Maybe it would also be interesting to make a more general comment about migrating to Poland. Sometimes, when I read comments on this forum from people who want to move to Poland, I wonder whether they are walking on the moon or just smoking too much pot ;-).
1. Ask yourself the question seriously: why exactly do you want to move to Poland? Like every country, it has fantastic aspects, but other aspects can be a nightmare. As some members pointed out in other threads, Poland is not a country for everyone.
2. Do you speak at least a little bit of Polish? It's insane to move to another country, all by yourself, without knowing anything to the local language. It's a suicide. Stop assuming that everyone here, including doctors and civil servants, speaks your language whichever it is.
3. If you move, get a job BEFORE. Stop assuming that Polish employers will give you a job at once. Poland doesn't need us.
4. Take with you as many official documents as possible from your native country. You never know exactly what Poland will request from you. It may vary according to your "profile" (sorry if this looks discriminating) or where you come from (European Union, Schengen zone, non-E.U.). Read the different stories on this forum. In my case I took the following documents, all made during the last 6 weeks before my move (that means the end of 2009):
- certificate of birth
- certificate of residency
- certificate that I have the right to social security in my country until the end of 2010 (not 2009)
- European card of social security
- passport valid until beyond the first 3 months of intended temporary residency
- certificate from the Police stating that I was never convicted
- history of my business from my country's equivalent of KRS+REGON, to show that my business plans in Poland are just the continuity of what I was doing for the past 12 years
- certificate from a language school that I succesfully attended Polish classes for the past 2 years
- college (university) diploma
- blood test to certify that I don't have AIDS or hepatitis
The only document that was in fact requested from me was the blood test. I must have minor surgery on the eyelid to remove a sty and the Polish doctor told me that, before any operation, the patient must have received a vaccination against hepatitis. To prove that I didn't have hepatitis yet I had to present her with a blood test.
5. Once you are sure that you have residency permit, a job, and the right to benefit of Polish social security (and only after that), you can do the procedure to "resign" from your country and disconnect completely if you want.
(residency permit)There's no obligation to carry it - as I understand it, it isn't proof of identity anyway, but rather "confirmation of the right of residence as a European Union national" and thus useless for any sort of identification purposes.
The guy at the Foreigners Office told me I had to keep it with me all the time along with passport or identity card. It was later confirmed to me by an employee of the embassy.
Medical care depends on ZUS contributions, nothing more - likewise, social security depends on your record at the Urzad Skarbowy. It's possible that some people might argue, but having a PESEL isn't a requirement for non-Polish citizens.
You must be right, and I simply forgot. I had in mind that PESEL was required in order to register at ZUS.