In this article, we will discuss the changes in obtaining a residence card based on business this year.
Firstly, we’ll note that nothing has changed globally. The process will take longer, and more documents will need to be submitted. We’ll share some life hacks to help make obtaining a residence card based on business in Poland a little easier.
Feel free to watch the video or read the article below.
Let’s review the required documents:
- Apartment lease agreement
- Proof of funds for living expenses
- Health insurance
- Completed application form, a photo, and copies of all documents
New Requirements for Residence Cards Based on Business
Here’s what we haven’t dealt with before:
- You need a certificate of regular, stable income. At the end of the article, we’ll explain two ways to manage this.
- Inspectors now actually call. Previously, you’d submit your application, and it would sit in government offices for months. Now, the inspector calls and informs you about which documents are missing. This is good news – instead of guessing which stage your application is at, you can get a quicker response. Just don’t miss the call from the inspector. They won’t call every day if you don’t pick up.
- For a residence permit based on business in Poland, you need a certificate of no tax debt. These certificates are required from two institutions: ZUS (responsible for taxes, employees, pension funds, and social insurance) and the Urząd Skarbowy (Tax Office). You need to visit both offices to get these documents. We’ll explain how to do that and provide links to official sources.
- The inspector reads your business plan. They call and ask about partners, contracts, and details about the business directly over the phone.
- In the letter requesting missing documents, there was a long list, some of which we had already sent. From the inspector’s call, it turned out to be a template letter, and the only thing missing was a certificate confirming the absence of debts from an employment contract or an agreement with board members about monthly payments. For a residence permit based on business in Poland, the minimum requirement is 700 PLN if there’s one person, or 512 PLN if there are multiple people (for example, a husband and wife). This is a small amount, even for new businesses. In Poland, you need money for living, so you can easily show this amount.
Life Hacks for Obtaining a Residence Permit in Poland Based on Business
Let’s break down how to handle the points mentioned above.
There are two ways to pay yourself:
- Hire yourself as an employee, but don’t forget to get a work permit.
- Hold a board meeting and set the amount of monthly payments for yourself. You need to show a document with the signatures of all board members, ideally along with the first payment statement confirming that you’ve received this amount. We provide a template that you can download or modify for your needs.
Regarding health insurance, there are many options in Poland. The three most popular ones are:
- Hire yourself as an employee under Umowa zlecenie or Umowa o pracę, in which case ZUS will automatically apply. The only downside is that it’s state insurance, and you may not be able to use it due to long waiting times. You could wait months for an appointment with a doctor.
- Some insurance companies at the Foreigners’ Offices provide minimal insurance for the residence card based on business, costing around 200 PLN per year.
- Private insurance. The average cost is around 100 PLN per month. It covers essential doctors.
Certificates of No Debt
With ZUS, it’s easier. You can register in the electronic system of the agency, create a company account, and monitor online whether there are any debts. If there are, they must be cleared before obtaining the certificate.
The process at the tax office is more complicated. It may delay document submission by a few weeks. You can initially send the application and the payment for the residence card based on business, and then submit the other documents later. You need to fill out the electronic form and make the payment. The certificate for each board member is paid separately. Documents are submitted to the tax office assigned to your company. You will wait for 2 weeks, and then there are two options:
- Go and pick them up yourself – this is faster.
- Provide an address where they will be sent in 1-2 weeks.
Summary
Let’s gather the necessary documents for the residence permit in Poland based on business:
- Application form, photo, scan, and copies of documents
- Articles of incorporation, company registration certificate, invoices, contracts with the accountant, extracts from ZUS, all documents showing that the company is operating, earning money, and involved in business activities
- Health insurance
- Apartment lease agreement
- Certificates of no debt
- Document confirming monthly income
Other Important Notes:
- Don’t forget to arrange for insurance and photos.
- Make a copy of the application form (wniosek), or better yet, two copies. Keep the second one for yourself so that when you apply for a residence permit based on business in three years, you don’t have to remember everything again.
- If an original document is required, only provide the inspector with a copy. The original can be shown for verification and then returned to you (insurance, contracts, invoices with stamps, etc.).
For other questions regarding life and business in Poland, feel free to consult the specialists at UniConsulting.
