To say it briefly, I need to produce XADES files from original PDF documents. Civil servants keep telling me that I can sign these files digitally on the EPUAP website using my ePUAP profile ("profil zaufany" which I certified through my bank website). But I can't find the way in the menus, they're quite extensive and in Polish only. After 8 years in Poland, I speak Polish rather well but still lack some vocabulary, for example the local and administrative vocabulary used at public offices.
So, is it true that I can log on to the EPUAP site, upload a PDF file, use a functionality that will sign it using my profile and produce a XADES file to download ?
Note that I don't have a software with encryption certificate, and I was looking for a way to produce XADES file with a personal signature without the need of buying a software suite like Szafir or similar...
The whole process is a typically Polish clusterf**k of epic proportions. I spent hours trying to figure out how to do the same thing as you and I speak pretty fluent Polish. I ended up having to make the trip to my accountants office, where they held my hand through the whole process on their PC, which let me take advantage of the fact that they've got the right software. I suggest you save your nerves, find a friendly accountant and do the same.
Whoever designed and implemented this system should be shot.
My very friendly accountant already spent a lot of time with me (at no cost) trying to figure it out as well. I think I'll have to buy a software and a certificate to produce these files. My accountant first did the files for me using his signature. It worked when I submitted them through the S24 portal but a week later, I received a message through the system saying that they were rejected because the person who signed them is not a member of the board of my company. So they really must be signed by me. I'll still try to make these xades files using epuap today. If I can't, I'll go buy the Szafir software and certificate from the KIR office located in ul. Lea in Krakow.
All this just because I don't have my PESEL registered in KRS. If I had PESEL, a standard PDF would be enough to submit to the court through the Internet. When I moved to Poland eight years ago and I registered the company, I didn't have PESEL yet, I received it only three months later. So I now want to update my data in KRS and that's yet another exemple of stupid administration logic :
I don't have to simply fill up one form to update my PESEL. I need to fill up three forms ! The first form is to remind everything that the administration already knows about the company, and state the modifications I'm planning to submit. The second form is to add my PESEL information to the president of the board (me). The third form is to add my PESEL information to the shareholder (me again). When I went to the court with these documents, I thought it would be OK. No ! The lady asked me to join a document proving that I received PESEL. I said well, it's written here on my identity card (permanent resident card) so the administration knows that it granted me a PESEL number.
Lady: the court doesn't know. Please join the original letter you must have received from the "urzad wojewodski" eight years ago, stating that it granted you this PESEL number.
Hmmm... I don't have any such letter so I went to "urzad wojewodski" as they handle foreigners matters. No! We can't help you with that. Please go to "urząd miasta". I go there (in Krakow, it's the same desks where you handle "zameldowania/wymeldowania" matters), but they can't produce such a document. Fortunately, the other lady there was nice, called her director immediately and, especially, they will write a letter certifying that I received this PESEL. So, next Monday (tomorrow), I need to go back there, straight to the director office, to retrieve the document (cost: 17zł) then go again to court to submit the KRS documents.
I hoped that I.T. would help them get rid of the old communistic administration methods, but it simply makes them worst, and the culture remains. They reproduced with computers the organization's complexity they had for decades with paper. My wife, who is Polish, is both amused and angered with what I have to go through, "Exactly like at the times of the komuna".
I've closed down all my Polish companies and have no intention of ever setting one up here again - I also regularly warn wannabe entrepreneurs against choosing Poland as a place to locate their company. The bureaucracy together with the risk of malicious fault finding if it goes well mean it's just not worth the hassle.
The bureaucracy together with the risk of malicious
Your right I took a look and decided it's far too much hassle due to the above, great to live here but the bureaucracy and negativity can be like walking through treacle at times, you really don't know what or whom is around every corner to trip you up.
If you have still problem how to open your document please send it to me on the address argen2@zoho.com. I will change .xades to normal pdf and send you back. You can do it yourself but you have to download proper softwer for example Szafir.2.0. You can find it below:
I went to the KIR company to buy the Szafir application. They preferred to use my passport rather than my E.U. identity card for proof of identity, then argued that after the initial letter of my third christian name, there was a dot on my passport, but not on my karta pobytu, so they recommended to sort this out first at urząd miasta. :-/
When I went to urzad miasta to retrieve the appropriate document testifying I was granted PESEL, I discussed the matter of the dot. So they immediately changed that in their computer and printed me again the document with my third name initial letter written on it. Then I went to court to register the KRS forms and they accepted the document testifying PESEL (uuuffff!!). I asked if it were possible to speed up the review process of my documents because the end of June was approaching and they accepted but had to write an improvised letter in Polish (there, at the desk) asking for it and justifying the reason. It worked, it took just a few days to see the changed reflected in my online data.
Meanwhile I went back to KIR and bought the app. They produced the certificate the next day. I created the Xades files without problem and sent them to court using the S24 portal. They were quickly reviewed and I received the confirmation from KRS on Friday 29th June, right before the end of the month and my departure on holiday. Good timing, but it was close !
It's nice to hear that everything end well. Please keep in mind that shareholders have to accept financial report and management report till 30 June each ear. Than you have 14 days to send aproved docs to KRS and 10 days to send docs to Urząd Skarbowy (polish inland revenue). Then the deadline is 14 July each year. If you have similar problem in the future let me know. I will try to help you.
