Formalities

Legalisation of Residence

Every student that starts studying in Poland has to complete formalities listed below. It is very important! It is advisable to do it as quickly as possible, to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Obligation of registration

After arriving to Poland foreigners are obliged to register themselves in a city hall for a temporary residence with the address they have been staying for 48 hours after their arrival. If a foreigner lives in a dormitory all the formalities are completed by the university. Certificate of registration is required during the procedures of legalisation of residence.

Foreign students who are citizens of European Union countries or Island, Lichtenstein, Norway, Switzerland

• must gain Residence Permit

Rules:

• All EU citizens staying over three months in Poland must apply for Residence Permit
• Authorisation: a foreigner can be represented by power of attorney; such authorisation must be certified by notary
• All the documents enclosed to the application ought to be translated into Polish by a certified translator
• Permission for residence is given for following periods: 1 year – in case of studying
• 6 months – in case of looking for a job
• from 3 to 12 months – in case of taking up a job or beginning of economic activity

Required documents:

• 1 copy of an application filled in Polish *
• 2 valid photographs in colour (size 4.5 x 3.5 cm); a person should be bareheaded, without glasses with dark lenses; the photographs ought to show left profile with the left ear of the person, face of the person should be evenly exposed
• copy of travel document or another document ascertaining identity and citizenship of a foreigner
• certificate of medical insurance policy **
• declaration of having financial resources sufficient to cover the costs of residence without additional social funds
• certificate issued by University

* Applications are available on the website www.mazowsze.uw.gov.pl/pdf.php?id=1671 
** It can be E-111 form or a certificate of voluntary medical insurance (details are in the part about medical insurance)

Remember: the set of documents ought to be applied in the Department for Foreigners:

5 Dluga Street
00-263 Warszawa
phone: (022) 831-48-18
opening hours:
Monday: 10.00 – 17.30
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8:00 – 15:00
Wednesday: closed

Obligatory fees: for Residence Card for EU citizens: 30 PLN transferred to the account:

Mazowiecki Urzad Wojewódzki
Wydzial Finansów i Budzetu
NBP O/O Warszawa
36 1010 1010 0100 6722 3100 0000

Foreign students who are not citizens of European Union countries or Island, Lichtenstein, Norway, Switzerland

• must gain Card of Temporary Residency in Poland

Rules:

• You need to apply for the card to voivode at least 45 days before the expiry date of visa or previous permission
• Once the application is accepted the procedure of legislation is set in motion
• Documents ought to be completed in Polish
• Originals of the documents should be accessible for insight
• Document ought to be translated by a certified translator or a consul
• The application must be filled with capital letters in Polish so that it is legible
• Authorisation: you can be represented by power of attorney; such authorisation must be certified by notary
• You must collect the card in person

Required documents:

• 4 copies of filled application for temporary residence (for fixed time) *
• 4 valid photographs in colour (size 4.5 x 3.5 cm); a person should be bareheaded, without glasses with dark lenses; the photographs ought to show left profile with the left ear of the person, face of the person should be evenly exposed (it is advised to attach one additional photograph in order to facilitate the procedure)
• valid travel document (2 copies)
• confirmation of temporary accommodation
• certificate of beginning or continuing studies at Polish state or private university with expected time of graduation
• documents of confirmation that person’s financial resources are sufficient to cover the costs of residence
• certificate of medical insurance policy

* Applications are available on the website www.mazowieckie.pl/pdf.php?id=277

Obligatory fees:

• The fee paid in the form of duty stamps, which must be stuck to application form 5 PLN for application
• 0.50 PLN for each annex

• Fees paid upon receiving residence permit: 300 PLN on the bank account:

Urzad Dzielnicy Sródmiescie
Miasta Stolecznego Warszawy
43 Nowogrodzka Street
00-950 Warszawa
Bank PEKAO S.A VO  w Warszawie
45-1240 1066-1111 0010 0317 1881

•  Card of Residence: 50 PLN on the bank account:

Mazowiecki Urzad Wojewódzki
Wydzial Finansów i Budzetu
NBP O/O Warszawa
36 1010 1010 0100 6722 3100 0000

Remark: All the information about current procedures concerning legalisation of residence is available on Polish website www.mazowsze.uw.gov.pl/wso or English website intl.mazowieckie.pl/en

Medical Insurance

Every student is obliged to take care of his or her medical insurance. If you forget about this formality you will have to cover all the costs of possible treatment. Unfortunately, these costs are relatively high.

• The foreign students, foreign participants of PhD studies or foreign graduated students who have the obligatory job seniority in Poland who are not citizens of European Union countries or citizens of EFTA countries can obtain voluntary medical insurance.

In order to obtain the voluntary medical insurance student must fill in the necessary documents in National Health Fund (NFZ) and in Social Security Department.

How to obtain the voluntary medical insurance?

Person who wants to obtain the voluntary medical insurance should apply to the right department of National Health Fund where all needed forms are available. Next step is to sign the agreement with NFZ. Cost of voluntary medical insurance is about 35.70 PLN per month. No longer than 7 days after signing the agreement student should supply the ZUS ZZA document to Social Security Department with voluntary medical insurance code (24 10 XX). After dealing with these formalities student ought to present the medical insurance agreement and authentication of ZUS application to the right Dean’s office or to the PhD studies office. This activity is necessary for charging the insurance premiums.

Additional information about medical insurance is available under telephone numbers (022) 444 15 01, (022) 444 15 02 or in one of the departments of NFZ in Warsaw:

• 12 Sienkiewicza Street (corner of Marszałkowska Street)
• 69 Prosta Street
• 186 Grójecka Street
• 78 Koszykowa Street

1. Foreign students who are citizens of European Union countries or EFTA countries are entitled to get medical help on the basis of E-128 or E-111 forms (if they have medical insurance in their country or origin).
2. Foreign students who have Polish origins (a document from the consulate in the country of birth that certifies a Polish origin is obligatory) all the insurance premiums will be paid by the university; student should sign a contract with National Health Fund.
3. In cases not listed above the insurance premiums must be paid by student until the 15th day of every month.

When does the medical insurance expire?

The obligatory medical insurance expires automatically four months after graduation or when the student is expelled form the university. The voluntary medical insurance expires with the last day of contact or after one month of not paying premiums. The voluntary medical insurance expires also when the student changes medical insurance to obligatory.

The medical insurance is not the same as accident insurance. For this reason, before any travel on the scholarship is better to buy additional accident insurance.

Remember before going to study abroad: Medical insurance does not protect you from the after-effects of accidents. Therefore it is worth to buy an accident insurance.

Work

Foreign students who are citizens of EU countries, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway or Switzerland

There are no restrictions for students who are citizens of countries belonging to European Economic Area.

Nevertheless, citizens of these countries must meet some requirements before taking up a job.

• Residence permit is needed.
• Application to the right office to obtain temporary PESEL (evidential number) is needed. The application form is available on the website:
• http://www.mswia.gov.pl/download.php?s=1&id=48 (but you will probably need assistance from Polish speaking colleagues to use it)
• Application to the job centre for the NIP-3 form and obtaining NIP number is needed.

Foreign students who are not citizens of EU countries, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway or Switzerland

These students need a permission to work. Such permission is given by Wojewódzki Urzad Pracy (voivodship job centre) in Warsaw. Student’s employer has to apply for the permission. The whole procedure doesn’t last longer than one month (very often is much shorter).

Students from countries whose citizens’ rights are restricted on Polish labour market need permission to work.

All the details about rules, restrictions and procedures concerning permissions are available on the website: http://www.wup.mazowsze.pl/index.php?id=cudzoziemcy/cudzoziemcy (some assistance from Polish speaking colleagues may help).

Remember! Foreign students have right to work without permission for no longer than 3 months during summer holiday.