ATTENTION!!!

From the 2nd of February 2011 the requirements for the photographs submitted with the application for residence permit for a long-term EC resident changed. Detailed information can be found under REQUIRED DOCUMENTS.

• BASIC INFORMATION
  

  
  Residence permits for long-term EC residents are issued to foreigners on the basis of an administrative decision of the provincial governor of Małopolska made on the basis of an application.
  
  

• CONTACT
  

  
  Wydział Spraw Obywatelskich i Cudzoziemców
  [Department of Nationals' and Foreigners' Affairs]
  Małopolskiego Urzędu Wojewódzkiego w Krakowie
  [of the Małopolska Provincial Office in Krakow]
  Oddział do Spraw Cudzoziemców [Foreigners' Affairs Unit],
  ul. Przy Rondzie 6, ground floor (foreigners' affairs room)
  tel. 12 39 21 804
  fax 12 42 23 019
  Unit Manager: Magdalena Ams
  e-mail:
  
  
  

• ISSUE OF PERMITS - APPLIES TO
  

  
  Residence permits for a long-term EC residents are issued to foreigners who have been staying legally in the Republic of Poland directly before filing an application for an uninterrupted period of at least 5 years and who have:
  
  

  1. stable and regular source of income sufficient to cover the costs of maintaining themselves and dependant family members
     
     
  2. medical insurance within the meaning of regulations on general medical insurance or an insurer's confirmation of coverage of the costs of medical treatment in the Republic of Poland.
     
     

  The five-year period, referred to above, does not refer to a stay of the foreigner, who:
  
  

  1. has been detained, placed in a guarded centre, a police custody for the purpose of deportation, in relation to whom preventive measures have been taken in the form of a ban on leaving the country or who has been detained on the basis of decisions issued pursuant to legal statutes,
     
     
  2. works as an Au-pair worker, a seasonal worker or an employer delegated by a service provider for the purpose of cross-border provision of services or a provider of cross-border services,
     
     
  3. is a head or member of a diplomatic mission, manager of a consular office and member of the consular personnel of a foreign country pursuant to statutes, contracts or generally accepted international customs,
     
     
  4. stays within the territory of the Republic of Poland on the basis of the Schengen visa authorising only the entry into and stay on the territory of the Republic of Poland for the purpose referred to in Article 26(1) point 26 (humanitarian reasons, for the sake of state interest or international obligations) or a residence permit for a fixed period of time granted under Article 53(1) point 5 or 7(reunion with family)or Article 53a(1) point 1(a) (studying) or Paragraph 2 (residency permit for a fixed period of time in case of an illegal stay in the territory of Republic of Poland) of the Act on Foreigners;
     
     

  The 5-year period of stay of a foreigner in the territory of the Republic of Poland includes half of the stay of the foreigner on the basis of a visa granted in relation to studying or vocational training or on the basis of a residence permit for a specified period of time granted in relation to full-time higher education studies or full-time doctorate studies or a vocational training.

  For residence permit for a long-term EC resident may not apply a foreigner who:
  
  

  1. has a tolerated residence permit, political asylum or refugee status granted in the Republic of Poland or is subject to temporary protection,
     
     
  2. applies for a refugee status or seeks asylum,
     
     
  3. stays in the territory of the Republic of Poland for the purpose of studying or vocational training,
     
     
  4. works as an Au-pair worker, a seasonal worker or an employer delegated by a service provider for the purpose of cross-border provision of services or a provider of cross-border services,
     
     
  5. stays within the territory of the Republic of Poland on the basis of the Schengen visa authorising only the entry into and stay on the territory of the Republic of Poland for the purpose referred to in Article 26(1) point 26 (humanitarian reasons, for the sake of state interest or international obligations) or a residence permit for a fixed period of time granted under Article 53(1) point 5 or 7 (reunion with family) or Article 53a(1) point 1(a) (studying) or Paragraph 2 (residency permit for a fixed period of time in case of an illegal stay in the territory of Republic of Poland) of the Act on Foreigners;
     
     
  6. has been detained, placed in a guarded centre, a police custody for the purpose of deportation, in relation to whom preventive measures have been taken in the form of a ban on leaving the country or who has been detained on the basis of decisions issued pursuant to legal statutes..
     
     

  Foreigner's stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland is considered uninterrupted if a single period spent outside the territory of the Republic of Poland did not exceed 6 months and if the total time spent outside the territory of the Republic of Poland did not exceed 10 months, unless such stay outside the territory of Poland was caused by:
  
  

  1. performing professional obligations or working outside the territory of the Republic of Poland on the basis of a contract with an employer whose registered office is located in the territory of the Republic of Poland;
     
     
  2. accompanying the spouse who performs professional obligations or works outside the territory of the Republic of Poland on the basis of a contract with an employer whose registered office is located in the territory of the Republic of Poland;
     
     
  3. foreigner's medical treatment.
     
     

  Residence permits for long-term EC residents are not issued to:
  nationals of the member countries of the European Union, of the member countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) - parties to the agreement on the European Economic Area or a Swiss Confederation and to their families.
  
  

• REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
  

  
  

  1. 4 copies of a filled in form of application for granting a residence permit for a long-term EC resident (1 original and 3 photocopies),
     
     
  2. 4 up-to-date photographs not damaged, colour, measuring 35 x 45 mm, taken within previous 6 months with a standardised, fair background, with good focus, clearly presenting the eyes and face from the top of the head to the upper part of shoulders, so that face occupies 70-80% of the photo; the photos should present a person with no headdress and no dark eyeglasses looking ahead with open eyes not covered by hair, with a natural face expression and closed lips (1 additional photograph to issue the residence card),
     
     
  3. documents confirming uninterrupted, legal 5-year stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland,
     
     
  4. a certificate confirming that a foreigner has performed his/her duty to report his/her place of residence,
     
     
  5. a legal title to reside in the apartment indicated in the application form in which the foreigner stays or plans to stay (a contract of lending an apartment for use shall not be considered a legal title, unless the lender is a descendant, ascendant or a spouse, spouse's parents or foreigner's sibling),
     
     
  6. documents confirming that a foreigner has a stable and regular source of income (after deducting costs of residence the income per each family member who is foreigner's dependant or per a foreigner, if single, must exceed the level of income below which social assistance financial support is provided pursuant to the Act on Social Assistance of 12 March 2004),
     
     
  7. documents necessary to confirm the data contained in the application and circumstances substantiating application for residence permit for a long-term EC resident,
     
     
  8. a document confirming that a foreigner has medical (health) insurance entitling him/her to benefits in kind in territory of the Republic of Poland,
     
     
  9. a photocopy of a valid travel document and the original document for inspection (in particularly justified situations a foreigner who does not have and does not have a possibility to obtain a valid travel document may present another document that confirms foreigner's identity),
     
     
  10. stamp duty payment confirmation.
      
      

• FORMS FOR DOWNLOAD
  

  
  Application for granting a residence permit for a long-term EC resident   (download)
  

  The application form is also available in the Department of Nationals' and Foreigners' Affairs of the Małopolska Provincial Office:
  

  Foreigners' Affairs Unit,
  Kraków, ul. Przy Rondzie 6, ground floor (foreigners' affairs room)
  
  

• FEES
  

  Stamp duty for issuing a permit (payable at the time of submitting an application): PLN 640. The payment can be made in cash:

  • in the Administrative Center of the City of Cracow, Al. Powstania Warszawskiego 10, Krakow, on the ground floor or first floor (entrance from ul. Kordylewskiego);
  • in the banking agency in the Department of Nationals' and Foreigners' Affairs, Krakow, ul. Przy Rondzie 6
  • or in a bank or a post office to the following bank account:
    
    

  Wydział Podatków i Opłat UMK
  31-949 Kraków, Al. Powstania Warszawskiego 10
  Bank PKO S.A. 04 1240 2092 9462 3005 0000 0000
  
  

  You can also pay via the Internet.
  Paying via the Internet you should specify:

  • bank account number: PEKAO S.A.: 04 1240 2092 9462 3005 0000 0000,
  • recipient's name: Wydział Podatków i Opłat UMK, 31-549 Kraków, Al. Powstania Warszawskiego 10
  • transfer title (eg. for a residence permit for a long-term EC resident)
  • where the matter will be resolved, (the name of the office) - Department of Nationals' and Foreigners' Affairs Malopolska Provincial Office in Krakow - (MUW w Krakowie Wydział Spraw Obywatelskich i Cudzoziemców).
    
    

  Fee for issuing a residence card: PLN 50. The payment can be made in the banking agency in the Department of Nationals' and Foreigners' Affairs (commission PLN 2), via the Internet, in a bank or a post office to the following bank account:

  Małopolski Urząd Wojewódzki w Krakowie
  Wydział Finansów i Budżetu
  08 1010 1270 0051 2222 3100 0000
  

• WHERE TO FILE THE DOCUMENTS
  

  
  Documents can be sent by post to the following address:
  
  Małopolski Urząd Wojewódzki w Krakowie
  Wydział Spraw Obywatelskich i Cudzoziemców
  ul. Basztowa 22 31-156 Kraków
  

  or they may be submitted in person in the Foreigners' Affairs Unit of the Department of Nationals' and Foreigners' Affairs of Małopolska Provincial Office (Oddział do Spraw Cudzoziemców Wydziału Spraw Obywatelskich i Cudzoziemców Małopolskiego Urzędu Wojewódzkiego ) in Krakow, ul. Przy Rondzie 6, ground floor (foreigners' affairs room).
  
  

• LEGAL BASIS
  

  
  Art. 65 and Art. 71b Item 1 of the Foreigners Act of 13 June 2003 (Dz.U. [Journal of Laws] of 2011, No. 264, Item 1573, as amended)
  
  

• APPEAL PROCEDURES
  

  
  Residence permits for long-term EC residents are issued not later than within 3 months from the date when the procedure begins.

  You have the right to appeal against the decision to the Head of the Office for Foreigners in Warsaw, through the agency of Małopolska Province Governor. Written appeals should be submitted within 14 days from the date of receiving the decision.
  
  

• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
  

  Residence permit for a long-term EC resident is granted for an unspecified period of time.
  
  An application for a residence permit for a long-term EC resident shall be submitted to the voivode competent for the foreigner’s place of residence. A foreigner may file an application for a residence permit for a long-term EC resident during his/her legal stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland.

  If the foreigner submitted an application during their legal stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland and the application does not contain any defects of form or the defects of form were remedied within the deadline set, the voivode puts a stamp imprint in the foreigner’s travel document confirming submission of an application for granting a residence permit for EC long-term resident. At the same time, when carrying out the above-mentioned activities, the stay of a foreigner within the territory of the Republic of Poland is considered legal until a final decision on a residence permit for EC long-term resident is taken.

  If residence permit for EC long-term resident proceedings are suspended at the request of the foreigner, their stay at that time shall not be considered legal.

  NOTE:

  Putting a stamp in the travel document does not entitle the foreigner to travel within the territory of other Schengen states, while the foreigner may leave for their country of origin.
  
  The document confirming foreigner's identity during his/her stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland and allowing the foreigner (when used together with a travel document) to repeatedly cross the border without the necessity to obtain a visa is a residence card. A residence card is valid for 5 years from the date of issue and must be replaced after a lapse of that period.

  After receiving a decision allowing a long-term EC resident to reside in the territory of the Republic of Poland a foreigner is obliged to register his/her stay and provide the Department of Nationals' and Foreigners' Affairs with confirmation of registration and PESEL number.
  
  A foreigner is obliged to collect the residence card in person or, if a foreigner is a minor below 13 years of age, the card must be collected by the minor's legal representative or a legal guardian.