Is it worth going to Poland? Visa-free regime. Conditions of entry into Poland for Ukrainians. Issuing a coupon, checking the car and documents

Poland is one of the most popular destinations for immigrants from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. What is the secret of this attractiveness for residents of the CIS countries? This popularity is due to a number of reasons:

• prosperous European country economically and socially
• relatively simple procedure for obtaining a residence permit (compared to other European countries)
• possibility of free movement within Schengen countries
• similar mentality and similar language of the Slavic group

Poland is located in Central Europe and is one of the largest in all of Europe. A temperate climate prevails here - mild winters and warm summers, spring begins early and autumn comes late.

And what is important is that Poland is one of the cheapest countries in the European Union. Read more about this in our article.

An increasing number of Ukrainians want to leave Ukraine for Poland, and many want to receive a Pole card, which provides many advantages when staying in Poland. In 2014, 300,000 Ukrainians received residence permits in Poland. Ukrainians can also travel to the Polish state in connection with their studies, on a work visa or through relatives.

So what do you need to go to Poland and what methods of legal relocation exist? These and other similar questions concern many who want to move here for permanent residence, and we will try to answer them.

How to move to POLAND - affordable ways

According to Polish legislation, the following methods are currently available for obtaining official status for residence in the country:

Repatriation Law

Repatriation Law (return to homeland) is valid from January 1, 2000. A repatriate is a person of Polish origin who arrived for permanent residence in Poland on the basis of a repatriation visa.

This relocation option is available to persons who have at least one of their parents, grandparents (or great-grandparents) of Polish nationality (had Polish citizenship) and they can document this fact.

And most importantly, a repatriation visa can be issued to a person who, before the day the Law came into force (January 1, 2001), was permanently residing in the modern territory of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan or the Asian part of the Russian Federation.

The final decision on issuing a repatriation visa is made by the Consul of the Republic of Poland.

The residence permit period can be extended for a period of 1 year. If the company demonstrates successful activities in the form of income for its owner, it will be possible to apply for permanent residence and long-term EU resident status.

Business immigration is the best way for married couples to move to Poland with children and obtain official status for all family members.

Go to work in Poland

If all of the above methods do not suit you, you can consider the option of going to work, followed by obtaining a residence permit in the country. Due to the outflow of Poles to Western European countries, a large number of vacancies have arisen in the country.

The chances of finding a job in Poland are not related to the high qualifications of a potential immigrant. There is high demand today for carpenters, welders, turners, etc. The services of female caregivers looking after the elderly are in demand.

Read: and what professions are the most in demand today. If you are looking for a job in Poland, perhaps our website will help you find the desired offer

They do not employ citizens of Ukraine and Russia in offices where work with clients is necessary. It is difficult to get a job for lawyers and economists. A person who knows Polish well and is well versed in legislation can work with clients.

To obtain a work visa you must obtain it directly or through a recruitment agency. The first work visa is issued for six months, then it can be extended for another year and obtained a residence permit. The salary of a general worker in Poland is approximately 600 Euros, a welder - from 800 Euros.

You will be able to stay and legally work in the country for the period for which the visa was issued (often 180 days a year). The employer can extend the employment contract for up to a year, thereby extending the time of your stay in Poland. In other words, legal work under an employment contract gives you the right to obtain a residence permit in the country.

Study in Poland

Moving to Poland through studying at national universities is the so-called soft immigration, which avoids going through all the difficulties of the migration process and subsequent adaptation. But this option is the most suitable solution for young people. This is a great way to get a good education at the European level, learn a language, get acquainted with the culture and find a well-paid job.

In order to go to study in Poland, you must obtain a student visa by providing a certificate of admission to a Polish educational institution. You can receive it after an interview or confirmation of payment for the period of study.

Having a student visa gives you the right to obtain a residence permit (karta czasowego pobytu) and the right to work.

For foreigners in Poland, only a paid form of education is provided and often without entrance exams. In general, training here is relatively inexpensive.

Refugees in Poland

Currently, in connection with military operations in eastern Ukraine, a huge flow of Ukrainian refugees has poured into Poland. Some people want to go to Poland as a refugee without having a passport or a visa, but the Poles “turn a blind eye” to such actions. However, not all migrants like the conditions in which they are kept in Poland.

Many Ukrainians equate them to prison and believe that it is better to wait out the war at home, and therefore return back to Ukraine. Ukrainian migrants also complained that they need to spend a whole year in Poland before receiving refugee status.

According to the New York Protocol and the Geneva Convention, persons who meet the following criteria may apply for refugee status:

• location (outside the country where the person has citizenship);
• a valid reason for entry (religious, social, racial, ethnic or political affiliation);
• lack of a sense of security in the country from which migrants came, or the impossibility of returning to their homeland due to fear for their lives and the lives of their families.

Those persons who have left their homeland due to poverty, unemployment, homelessness, or criminal liability for criminal acts cannot count on refugee status.

To obtain refugee status, migrants must personally submit a written application for asylum to the Chief Commandant of the Border Guard. If a migrant cannot cross the Polish state border and submit such an application, he can submit a petition to the commandant of the Border Guard for the opportunity to cross the border.

Is it expensive to go to Poland?

One of the most important questions that interests a potential immigrant is how much does it cost to go to Poland?

Let's go over all the points of our “program”:

• repatriation is a free process
• Obtaining Pole cards is free + there is no visa fee for Pole card holders
• Businessmen who want to open their own company in the Polish state must have 1162 EU to contribute to the authorized capital and 900-3000 EU to register a company/organization.
• travel to work consists of the cost of an invitation to work (from 50 Euros) and a visa (35 Euros). If you contacted the employer yourself, you do not need to pay for the invitation
• Tuition depends on the university and can start from 1000 Euros per academic year

As for the cost of living, we described this issue in detail in the article -.

Four universities in Russia, moved to Poland and did not regret it. “Big Village” publishes her honest story about employment, paperwork, income and price levels: why Poland is the best European country to live in, and Warsaw is the city of dreams.

Reasons for moving

I always wanted to leave Russia - although I dreamed of America, but life took me to a completely different country. At that time, I had been working as a web designer for about a year, living with my fiance and two cats, and was slowly drowning in routine. I periodically felt the urge to move to Kaliningrad, then to Odessa, or somewhere else, just to avoid being stuck in sickening Samara with the unbearably cold winter and the cult of Zhigulevsky beer.

One day I saw a design studio in an illustrator competition for VKontakte and simply fell in love. It turned out that these were Ukrainian guys working in Warsaw. At first I simply wrote them an admiring review. Then for another week I looked at their work every now and then - and couldn’t tear myself away. Then I decided: why not? In three nights after work, I put together a portfolio of the highest level that I was capable of, honestly explaining my goals and desires, namely, to grow under the wing of people who inspire me. A year and a half later, the company manager will tell me that even then he and his boss realized that I was the person they could rely on. I think that is why the boss then decided to hire me, although my level frankly did not reach their work.

We worked for a test two weeks, and after that I began to prepare for the move. When I told my mother that I was creating a portfolio for a company in Warsaw, she was not enthusiastic about it, but later admitted that from the very beginning she knew that I would succeed, and she was sad to realize the upcoming separation. I am very grateful to her for letting me go morally.

Paperwork

The company sent me a work invitation, with which I went to apply for a national visa type D, which allows me to live and work in Poland for six months. To obtain it, you don’t need anything unusual: an application, photographs, a foreign passport, medical insurance, and an invitation, of course - without it you can’t even travel later - they may not let you back in. Insurance is needed with coverage of at least €30,000, but it costs about three thousand rubles and it is enough to do it for some time from the moment of entry, and deal with the rest on the spot.

Currently, visa fees in Samara are approximately four thousand rubles (60 euros). Intermediary agencies ask for about eight thousand, but you can collect the entire package of documents yourself. True, my employer helped me a lot with advice - not everyone is so lucky, so if you don’t have confidence in your abilities, it might be worth overpaying.

When the visa expires, you make a “residence card” (Karta Pobytu) - a document that gives you the right to live and work in Poland and move freely throughout the Schengen area. This card is issued for a period of one and a half to three years and can be extended. If you lose your job, you get a month to find a new one. The only problem is that the production of this card takes longer than the promised three months - sometimes up to six months. All this time you can stay in Poland with a special stamp in your passport, but you cannot leave the country - so I traveled to a good half of Polish cities.

Moving and finding housing

I got there by train through Moscow. I chose the train for two reasons: firstly, I hate fussing with luggage on planes, and secondly, I would have to check the cat in the luggage compartment, and this is inhumane.

By the way, the cat also had to provide documents: a veterinary passport with a rabies vaccination that was at least a month old and a veterinary certificate from Rosselkhoznadzor with a Euro supplement. I steadfastly endured the cat bureaucracy, which was new to everyone in our city, and in return the cat steadfastly endured the long and difficult trip. The travel time was about thirty hours.

On the day of my arrival, the boss (!) met me at the station, and we spent the whole day looking at apartments. Before each new employee arrives, our super-boss looks for all available options, arranges viewings, and then drives around with the new employee in his car, helps them move in, fill out an agreement and comply with other formalities. In the evening we chose a wonderful one-room apartment for me with a clean entrance, a concierge and a gorgeous view of the city - there were even windows in the bathroom!

My first apartment cost 1,700 zlotys (27,000 rubles), the next one - in a slightly better area - 2,100 zlotys (33,500 rubles), now we pay about 2,600-2,900 zlotys (41,000-46,000 rubles) for a two-bedroom apartment, the price fluctuates depending on the utilities .

It should be borne in mind that here you always need to pay a deposit in the amount of one month’s rent, that is, first be prepared to pay double the price. In addition, there are now few apartments from owners, so it is worth preparing another 50% of the rental price for agency services.

I looked for the second and third apartment on my own - there are quite convenient sites here (www.olx.pl, www.gratka.pl, www.gumtree.pl). Poles love cats, so renting a house with them is not a problem. Another question is that if the animal spoils something, the owner will have to pay for it. But with a dog it can be more difficult.

Income and price level

My health insurance cost 450 zlotys (7,100 rubles) for six months - this is a basic package without highly specialized specialists such as an oncologist, for example, but with all the main doctors and tests, even ultrasound. And, of course, dentistry is not included in any package, so it’s worth getting your teeth treated in advance. There are also monthly insurance options, as well as free government clinics, but you need to make an appointment with doctors several months in advance.

Now we have insurance from the company, so we don’t have to pay more for medicine. And the company fully covers taxes, so we receive a salary including all deductions.

The cost of food depends very much on what and where you eat. I earn about 1,000 zlotys (16,000 rubles) a month, despite the fact that I hardly cook at home and eat in a cafe every day.

A monthly travel card costs 110 zlotys (1,700 rubles) or you need to pay 4.40 (70 rubles) for one trip of 75 minutes on any type of transport. There are no conductors at all - everything is on your conscience. Controllers can come at any time and issue a fine for ticketless travel of 400 zlotys (6,000 rubles).

Initially, I had with me the size of my first remote salary - about 70,000 rubles plus approximately the same amount of savings. There was enough money to pay for the apartment and deposit, as well as for the first month of a comfortable life. Now I earn significantly more, besides, the company recently introduced bonuses for employees.

In total, my income is enough for a life in which I do not have to deny myself anything, as well as for travel. This is financial heaven! In Samara, I barely reached a salary of 25,000 rubles and was constantly counting money, but during the first year in Poland I bought myself an iPhone, a MacBook, visited five countries, and completely updated my wardrobe. Now I don’t care much about buying clothes, equipment or products often - most of my money goes towards traveling and developing my hobbies and skills.

Food and entertainment

Products in Poland differ from Russian ones: instead of pierogi dumplings - fatty Polish dumplings, instead of shawarma - Turkish kebab; there is no normal borscht, Lays chips with cheese, some Russian-made sweets, doctor's sausage, Borodino bread, condensed milk. But there are a lot of good and tasty products: pastries, sweets, cheeses, fresh vegetables, berries and fruits - including exotic ones. At the same time, Polish cuisine itself is so-so: sour soups, dough mixed with potatoes, a lot of fried meat - I don’t like that.

In Poland, they are attentive to vegetarians and vegans: in stores there are special departments with gluten-free and organic food, and there are vegan cafes on the streets. There are just an endless number of kebab shops, Indian restaurants and food with a huge amount of spices - Warsaw residents love Eastern and Middle Eastern cuisine. But sushi is not very popular and good ones are difficult to find.

I really like that there are many affordable cafes in Warsaw - much more than pretentious restaurants. There are very cheap ones, for example, Bar Mleczny - a local equivalent of a canteen where you can buy disgusting soup for 3 zlotys (50 rubles) - homeless people often hang around there. But there are also simply cozy places where you can have an inexpensive and tasty lunch in a beautiful interior. When my mother came to visit me, she was surprised that everyone here was constantly sitting in cafes, and some even had queues.

Poles have fun the same way as Russians - at parties, concerts, in cafes; but it’s not customary to visit here. A lot of people keep dogs and play with them in the park. They generally love animals here: there is almost a queue to volunteer at shelters.

Language and mentality

I arrived completely without knowledge of the language and at first I begged my colleagues to make orders for me in the cafe. But they were relentless. I had to overcome the panic and order it myself. And this turned out to be the most correct tactic: you learn any language faster when you speak it.

Contrary to stereotypes, Polish cannot be learned instantly. Russians seem to understand it by ear, but it has no less nuances than any other language, and you risk getting into a puddle at the first mention of the word sklep (shop) or uroda (beauty). My colleagues and I hired a teacher who comes to our office twice a week in the evenings. Now, after a year and a half, I speak Polish normally. I calmly solve medical, financial and other everyday issues, make purchases, and can read not very complex literature, documents and recipes. And I can also read the name Grzegorz Brzęczyszczykiewicz - this is my personal pride.

My level could be much higher if I communicated with Poles more often. Alas, I never found any friends among them, and Ukrainian society is very relaxing. Ukrainians are an official national minority in Poland, and lately there have been especially many of them: I catch myself thinking that I hear Ukrainian and Russian on the streets and in shops as often as Polish. I get my hair cut by a Ukrainian woman, work with Ukrainians, do theater and vocals with Ukrainians, and at most with Belarusians.

The Poles are somewhat reminiscent of the Russians - they also drink vodka and yell at football games, but there are more differences. This is a surprisingly educated and cultural nation. Intelligence is especially noticeable in communicating with children - here it is an absolute norm to say to a child: “Daughter, I love you so much, you are the joy of my life,” and comments sound like: “Darling, please don’t scream.” Schoolchildren also behave much more cultured than Russians: they speak very clearly and competently, make moderate noise and behave more like adults.

Poland is not a huge country, but it is a very diverse country: there is the sea, mountains, and incredibly beautiful lakes. I have visited completely different Polish cities, and each has something interesting in its own way. I liked Gdansk most of all - I advise everyone who loves the cold sea, ships and breathtaking architecture to visit there.

From Poland it is quite easy to travel around Europe: by plane or bus. Ticket prices are always affordable and traveling to Austria, Germany, Sweden or Denmark for a weekend is par for the course. Yes, and you can fly to England for 500 rubles (though you have to worry about getting a visa first).

At the same time, of all the European countries I have been to, I like Poland the most as a place to live: moderate climate, safety, good infrastructure, pleasant architecture and society. I'm still thinking about moving further west in the future, but I don't want to rush out mindlessly anymore, because it's really nice to live here.

Relocation Options

There are many different ways to move, legal and illegal - from invitations from fictitious employers (not our method) to official stay based on national roots. There are quite a lot of people with Polish roots in Russia and Ukraine, so if you have a Polish grandparent (great-grandparents are also good), you can qualify for a “Pole card” - this is almost citizenship. Having lived here for 5 years on any legal basis, you receive a “lifetime card” - this is also almost citizenship, which opens the door to life in the European Union.

If things don’t work out with your relatives, you can, like me, get a work invitation from a specific employer. For freelancers there is a business incubator that provides official employment in Poland, the services of a lawyer, accountant and the right to live in the country.

There is an option to enroll in a certain type of educational institution (Szkoła Policealna), where attendance is not checked - not so much in order to study, but simply to get the opportunity to gain a foothold in Poland, getting a job as a courier or worker for the first time. But you can officially enter the university. Contrary to the myths about crazy European education, a year of study at some universities here costs 3,500 zlotys (56,000 rubles). This is much cheaper even than provincial universities in Russia. True, you need to be prepared to study in Polish. It is possible in English, however, knowing Polish, you can apply for a budget place or a scholarship - quite tangible bonuses.

Entry into Poland for citizens of Ukraine within the framework of visa-free laws is possible on the basis of a biometric passport and subject to additional conditions. Which ones exactly were described in detail by the press service of the Polish Border Guard Service.

The conditions for entry into Poland for Ukrainians without a visa are as follows:

1. Availability of a valid travel document (in this case a biometric passport), giving the holder the right to cross the border and meeting the following criteria:

— it is valid for at least three months after the expected date of departure from the territory of the Member States; in justified emergency cases this criterion may be changed;

- was issued within the last 10 years;

2. The traveler must justify the purpose and conditions of the intended stay, as well as have sufficient funds for the duration of the intended stay and return to his country;

3. Citizens should not have been denied entry into the SIS;

4. Do not pose a threat to public order, internal security, public health or international relations of any EU country.

The Border Guard may require third-country nationals to present documents that confirm their residence. For example, booking a hotel on a website or a written statement from a relative with whom the foreigner will stay. As well as a travel and return plan (for example, a return ticket or a round trip ticket).

It is also necessary to have enough funds with you for the entire duration of your stay and return to your country or for transit to a third country.

How much money do you need to have:

– minimum PLN 300, if the duration of the intended stay does not exceed 4 days,

- 75 zlotys for each day of the planned stay, if the duration of the intended stay exceeds 4 days - or the equivalent of this amount in foreign currency.

In addition, you must additionally have:

- at least 200 zlotys for the return trip or return ticket.

Foreigners traveling to Poland:

— to tourist events, resorts, camps, sports competitions;

- have a paid stay in the Republic of Poland,

Can confirm the purpose and duration of the planned stay:

- a document confirming participation in an event, in sports competitions, or show a ticket to a camp, directions to a resort;

- evidence of payment of at least the cost of accommodation and food during your stay in Poland;

Documents that confirm the necessary funds can be, for example:

- checks;
— a certificate of the limit on the credit card issued by the bank;
– a certificate confirming the availability of funds in an account with a bank that has a representative office in Poland or another state in the EU.

Modern realities, namely the sharp depreciation of the national currency, force Ukrainians to seriously consider the option of going to Poland to work in order to find decent wages.

Why Poland? Main criteria:

• Relatively easy to obtain permission
• Not far to go
• Easy to understand Slavic language
• Level of remuneration (salary in Ukraine - from 100 Euro / in Poland - from $700 Euro)

GDP in Poland shows record growth among European countries - over 4%. Compare with other countries - in France this figure is 3.7%, in Italy - 0.8%, and in Germany, which is considered the strongest economy in Europe - 0.9%.

Another factor that forced us to look towards Europe was the need to obtain a work patent from January 1, 2015 for “workers” who went to work in Russia (and this is about 6 million of our compatriots), and the fall in the exchange rate of the Russian ruble played an important role role. In short, it has become profitable to earn money abroad and spend it at home.

“To go or not to go?” - that is the question

Since 2007, the registration procedure has been simplified. Citizens of other countries are required to obtain a work permit, but for Ukrainians an invitation from an employer is sufficient. In addition, today Poland is the only European Union country that issues work visas and legally accepts workers from Ukraine.

Neither the Czech Republic, nor Germany, nor Canada, and especially the United States, are waiting for labor migrants from our country, unless you are an outstanding scientist or a specialist of the highest class. Want to make sure? Just call the Ministry of Social Policy and ask which EU country how many work visas have been issued to our fellow citizens over the last year and all questions will disappear by themselves.

Today, everyone affected by the crisis is traveling from Ukraine to Poland - middle managers, executives and teachers; everyone needs work. And here lies the first unpleasant surprise. If you worked in an office in your home country, this does not mean that you will receive a similar position in Poland. Work in their specialty is the lot of technical specialists (programmers, turners, drivers), where knowledge of the language is not the main requirement.

The first job in Poland for a humanitarian or office worker is a laborer or any other job that does not require high qualifications (factories, warehouses, etc.).

However, if you are not used to physical labor, the first time will be difficult for you and many simply cannot cope with the “feeling of self-importance” and return. You shouldn’t judge life and work in Poland by videos from social networks; in reality, everything is much more prosaic. If you are not ready for drastic changes in your life, think again, maybe you shouldn’t be disappointed and it’s better to look for luck at home.

Important! Without language knowledge and experience, earning more than the minimum wage (8-10 zlotys per hour) will be extremely difficult, if not impossible. Yes, there are exceptions, but it’s better not to count on them.

Reviews about earning money in Poland:

I have decent experience in earning money abroad, I’ve been to many places: Italy, Germany, Poland. However, the best option for me was working in Poland on road construction. The work cannot be called easy, but the salary is decent - more than 4,000 zlotys per month (although you had to pay about 600 zlotys separately for accommodation and food). Working hours are from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. I'll probably go again next season. Andrey, 44 years old, Rivne

Who better not to go to work in Poland?

Let's face it! If you have spent your whole life in an office and are afraid of physical labor, if you are waiting for a miracle in the form of a well-paid job where you can “not strain”, immediately upon arrival - Poland is not for you.

Poland is waiting and will not disappoint those who want and love to work. Those who will work and develop, invest in themselves, their education and future are welcome here. I hope these lines will help you make the right decision and prevent another negative review on the Internet.

How to go to Poland to work?

To officially go to Poland to work, a Ukrainian must, which gives the right to stay and work on the territory of the state for 180 days in a year 180/365 (or 90 days in a half-year).

There are few options for obtaining such a visa:

Option 1. Traveling by invitation to work

To obtain a visa at the Polish consulate or embassy in Ukraine, you must provide an invitation to work from a Polish employer with a note from the voivode.

You can obtain such permission:

• By contacting an intermediary (recruitment agency for job search abroad)
• By independently contacting an employer in Poland and convincing him to send you an invitation

Option 2. Obtaining a one-year visa D (360/360) based on a POLE CARD

It is no secret that a significant percentage of the population of Ukraine (especially those from the western and central regions) and Belarus are of Polish origin, that is, their close relatives (parents or grandparents) were Poles by nationality.

If you can confirm the fact of having Polish roots, according to the law you have the right to receive a so-called POLE CARD (KARTA POLAKA), and on its basis a long-term national visa on a free basis.

In addition, the Pole’s card makes it possible to obtain permanent residence under a simplified procedure and subsequently Polish citizenship.

Read more : And is it possible to get such a card without Polish origin?

These are not all the ways to go to Poland to earn money, but the options given are the least expensive in terms of finances and time.

Where to go to work in Poland?

There are enough vacancies for our compatriots. There are offers for both qualified employees and the opportunity to get a job that does not require qualifications. The Poles are happy to hire Ukrainians, because they have to pay less than the local population. Polish workers themselves go to Ireland, Sweden, Austria, where earnings are higher.

Here is a list of the most popular vacancies with working conditions, requirements and average salaries -