Office for Foreigners

There is no such limit. This permit is indefinite. However, the ensuing residence card is valid for 5 years, after which time it may be renewed (replaced with a new one) on request from the foreign national.

Yes. If the Polish language was your medium of instruction, you have met the requirement of art. 211(1)(3) of the Law on Foreign Nationals and the diploma is your proof. The Law lists such proofs for the permit-granting procedure. The Education Law recognizes post-high schools as high (secondary) schools that provide such linguistic skills.

Yes. The diploma proves that you have met the requirement of art. 211(1)(3) of the Law on Foreign Nationals. Provided that the Polish language was the medium of instruction for your studies.

Art. 211(3) of Law on Foreign Nationals contains a closed list of such evidence.

The list includes the following:

• A certificate of command of the Polish language at an at least “B1” level, issued by the State Commission for the Certification of Command of Polish as a Foreign Language;

• A certificate of graduation in Poland or abroad from a school (elementary, junior high, high, post-high or artistic) or a university (bachelor / engineer / master or equivalent studies, postgraduate studies, or doctoral studies) where Polish was the medium of instruction.

Note that such proof is not required for minors aged less than 16 on the application.

You need to have resided in Poland at least 5 years uninterruptedly to get the permit for residence of a long-term EU resident.

The following periods are included:

–    The whole residence under the visa-exempt system;

–    The whole residence under a visa (excluding the Schengen Visa, for the purpose defined in art. 60(1)(23) of the Law on Foreign Nationals, i.e. given for humanitarian, state interest or international commitment purposes);

–    The whole residence under a permit for temporary residence (subject to the limitations applicable to studies and vocational training, the exclusion of short-time residence and the exclusion of the Intra-Corporate Transfer permit, permit for long-term mobility under the Intra-Corporate Transfer, permit for residence of a delegated employee and the permit for studying);

–    The whole residence under a permit for temporary residence and work;

–    One half of the residence under a visa for studies or under a permit for temporary residence for studies or for vocational training;

–    The whole residence under the EU Blue Card, whether issued in Poland or in another EU Member State (provided that the last 2 years before the application for the permit for residence of a long-term EU resident have been spent in Poland under the Blue Card);

–    The whole, or one half of, the residence in the course of application for international protection if longer, or shorter, respectively, than 18 months.

The following is not included:

–    The residence as of the date of the expulsion order, before the date set for the voluntary return, whether this date has been postponed or not;

–    The residence of the foreign national who has been expelled pursuant to art. 299(6);

–    The residence under a permit for the crossing of the border under the local transborder traffic system.

The terms of residence are accounted for pursuant to art. 212 the Law on Foreign Nationals.

No. This continuity (the state of being uninterrupted) is “relative”.

You may leave Poland for any purpose for up to 6 months at a time, up to 10 months in aggregate within 5 years. Highly qualified employees (holders of Blue Cards issued in other EU Member States, who have moved to Poland and obtained permits for temporary residence) enjoy certain additional freedom: they may leave for up to 12 months at a time, up to 18 months in aggregate within 5 years.

Note further that even if you have stayed outside Poland because:

–    You worked, or accompanied (as a spouse or child) a foreign national working, for an employer based in Poland;

–    This was required by your personal situation (such as treatment that could not be taken up in Poland) and the interruption has not exceeded 6 months;

–    You served an apprenticeship or took part in activities required by your studies in Poland;

this “absence” will count as a part of your residence anyway (considered as time spent in Poland).

Five years preceding the application. See art. 211(1) of the Law on Foreign Nationals.

The Law does not preclude underage foreign nationals for applying from, or getting, such permit.

Note, however, that the 5-year term of legal and uninterrupted residence does not include the period of residence for learning. So, if this was the only purpose of residence (e.g., living in a dormitory while the parents lived abroad), this period will not be recognized.