots (e.g. CH Arkadia or Wola Park ). You can check other spots by going to their site and click "laboratoria". FOTOJOKER also provides the same service. Price is the same as Profilab EXPRESS. Check their spots here Attention : The Institute doesn't reimburse for cost of photo. 5

6 3. Passport copy Make 3 copies of your passport. Required pages are portrait photo page and all stamped pages. COPY GENERAL client card will be useful for making copies. Attention : The Institute doesn't reimburse for cost of copies. 4. Registration in Warsaw Capital City Office (Potwierdzenie zameldowania na pobyt czasowy) a copy. LESSEE REGISTRATION (Zameldowanie) is the responsibility of the flat owner/lessor. Both the lessor and the lessee need to submit the application in one of the local branches of the Administration and Civil Service Department at the Warsaw Capital City Office ( The lessee passport, visa and residence permit/card are required for verification, as well as the lessor legal title to the apartment. The registration will automatically launch the procedure for assigning your PESEL (identification) number. 5. Flat rental contract (Umowa wynajmu mieszkania) a copy. In case you have the extension contract, make a copy of it, too. In case you are staying in the Nencki guest room, you will need a certificate signed by the Nencki representative. 6. Copies of invoice (faktura) and receipt (dowód wpłaty) Make copies of each invoice (faktura) and receipt (dowód wpłaty) of most recent payments (flat, electricity, gas, water, central heating, etc.). 7. Original receipt of the payment (340 PLN) 340 PLN should be paid to the following account: Name: Urząd Dzielnicy Śródmieście Miasta Stołecznego Warszawy Address: ul. Nowogrodzka 43, Warszawa Number :

7 Attention : The Institute doesn't reimburse for this cost. 8. Student certification (Zaświadczenie) including notification of student stipend (Zawiadomienie o stypendium doktoranckim) The certificate will be issued by the Nencki Institute. Please contact Human Resources (room 35). Most students receive their "Zawiadomienie o stypendium doktoranckim". Students funded from various types of projects may receive a different type of notification. Consult with your supervisor. In any case, make a copy of a your stipend confirmation. 9. Employment contract (Umowa o pracę) including notification of basic payment (Zawiadomienie o wynagrodzeniu zasadniczym) if relevant Students employed by the Institute receive their employment contract including information on basic payment. Students funded from various projects may receive other types of documents. In any case, make a copy of documents confirming your employment and salary. 10. HEALTH INSURANCE DOCUMENT To obtain optional (voluntary) health insurance foreign students must register to Polish public health insurance system. Students may also be registered (voluntarily) for private health insurance. In both cases the insurance premium is covered by the students themselves. To obtain optional health insurance, PhD student should place an application with Regional Branch Offices of National Health Fund (NFZ) in Warsaw, 8 Chalubinskiego St. Application forms are available in NHF branch or you can reach them on-line: in a bookmark For patients p. No 13 health insurance (optional). PhD students being citizens of the non-eu countries are required to be in possession of a passport and one from the following documents: 7

8 - permission for term-determined staying - register residence and rent agreement with the flat owner - visa with the work permission or resident card - student certificate Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) obligations: Having signed optional health insurance policy with National Health Fund (NFZ), an insured person should submit the ZZA ZUS form including a relevant code of insurance subject to a branch of ZUS proper to their place of living. It should be done within next 7 days. The ZUS DRA declaration should be placed by insured person for every insured month. Declaration can be sent by traditional mail or may be submitted personally at the proper ZUS branch. Optional health insurance is paid by remittance on ZUS account at a post office or in a bank. 11. Justification (Uzasadnienie) An additional document to explain the reason for early application. It is better to prepare it if you apply much earlier than the expiry date of your "D" visa. SUBMISSION The offices where you submit your application are listed at: Department of Foreigners, Mazowsze Province Office in Warsaw You can send your application documents by mail (Address: Mazowiecki Urząd Wojewódzki, ul. Długa 5, Warsaw). In such case, copies of your passport should be notarized, which makes the procedure more complicated. It is strongly recommended to submit the applications personally in a relevant office. In Warsaw, there are 3 offices: 1. The Office of Department of Foreigners, Mazowsze Province Office 8

9 ul. Długa 5, 2nd floor, "D" section, rooms Monday: 10:00-17:30, Tuesday: 8:00-15:00, Wednesday: closed Thursday: 8:00-15:00, Friday: 8:00-15: Main Bureau of Mazowsze Province Office, ul. Plac Bankowy 3/5 Room 34, entry B, Monday: 9:00-16:30, Tuesday - Friday: 8:00-15:30. Those two offices of Mazowsze Province Office (ul. Długa 5 and ul. Plac Bankowy 3/5) are always crowded with applicants. Sometimes applicants arrive there around 0:00 (midnight!) and wait in the queue until the open time to submit their application without appointment. It happens their turn never comes until the closing time of the office. You can make a meeting appointment by calling the office (only in Polish) Then you can submit you application without waiting a long time in the queue. However, office staff rarely answer the phone and the appointment date tends to be very late (usually 1 month ahead). 3. Service point of Warsaw Capital City Office at Metro Centrum station Shopping passage, room 2002L Monday - Friday: 12:00-20:00 (last entry 19:30). See the official website of Warsaw Capital City Office OPOM - Ogólnomiejski Punkt Obsługi Mieszkańców (PL) Service point of Warsaw Capital City Office at Metro Centrum station might be the most convenient. Your turn should come in around 30 min without appointment (verified in Dec. 2009). Unfortunately, most of the office staff speak Polish only (a few speak English). Be ready for it. Still, if your documents are well prepared, there should be no problem. After completing the submission, you will receive a piece of paper telling you when you should go to the office in 5 Długa St. to collect the "Decision" document (you may also 9

10 receive an additional instruction telling you what kind of additional documents you must submit. It depends on the office staff checking your documents. Be patient). Anyway, receiving this paper means that your application has been registered at least 45 days before the expiry of your present visa or residence permit. This is extremely important. Several weeks later you will receive a recorded delivery letter from Mazowsze Province Office about your "Decision" process. This process and the letter tends to be delayed. You can always call and ask about the progress of your case (in Polish) "Informacje w sprawie toczenia postępowania dotyczącego decyzji" Phone: or 73 Department of Foreigners, Mazowsze Province Office in Warsaw You will visit the building several times during the procedure (submission of documents, collecting the "Decision", collecting the residence card, etc.). It is located quite close to "Old Town (Stare Miasto)" area. Tram stops "METRO RATUSZ ARSENAŁ" or "STARE MIASTO", or bus stop "PL. KRASIŃSKICH" would be closest stops. Opening hours: Monday: 10:00-17:30, Tuesday: 8:00-15:00, Wednesday: closed Thursday: 8:00-15:00, Friday: 8:00-15:00 At reception, tell a staff the section you are going to ("B", "C", or "D" etc.), then the staff will pass you a queue number card. Then go to your section and wait in the queue. There is a service counter next to the reception. There you can: 1. pay for the costs for issuing a residence permit (340 PLN) and for the residence card (50 PLN) by cash or by credit card. Remittance costs 2.5 PLN. It is convenient to pay there because the addressees are already printed in the payment forms. Just insert your name and address in Warsaw. 10

11 For the residence permit (340 PLN) (upon the submission of the application) For the residence card (50 PLN) (upon the receipt of the decision) Urząd Dzielnicy Śródmieście Miasta Stołecznego Warszawy ul. Nowogrodzka 43, Warszawa Mazowiecki Urząd Wojewódzki Biuro Administracyjno-Budżetowe Bank Handlowy w Warszawie S. A. NBP O/O Warszawa make copies. A4 single page costs 40 groszy (expensive). Inside the building, there is a free of charge information service spot organized by a NGO Association for Legal Intervention (Stowarzyszenie Interwencji Prawnej). English speaking staff will answer your questions and suggest what you should do. (Go to 1st floor, turn right and go straight ahead, then you will soon see it on the left). This Association for Legal Intervention and Polish Migration Forum (Polskie Forum Migracyjne) opened Information Center for Foreigners (Av. 3 Maja 12, 5F, room 510) in April, They provide free of charge legal consultancy. Reference : Website of Department of Foreigners, Mazowsze Province Office 1. The most informative page (unfortunately in Polish) 2. English version (some instructions are available) 3. Russian version Another English page, fairly informative 11

12 SUBMISSION OF ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS Sometimes Mazowsze Province Office sends you a recorded delivery letter with instruction to submit additional documents. The letter will be definitely in Polish. Consult your supervisor or Administration for documents preparation and submission. Then, go back to the Office in 5 Długa St. as soon as possible during the period indicated in the letter. Usually it's "H" section. Check the opening hours of the Office. You need to bring: 1. The paper or letter instructing you to submit the additional documents 2. Required additional documents (originals for verification, too) 3. Passport is not necessary unless specified Collecting the "Decision (Decyzja)" You will receive a recorded delivery letter (in Polish) from Mazowsze Province Office, under the name of 1. Komendant Nadwiślańskiego Oddziału Straży Granicznej 2. Szef Agencji Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego Biuro Archiwum i Ewidencji 3. Komendant Stołeczny Policji Wydział Postępowań Administracyjnych The letter implies that your case is being processed well. Residence card fee Then pay 50 PLN for issuing your residence card and make a copy of the payment receipt. Name : Mazowiecki Urząd Wojewódzki, Biuro Administracyjno-Budżetowe NBP O/O Warszawa Number : Before going to the Office in 5 Długa St., it's better to call and ask whether your "Decision" is ready or not, because usually the process is delayed. Unfortunately they speak Polish only. "Informacje w sprawie toczenia postępowania dotyczącego decyzji" Phone: or 73 12

13 When the "Decision" is ready, you should go to the Office on 5 Długa St. as soon as possible, because it is always overcrowded. Usually it's "B" section. Check the opening hours of the Office. You need to bring: 1. The letter ordering you to come to the office 2. Passport PLN payment receipt (original) Pass the 50 PLN payment receipt (original) and collect the "Decision" document. The Office staff will tell you when your residence card will be ready. Renewing your registration in Warsaw Capital City Office (zameldowanie) In principle, it's your flat's owner's business. Ask yours to do it. 1. Fill in a form for new registration (zameldowanie) 2. "Decision" document (original) 3. Passport Picking up the residence card (karta pobytu) On the day indicated by the Office staff in the Decision (or later), go to the Office in 5 Długa St. Usually it's "C" section. Check the opening hours of the Office. You need to bring: 1. Passport 2. Old residence card (if you have) 3. 1 copy of "zameldowanie" (original for verification, too) Pass the copy of your new "zameldowanie", show its original and your passport. Then you will receive your own plastic residence card (karta pobytu). If you want, you can take the old residence card. But certainly it will be punched. That's the end of the procedure outside Institute. 13