Can an American in Poland on a tourist visa freelance?

Hi there,

Hoping someone here can help me out with a little advice....

I am an American in Poland for a few months on a tourist visa, and I was recently asked by a Polish company to do some freelance work. I have my own company registered in the US, through which I would invoice.

So basically, my question is - is it legal for me to do contracted work IN Poland FOR a Polish company but THROUGH my American company while here on a tourist visa?

Thoughts??

Thanks!

These kinds of questions tend to be rather complicated. I would ask the Polish Embassy in the US.

What does your visa say? I would have thought a tourist visa wouldn't permit this.

My first reaction is to say no because of the invoice. You're on a tourist visa. If you did it cash in hand with no invoice you could probably get away with it, but otherwise I'd suggest that you pass on this.

Thanks for the responses!

As seems to happen kind of often here, I keep finding conflicting information -- some info I've found says no way, but here is what I heard from a law firm today --

Foreign nationals who are exempt from the requirement of a tourist visa (aka - US citizens) may travel to Poland and stay up to 90 days without a Business Visitor's Visa to conduct business independently or on behalf of an overseas employer. U.S. citizens must obtain a visa from the Polish Consulate if their stay will exceed 90 days.

Since my stay here is perfectly legal (plus, they never asked anything at the border the purpose of my visit to the EU), I should technically fall under this category. Regardless, I will take your advice and give the Polish consulate a call...

Thanks again:)

This sounds right, but I'm not certain that you'll be allowed to conduct paid employment while on the territory of the Republic of Poland - it depends on interpretation, but my understanding is that conducting business is different from actually working for a Polish employer.

I agree, but to be safe you'd better check it out and not listen to us non experts here.