Poland attracts people of different nationalities from all corners of our planet, and citizens of Belarus are no exception. However, even today many people do not know how to move to Poland for citizens of Belarus and what it requires.
Do you want to know the easiest way to get a residence permit in Poland? In this article we will tell you how to get a residence permit in Poland for three years on the basis of a humanitarian visa for Belarusians. Enjoy reading this article!
What are the features of a humanitarian residence permit in Poland?
Let us first clarify what «humanitarian residence permit» means, as there is no such term in Polish law. In fact, it is simply a designation of a regular residence card, which is issued on the basis of the foreigner's valid humanitarian visa and his legal stay on the territory of Poland.
- Residence card on the basis of a humanitarian visa is issued for a period of three years;
- There is no stamp duty when applying for a humanitarian residence permit. You will only have to pay 100 PLN for the issuance of the plastic card and 5 PLN for the verification of a photocopy of your passport with the original;
- Free access to the labor market is another significant advantage. Holders of such a card have the right to be employed in Poland without the need to obtain an additional work permit;
- Holders of a residence card on the basis of a humanitarian visa can count on receiving a Polish travel document for foreigners (polski dokument podróży dla cudzoziemca).
Reminder on how to obtain a humanitarian visa (D21) to Poland
As we have already noted, only those citizens of Belarus who are legally staying in Poland with a valid national humanitarian visa marked with the code D21 are entitled to receive a residence card in Poland. You can read more about types of visas to Poland, including humanitarian visas here. We would like to remind you how to obtain such a visa for citizens of the Republic of Belarus.
You will need to book a visit to the Polish consulate via the website and take the following documents with you:
- Completed and signed national visa application form with a photo;
- Valid passport that has been issued within the last 10 years. Passport must also have at least two free pages. Passport must expire no earlier than 3 months after the expiry date of the visa;
- Health insurance valid for the period for which you wish to obtain a visa;
- Written declaration of your wish to obtain a visa to Poland.
It is worth noting that the issuance of such a visa is free of charge, and the maximum duration of the visa can reach one year.
Full process of obtaining a residence card on the basis of a humanitarian visa
→ Collect the necessary documents. You will need this list of documents:
- Photocopies of all passport pages with information/stamps (2 copies);
- 4 photographs of 45*35 mm size;
- Completed application for temporary residence in two copies with the purpose of issuing «inne okoliczności» with the specification «wiza humanitarna».
It is worth noting that, compared to other types of residence cards, there are not many documents required. It is not necessary to have health insurance, a certain amount of money on your retainer or even a residence registration.
→ Fill in a special application form. You need to download and print out the Wniosek o pobyt czasowy, you can do this on the state website. Everything must be filled out in Polish and it is important that there are no mistakes, as this may cause a refusal.
→ Book a visit to Urząd. First you need to register for a visit to your local Urząd on a special platform. For example, residents of Poznań can register a visit to Urząd at this link. Then come to the appointed day and time and submit the documents. VERY IMPORTANT: as a rule, due to the large number of migrants, this platform is overloaded. In this case, you can send the documents by registered mail to the Urząd address.
→ Pass fingerprints on the spot. Adults are immediately fingerprinted, children under the age of 6 are not fingerprinted.
Is it possible to change the grounds for obtaining a residence permit?
Imagine this situation: you are a citizen of the Republic of Belarus, you are in Poland and you have already applied for a residence card on the basis of your studies. While waiting for your case to be considered, time drags on and you still have not received the long-awaited decyzja. At such moments, a logical question arises: «can I change the basis for obtaining a residence permit»?
In this case, the answer is yes, you can change the main ground for obtaining a residence permit to «humanitarian». What will it give you? Firstly, your case will be considered in 100% of cases more quickly than if it was considered on other grounds. Secondly, by obtaining a residence permit on the basis of a humanitarian visa, you will receive a residence card valid for 3 years. While other residence cards on the basis of study and work are usually issued for only one year.
Conclusions
Staying in Poland on the basis of a valid humanitarian visa gives a foreigner the legal right to obtain a residence permit in the country. Citizens of the Republic of Belarus are already actively using this method, as it is the easiest way to move to Poland to live and work. If you encounter difficulties, aksis migration agents will help you both in obtaining a humanitarian visa to Poland and in obtaining a residence card for three years. Start your life in Poland with aksis!
