Law / Can Poland's Birth Certificates Destroyed in War be Recreated/Reregistered? [3]

Most of the cities, towns, villages have a Catholic church where a birth would have been registered. You could try searching for churches in his area. There maybe evidence of baptism too.

Life / Moving to Krakow next year, 5000 zloty net. [48]

Why do you assume that when I am in Poland that I live on fresh air and don't know the costs of anything. I know butter is now 8 pln & I pay 3pln for 100g of bread. I buy sliced ham for 40pln per kilo. If you suppose that 0.5 kgs mince is 5 pln - you live in cloud land.

Let me know the street where you live - I live in Plac Inwalidow and you can't get much more central than that. .

Love / My wife cheated on me abroad with a Polish guy [35]

There was a time, if anyone ever studied History, when the male population were frightened of 'the little organ' ....and most of them still are.

Love / My wife cheated on me abroad with a Polish guy [35]

Everyone forgets about the 'hormones' . If a wife/husband is happy at home they will not look anywhere else for their pleasures.

Work / What is deducted from a salary in Poland apart from Income tax? [155]

@Jony
...I got a job contract 2000zl each month. But the problem my boss cut from my salary 952zl each month and told me its my tax what I should pay...

It all depends on the type of contract you are employed on and whether you are an employee of his, or have your own business.. Ask your boss, if not go to the authorities and ask them.

Life / Moving to Krakow next year, 5000 zloty net. [48]

@DominicB
You would simply not believe how prices have increased recently. I spent 6 months in 2017, if you lived any earlier than 2016, you would be surprised. Poland is now a very expensive country. It may depend on which city one wants to live, but in Krakow, you'll be hard pressed to find a room for less than 1.5K pln, and a small flat 40m2 for 2K pln (if you're lucky).

Life / Moving to Krakow next year, 5000 zloty net. [48]

I truly believe that only people currently living and/or working in Poland are able to offer advice. I spend 6 months a year in Krakow. I can say straight off that 5K pln net per month is not enough to have a comfortable lifestyle. You will spend more than 3K pln per month (if not more) on accommodation and bills. You have to factor in food, clothes, private doctors, dentists......

Yes, many Polish people live on less than that, but they have family around them, they speak the lingo, they know the best places to search for a bargain.

Bottom line is always....suck it and see...try it, you may like it....NOT.

Life / Moving to Krakow next year, 5000 zloty net. [48]

Tell us what you understand by the expression 'good living'.. To some it means a nice apartment, all facilities included, going out to dinner in a medium-posh restaurant 2 times a week, going on 2 week holidays outside of Krakow at least 4 times a year, having a car......for that it is not enough. However, having a mediocre apartment, using public transport, making all meals at home from scratch, going on 2 holidays a year...it is enough.....

Law / I can change my last name to my father's second????? [3]

The name that appears on your Polish papers must be a name which they can derive from your Spanish documents. If you want to change your name DO IT first in Spani and then present a valid document with the name that you wish to be known by.

You cannot 'convince' (in any shape or form, pleading, kneeling, crying, bribing) the Polish authorities of anything - they go by the paperwork presented to them.

Law / Trying to obtain Polish Citizenship/Passport by Grandfather [9]

You have to get in touch with Urzad Stanu Cywilnego in Warsaw, give them all the details that you have and they may be able to tell you what to do next.

Law / Birth certificate for marriage in Poland [6]

You will need to contact Urzad Stanu Cywilnego in Wroclaw. They will tell you what you need to do.

Law / Trying to obtain Polish Citizenship/Passport by Grandfather [9]

There is another way you could try. If you knew the place name of your grandfathers or grandmothers - you could try and get their birth certificate and then show a clear connection between the grandfather, your father and you.

Life / Call from Urzad Wojewódzki (Citizenship Application) while being out of Poland [11]

You will NOT go in front of a judge. You will be handed the documentation (no matter what the decision is) in person, as you have to sign for their collection. It is not just a formality - they have to have all the documents they need before reaching a decision.

You have to apply for ID (Dowod) totally separately and they get in touch with you separately.
I wish people who have no idea about a matter did not confuse anyone with their answers.

Life / Call from Urzad Wojewódzki (Citizenship Application) while being out of Poland [11]

Go when you are in Poland. They could be asking for further documents or simply to give you a decision.

Real Estate / BEST Poland's city to Invest in?? Warsaw, Wroclaw, Krakow, Poznan, Gdansk or...? [34]

Prices of flats in any city are far more than you expect. In Krakow, near Pl. Inwalidow, they are currently going for 7.5-8 K pln per m2. So 400K pln will hardly buy you something decent to rent out and make a profit out of.

You can of course, buy a place to renovate, but generally speaking, it will cost you more in the long run and you will not be able to make any money on it during renovation process.

Real Estate / Buying land to build on near Czestochowa [15]

Something else to consider before building a house is this:
In order to obtain permission to put up a building/house you have to have your plans passed by the local council that is gmina or urzad. This means that they will have to comply with building regulations, so in effect you may NOT get the house exactly the way you want it, as they can change the position of certain items. Also whilst going through the process of actually building anything you have to keep a log of the work done, each part of which then has to be approved by the building inspector who will put his signature to the work already completed. You have to factor his costs in the costings.

As to the areas that had the trees logged - there is some talk that the land cannot be sold on for some time.

Real Estate / Buying land to build on near Czestochowa [15]

One very important thing - please have documented evidence of ALL your sources of income or savings. The tax office may ask where you got the money to buy the land and to build a house. They are now vigorously chasing people for 20% income tax where they suspect that family members or others have 'loaned' or 'given' any money to someone who has not declared this 'loan' or 'gift' to the authorities and who is 'spending' money from undocumented sources.

Real Estate / Buying land to build on near Czestochowa [15]

I know this is a bit off, but have you considered the cost of buying the land (and associated costs) and then building a house as against buying a pre-owned or a new house that is already built. Polish workmen/builders have now increased their rates so much, that you have to at least double if not triple the estimate that you have for building the house. It is an absolutely lovely dream to have something that you have designed and built - but it will cost you untold nerves (if not a nervous breakdown), money (that will just disappear through your hands) and in the end you may end up with something that cost more than you can sell it for. I assume that you have ready cash for the building and do not need a mortgage or a loan.

Also there are new rules about 'agricultural land' - be extra careful here, as recently the Government only wanted legit farmers to buy this type of land.

Language / The use of 'sobie' in Poland's language [16]

1. Robie sobie herbate. - I'm making myself some tea.
2. Ucz sie! - Learn.....
In these 2 examples the sobie/sie are not interchangeable.

Real Estate / Buying land to build on near Czestochowa [15]

Just some minor points.
1. When someone official suggest translating documents for you, they actually mean for the documents to be translated by a sworn translator, not your girlfriend (who, might not be with you in 2 years time). If there is a dispute EVER, you will not be able to take her to court and recover damages.

2. You will be extremely lucky to even think that you can purchase and sell land that is classified as 'place of natural beauty'.
3. You have to make sure that you can get a WZ (ask your girlfriend what that is) - otherwise you will never be able to build anything.

4. I would be very wary of buying land - you have to make sure that the supposed 'owner' is the only one that has or will ever have a claim on this land. The land may be owned by other family members. Do check and do not take his word for it.

Work / HCL BUSINNES PARK KRAKOW - 4800zl Gross enough? [7]

It all depends what you mean by expensive. If you are used to fine dining every day at Wierzynek - then Brussels is 100 times cheaper.

Law / Poland/England handwritten Will without witnesses [4]

In Poland it is always best to go to a notariusz and make a will. The Polish courts may not accept a handwritten version (as there is no way to prove who wrote it). Cost should be 100 pln. Not a lot - but peace of mind. Also if you inherit the holiday home make sure that you are the owner for at least 5 years counting from the end of the year in which you become the owner before you sell it. Otherwise you will pay 20% tax on the sale price.

Do a will in England and make sure that all properties and goods are included.
What you do not want after his death is to fight the Courts systems in Poland and the UK.

Classifieds / Polish Home Carers Needed in Colchester, Essex, UK [60]

Not only that, but if the elderly are ill the person who does not have a good command of English cannot assess the severity of their illness and the person may die because help was not sought promptly. If you want to have the death of a person on your hands because you don't understand fully their ailments - then go ahead, otherwise remember that it is not only changing their nappies (diapers) and cleaning them up afterwards that you will need to do.

Law / How does the Polish Government work? [3]

All decisions in Polish Parliament/Government are made by Mr. Kaczynski. That's all you need to know.

Real Estate / Due Diligence - Land Buying in Poland [5]

1. Make absolutely triple sure that the person selling the land is the rightful owner of the land. Even if you know them personally, ask them for documents to prove they are the owners.

Work / Working at Volvo Company in Wroclaw [27]

One click on google with the word 'PFRON' and you will be able to see what it is. Why should we do your job for you? If you cannot manage to 'click for one word on the internet' you will not manage in Poland.

If you are employed by a company you will have to pay ZUS. If you want to start your own business, you will have to obtain your own working visa - and the chances of that are less than zero. Even then you will have to pay ZUS. Remember here, that if you have your own business, they can sack you from one day to the next and you will have NO recourse on the employer.

There are no social security benefits in Poland. You are only entitled to some (and very few at that) benefits if you can prove previous employment in Poland.

Life / Advice needed on Dental implant in Poland [119]

When deciding on a price for any dental treatment, the first thing you should ask is the name of the dentist, (or specialist for implants) their experience and how many such treatments they have carried out before. Price should not always be the deciding factor.

You can get an idea of charges from many dentists, however, unless they do the prep work first, they cannot with any certainty give you an absolutely definite price. Factor in all the necessary incidentals.

Real Estate / Can a foreigner buy a property in Poland which is listed for sale under TBS clause? [7]

wgn.pl/artykuly/raporty-i-opinie-o-rynku/21540,mieszkanie-w-systemie-tbs-przeczytaj-zanim-wynajmiesz.html

Just out of interest - an article about TBS. If I was you, I wouldn't touch it - ever.

Travel / Travel Within Poland - from Warsaw airport to Mragowo [49]

I have never seen a taxi with a car seat for a child, but they may have them in the boot.

Real Estate / Can a foreigner buy a property in Poland which is listed for sale under TBS clause? [7]

As with any property - make sure that if you ever want to sell it - you a) will be able to and b) will at least get your own money back for the property.

Make absolutely sure what the 'administration costs' are - they will cripple you.