The epidemiological situation regarding Covid-19 continues to improve gradually worldwide, including Poland. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) has already withdrawn the pandemic status of the coronavirus. Such changes lead to important changes in the legal regulations governing the residence of foreigners in Poland. Today we will look at the consequences of the abolition of the epidemic for foreigners in Poland and give you some tips to help you stay in the country.
According to the new law, which comes into force on 1 July 2023, the Covid-19 epidemic threat status will be abolished for the entire Polish population. You can read the draft of the Polish Ministry of Health on the abolition of epidemic status on the official website. This means that foreigners living in the country with extended documents should be careful and take the necessary measures to stay in Poland legally.
What rules were enforced during the special law on the status of the Covid-19 epidemic threat?
Until now, Poland has applied a special law on the status of epidemic endangerment, Covid-19, which gave the government wide powers to manage the situation in the country. Since March 2020, this law allowed for the extension of various documents such as visas, residence cards and work permits so that foreigners could legally stay in Poland in the face of an epidemic threat. This was especially important at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic posed serious difficulties for international flights and bureaucratic procedures. These benefits were enjoyed by thousands of foreigners, easily extending their residence cards and visas.
Abolition of the Covid pandemic status law and innovations
Starting from 1 July 2023, Poland will abolish the special law on Covid-19 epidemic endangerment status for the entire population. This means that all extensions of documents for foreigners related to their stay in the country will lose their validity. Foreigners living in Poland with extended documents will have only 30 days to leave the country or to apply for new documents allowing them to legally reside in Poland, such as:
However, there are some exceptions: citizens of Ukraine, who have been in Poland with extended documents due to the coronavirus pandemic, have a separate deadline. They can live in the country until 24 August 2023, after which they will have to leave the country or apply for a residence card before the deadline.
How to stay in Poland legally? Advice for foreigners
For foreigners living in Poland with extended documents, several important measures should be taken promptly in order to maintain their legal status in the country.
→ Firstly, it is recommended to contact specialists in migration law or a migration agency for advice and assistance with new documents.
→ Moreover, it is worth paying attention to the timely renewal of the passport and other necessary documents. When applying for new documents, you should follow the deadlines and requirements to avoid problems and delays.
One of the options for extending your legal life in Poland is to apply for a residence card. The residence card entitles a foreigner to reside in Poland for a specified period of time. In order to obtain it, it is necessary to submit certain documents and go through the application procedure. The migration agency aksis specializes in providing legal assistance and advice on living in Poland, and we can help you apply for a residence card in Poland with a minimum of time and effort.
