90 days in Poland on my passport. What is better - Visa or Karta pobytu?

Hello everyone, i am an American traveling to Poland in January, i have a family that i will be staying with. From what i understand i can stay 90 days with just my passport and then after that i have to get my Visa or karta pobytu (residency card). I'm just wondering which is better? i won't be working right away but i would like to teach English eventually. I've heard bad things about the karta pobytu, and its a long and tedious process. Can anyone give me any advice on this matter? Thanks for the help.

Steven.

Slightly dated info (I expect others who are more up to date to correct any mistakes)

- US citizens cannot obtain a work visa in Poland (partial exception for teaching in certain institutions that probably won't hire you unless you have professional qualifications)

- A visa can only be extended once, the karta pobytu is definitely the way to go (if you can get it).

Basically, unless you have a reason to be in Poland for more than 90 days, you'll have to leave after that time. If you overstay, you cannot "legalise" yourself - you have to leave, end of story. And that reason to stay must be valid - it's not enough to say "I wanna stay" - you need to be working, a family member (a dependent or a spouse - or possibly a relative that is entirely funded by a Polish person) or have enough income to live in Poland. Even that third option is very debatable - I know at least one case where a guy, with a good million zloty in the bank was refused the Karta Pobytu as he had no clear reason to be here.

In short : you've got 45 days (not 90 - you need time for the paperwork to be processed) to find a job which will give you enough hours work to satisfy those in the relevant Foreigners Office. You'll need a work permit for every job that you do, and the Foreigners Office will be looking for at least 15 hours a week work to issue a work permit/residence permit.

delphiandomine wrote:


Is that the loophole? I knew 2 Americans who waited till like day 88 to finally apply for a KP and it wasn't a problem. They say you need to apply within 45 days which obviously they don't enforce but I wonder if they slipped through because they both had employment long before the 45 days were up.

The more I read about this stuff, the more I think it still ends up being on a case by case - who you happen to deal with at the office - which office you go to - basis.

It's to do with some obscure regulation where they must give a decision within 45 days - but there also seems to exist some provision where someone can be granted an extension on the 90 days if they have a current application pending.

As you say -


Pretty much. 45 days keeps you "safe" - but as far as I can tell, most offices are happy to allow you to stay beyond the 90 days if you apply for the Karta Pobytu within the first 90 days. It's a mess.

Thank you for your post it explained alot. It's a huge mess. I understand you can't just say "i want to stay here" but i want to get settled first before i find a job. Can i just fill out the necessary paperwork when i'm there? or do i have to get a work visa before i leave? The Karta pobytu allows you to work? Sorry for all the questions i just want to be extra sure. (by the way i'll have my CELTA as formal training)

Also the family i'll be staying with will depend on me some i don't know if that helps. I don't want to give away too many personal details but i would be helping them around the house and also in their little shop they own. i dont know if this would help.

In addition i'll have around 30,000 zł (about $10,000) i think the rate is 100zł a day or something? But it doesn't seem like money is a big factor.

So my first step is to just go to Poland with my passport (the whole 90 day part) and then whats my next step? apply for Karta pobytu? I just want to be extra sure i don't want to mess anything up. Thanks for the help!

Yes. It'll be nearly impossible to get a visa (I'm not sure if it's actually disallowed, but I can't imagine them granting it when you can just apply for the Karta Pobytu when in Poland) in advance - mainly because most employers won't hire someone from outside.


No. You will have to be in possession of a work permit (strictly speaking, the employer applies for it on your behalf) before you start working. Do not, under any circumstance, work without it - if you do, the punishment is an automatic year ban from Schengen.


Won't help at all. The Foreigners Office couldn't care less what you're doing in your own time - you still need that valid, acceptable reason - and helping a family out isn't it.


That won't be enough to make them grant residency on the basis of having enough cash.

You need to come to Poland, find a job, get a work permit and then apply for residency. You've got 45 days to do this.

What he said. It's the only way to stay here for more than 90 days.