Moving to Poland - Checklist / Things to Consider

Deciding to relocate to Poland, either for work or for the lifestyle, is often the result of having had several wonderful vacations. The wonderful lifestyle, the gorgeous scenery, the friendly people. Even when a considerable amount of time is spent in Poland the image created of actually living there can often be based on an idealized vision of what life will be like on a day-to-day basis. It is far too easy to accentuate the positive aspects of what life will be like in this new country for you and all too easy to overlook the negatives. It's one thing to have a great time there on vacation for a couple of weeks a year - but to really live there, day after day, month after month, year after year, is a whole new level of reality.

With the increase of immigrants moving to Poland here is a check list, If anyone can think of anything that is not listed,please add it to the list!

Hi, an informative posts.


Thats what i do (but some are such a *er* on the way they like to comment).

very helpful :)

Wildrovers check list...

Fuel in car....yep

money to buy a farm in Poland....yep

phrase book...yep...

map of Poland...yep

Right then...lets get started...

What documentation do i need to bring to poland with me? I've heard that all the government offices are very picky and stubborn...........

that's the approach I like :) ;)

My checklist was

No car

No money

No job

No friends

Very little Polish

Some things have changed, except no car and no money. Still, it's been a great four years, and unless things completely unforeseen occur, I'm planning on staying in Poland until I croak.

I am planning to croak in Poland but until I kick the bucket i will only be a visitor unless some drastic change for better occurre in Poland.You must be a crazy person but good luck to you.


Good planning man.

I am not sure its good planning...

But it worked out ok...

so i can expect 4 years................. should i bring my own bucket? Anyone with a real answer to my original question?

Tak. Jestem wariat. :) It helps to be a little older to do what I did. Lots of life experience behind me when I came here.

That kinda depends on what you want to do here....?

Yeah it's not that bad in PL but the taxes and fees and prices of most of stuff,I just can't take it man.

live work and a bit more living after that

life experience i have ....believe me a lot packed into my 30 short years

Just bring your passport , and all personal documents....

For most of what i have needed to do in Poland my passport was the thing that got asked for usually....

My check list in 2005:

want to move to Poland: yep
have some money: yep

Done deal

You can get around that part if you have trusted Polish friends who speak English...

Without them i would have had no chance....

what about birth cert, tax documentation from ireland,i guess basically what im asking is do i need anything that one wouldnt think of .... any unusual requests from the various offices ill be spending endless hours at, besides a fully charged i-pod, a good book and a packed lunch : )

Most of what you want can be done around a passport and proof of address, tax stuff and previous employment history is what you need for a mortgage etc.. its not a big deal really, but why register in the first place, stay of the radar.

well i have the missus...........and a dictionary

I have been in Poland almost six years....

never been asked for tax documents , and the first time i have needed my birth certificate was to send to my lawyer in Moscow to get documents to marry my Russian girlfriend....

If your wife speaks Polish you will have a lot easier time than i did....

but if i want proof of address do i not need to register?
and does not registering mean no tax???
off the radar to me is no tax no known address etc.

You have to register in Poland, if you intend to stay here for longer than three months. If you wish to work you will need a tax number.

You will need to register every 90 days until you get the permanent residency permit (first one lasts 2 years, second one, 5 years, third one, 10 years)
(before you ask why its called a "permanent" residence permit, welcome to Poland!!!!
After the first 90 days you will automatically be issued with a Pesel number (but they will not tell you this so you have to ask for it)

If you wish to join the Polish Heath care scheme (ZUS) you will need Pesel and a NIP number, your P45 or proof of up to date NI payments in Ireland.(This will allow you the same free medical care as a Pole, consultations, hospital care, reduced cost of prescriptions etc)

Birth certificate, Education, trade qualification certificates, marriage, divorce papers (decree nisi) etc must all be originals, no copies.
The blood samples, DNA and complete life history from the womb to the present day are only necessary if you want to apply for a credit card or mobile phone contract.

That's changed now for EU citizens - now it's a 5 year permit, then 10 year "permanent" permit.

I'm told the real reason behind permanent residence permits only lasting 10 years is due to them wanting an updated picture of the person - in line with the requirements for Polish people.

I was given two credit cards without any effort, together with 30K credit, from my wife's bank. First one I had to show my passport, but that was it.

Have you never heard of sarcastic humour?

so i dont need this pee sample and saliva swob then .............................5 minutes of my life ill never get back

Warszawski ... A great thread.

Maybe we can add some information:

* stop subscriptions to (mobile) phone company, internet provider, cable television, etc ...
* ask for quotes from removal companies (if applicable)
* ask for quotes from storage companies (if applicable)
* what about car insurance in case you have a car, and want to take it to PL?
* write down meters of water, gas, electricity companies and inform them
* what about if you wanna take your dog and/or cat, hamster, rabbit, budgy, canary, and other pets to PL.

If some of you know the answer, please post it here.

(One of) my last post(s) from the Netherlands. Tomorrow morning at 04:00 we'll be driving to PL. Got the van packed, the rest of the stuff which I don't need immediately is in storage. The only thing I need to pack is the tele, a couple of sleeping bags and inflatable matrasses and my laptop.

A new fase in my life. I'm sure it'll work out just fine.

Only if you want to apply for an Orange wireless internet connection....

not to mention 25 visits to the local office....