Law / Setting up a sole trader business and becoming a resident in Poland - Procedure? [32]

Hi Everyone

Over the past 12 months, I have spent a lot of time in Warsaw with my Polish GF and have decided that it's probably time to take the plunge and actually become a resident here.

I am a self-employed doing web design & SEO & I own and operate lovewarsaw.co.uk - a Warsaw & Poland tourist information portal.

I am British with a British passport.

I have looked through many threads on this forum and elsewhere and think that I have the procedure correct. Could you wise owls please look through this and let me know if I have it right or not? Your assistance would be appreciated :)

Becoming a Resident:

1. I go to the Urząd Skarbowy in Warsaw with a Polish speaking friend and request a zameldowanie (temporary resident's card); which lasts for 3 months.

2. After 3 months, I go back to the Urząd Skarbowy and request a karta pobytu; which lasts for 5 years. At the same time that I request the karta pobytu, I also request a PESEL (National ID number which is mandatory for permanent residents & temporary residents living in Poland for more than 2 months).

3. The PESEL arrives a couple of weeks later and I take it back to the Urząd Skarbowy and they then stamp my karta pobytu to show that I now have a PESEL.

4. There is an alternative to the karta pobytu called the ZASWIADCZENIE O ZAREJESTROWANIU POBYTU OBYWATELA UNII EUROPEJSKIEJ which is a piece of paper confirming my rights to stay in Poland as a EU citizen!

HELP! Is this a better alternative to a karta pobytu? Which one should I ask for?

5. Once I have had my karta pobytu for 5 years, I can get permanent residency (karta stalego pobytu) but must have a full & checkable work history.

6. To get my karta pobytu, I will need to show:

a) that I have work and income
b) that I have an address here in Poland
c) that I have medical insurance of some kind

Is this correct? Is there anything else that I will need to show?

In relation to showing that I have work and income, will I have to set up the business here in Poland first e.g. I want to set up as a sole trader? or will they accept bank statements showing a regular income? Seriously, its like the chicken & egg scenario! What do I do first, become a resident or set up the business?

In relation to the address, can I use my GF's address? Do I need a letter from the GF or the landlord?

Setting up the Business:

It seems that my best option is to set up as a sole trader as this involves less documents, less hassle, less costs and this allows me to draw invoices here in Poland.

I understand that when I set up the business, I have to choose various codes that explain what my business is and that I should tick everything that I will do and might do as changing this later incurs further costs. What are those codes called?

To set up the business, I will need to go to the town council, tax office & statistic office?

I will also have to sort out ZUS which for the first 2 years is around 300 zloty per month and then it increases to 800? IS that right?

I can use my private address as my business address? Is that right?

Somewhere during this process, I will be provided with a NIP (tax ID number)?

I know there are a lot of questions here and any help that you guys can provide would be great.

Many thanks

David

Any help appreciated :)