Residence legalisation on the basis of studies or education

With regard to students of full-time studies the new Act on foreigners has not changed a lot in the scope of documents required in the proceedings. What is important, is that the period for which a permit is granted has been extended. The first permit is granted for a period of 15 months. When circumstances on the basis of which the application for a permit is submitted justify residence for a period shorter than 1 year, the first permit is granted for the duration of an academic year or studies, extended by 3 months. Students continuing studies may obtain a card for the whole period of such studies, but for no longer than for 3 years. To put it simply – for first year students the card is issued for 15 months, for students of successive years – for up to 3 years.

Odnośnie studentów studiów stacjonarnych nowa ustawa o cudzoziemcach nie zmieniła zbyt wiele w zakresie dokumentów wymaganych w postępowaniu. Ważne jest to, że został wydłużony okres, na który takiego zezwolenia na pobyt można udzielić. Pierwszego zezwolenia udziela się na okres 15 miesięcy. W przypadkach, kiedy okoliczność, będąca podstawą do ubiegania się o zezwolenie, uzasadnia pobyt przez okres krótszy niż 1 rok, pierwszego zezwolenia udziela się na czas trwania roku akademickiego lub studiów, przedłużonego o 3 miesiące. Studenci, którzy kontynuują studia, mogą uzyskać kartę na cały okres tych studiów, jednak nie dłuższy niż 3 lata. W uproszczeniu – dla studentów pierwszego roku kartę wydaje się na 15 miesięcy, dla studentów kolejnych kursów – na okres do 3 lat.

Formal reguirements:

3 filled in and signed application forms, the foreigner’s personal presence, fingerprints provided, 4 photos, 2 passport copies a proof of a 340 PLN fee payment.

Additional documents to submit:

a document certifying university admission, a proof of having health insurance covering treatment costs (if issued in a language other than Polish – a Polish sworn translation will be required). More on this subject can be read in the article: Health insurance a proof of having sufficient financial resources to cover: living costs (543 PLN net for a single person or 457 PLN for oneself and each family member for each month of residence), costs of a return journey to the country of origin or residence (200 PLN – to neighbouring countries of the Republic of Poland, 2500 PLN – to other countries not being European Union members), cost of studies (either as an additional amount in your bank account necessary to cover 2 semesters of studies or a proof of payment for 2 semesters).

Example of calculation of necessary financial resources:
for a student from Ukraine:
living costs: 543 PLN x 15 months = 8,145 PLN
+
return journey cost: 200 PLN
+
cost of studies: 2,000 PLN
= 10 345 PLN.

for a Chinese student with a dependent child:
living costs: (457 PLN for the student + 457 PLN for the child) x 15 months = 18,667 PLN
+
return journey cost: 2,500 PLN
+
cost of studies: 2,000 PLN
= 23 167 PLN.

Foreigners undertaking education in Poland (including part-time studies, language courses, professional schools, etc.) can count on obtaining a temporary residence permit for a period of up to 1 year and have to additionally provide a document that confirms having accommodation (e.g. a certificate of registered residence, an apartment tenancy agreement, an agreement of lending for use or a statement of a person having the right to use an apartment on giving accommodation to a foreigner).

Students being citizens of European Union member states have the right to reside within the territory of Poland for three months without notifying administrative authorities. When a student who is an EU citizen wants to stay longer, he has to go the Department of Foreigners of an adequate Voivodeship Office before those 90 days are over and present the following documents:

• an application for residence registration, filled in in Polish language;
• a copy of a travel document or another document confirming identity and citizenship;
• a confirmation of temporary registered residence within the territory of the Republic of Poland;
• a document certifying university admission or continuation of studies, issued by a university;
• a document confirming health insurance or the right to use health care services based on provisions on the coordination of health insurance systems;
• a written statement on having sufficient financial resources to live without the need to use social welfare or a confirmation of having them.