Law / Karta Polaka to Poland's Permanent Residence [5]

I am currently waiting for a decision on my application for permanent residence having applied on the basis of a temporary residence card.
Our woj. office is currently only accepting applications by mail, easier for me, no 1.5 hour bus ride and waiting in line.
I would be very wary of paying some unknown firm for help. The instructions are clear, google around for some advice, and cross all of the T's and dot the I's, there is also an e-mail address to send questions to your local office for foreigners, the reply time is about a week.

Law / Opening a Polish Bank Account by a foreigner in Poland. Recommendations. [299]

Millenium, very easy to open even as a non resident alien, I think originally I did need to provide an address in country though that was some years ago

Life / Retiring in Poland [39]

It does depend on residency, this conversation only applies to those claiming Polish residency. You are liable for both taxes on earned income but on your USA return you can claim either a deduction or a foreign tax credit. Plus any income earned outside the USA is not taxed until you earn over 100k$. Unearned income in the USA I do not think is taxable by Poland but I am not sure. Unearned income from Polish sources is reportable to the IRS but again there are limits and then deductions for foreing taxes paid. Don't forget about FATCA! You must file with US treasury. If you are a USA citizen, and have overseas accounts.

Life / Retiring in Poland [39]

A US citizen retiring to Poland will not be double taxed. You will continue to file both USA returns and PIT but there are taxation treaties to prevent double taxation. A USA retiree can receive Social Security retirement benefits deposited directly to a few Polish banks. If you can move to Poland and work for 10 years you can retire with NFZ coverage. If you have excess Social Security quarters, you can apply excess to ZUS and may be able to reduce the 10 year work.

Ultimately, it is workable, suggest you have an emotional connection though. You can Skype family and friends there as long as you have some here too. A nice thick grilled steak on the other hand, that I do miss.

Travel / Polish passport and travel to Poland - US citizen [3]

if you overstay your 90 day tourist visa you will jeopardize possible Karta, better to fly out of Schengin zone and return

Law / Exchanging Canadian Drivers License for Polish in Lublin needs Exam? [12]

Back to the point. I am in the process of exchanging a USA license with multiple classes. Definitely print out an explanation of Canadian classes and have it translated. There are on line resources for studying for the exam in English. Be careful as there are a few errors in the translations and some awkward language. Grupa Image has a good course for about 50zl for 90 days of access. There is absolutely no need to bring a translator to WORD for the exam. Everything is in English. You will need a PKK profile from the Staroste Poviat before you can register for the exam.

Law / Moving back to Poland - Healthcare [29]

Contact ZUS. Apply for a pension. They will take in to account the years worked in Canada. With few years worked in Poland, the pension will be reduced. However, once or if, your mother is approved, she will gain NFZ and then her spouse. Expect to be able to document work in Canada and Poland. From the USA we will use Social Security statements. Make sure they are still citizens. Do they have valid passports. There were certain periods of time when gaining citizenship elsewhere, voided Polish citizenship.

Genealogy / Polish & Prussian/German town name cross-reference. [100]

Try looking through German archives for place names,

bildarchiv-ostpreussen.de

Real Estate / Looking to buy property in Poland - understanding the different types of ownership! [10]

The border is with Russia. I am not EU. Spoldzenia would be exempt since it doesn't include real property. We have a spoldzenia in my wife's name alone. We found a bigger flat in an old building. I doubt the sellers would wait for us the get permission from the ministry. Bummer. I guess we're back to searching.

Real Estate / Looking to buy property in Poland - understanding the different types of ownership! [10]

Non-EU foreigners prohibited from buying flats

"(odrębne prawo własności)(It's technical but having full ownership means you would also own the land (part of it) on which your apartment stands)"

due to proximity to border. We just got back from the notary and this is what we were told. Everything else being equal we would be allowed if further inland. Anybody else run in to this?

Law / PESEL or NIP in Poland for an American married to Polish citizen [22]

Follow up, so we told urząd miasto that urząd woj requires a pesel for my karta and that the WORD office requires one for PKK and driver's license. So, they rolled their eyes and reluctantly registered my residence and gave me a pezel number.

Law / PESEL or NIP in Poland for an American married to Polish citizen [22]

Thanks, That's the catch 22 though. We live rather far out in the country. Urząd wojewódski handling the karta said I need one. I asked urząd miasto for a number when we were in the office a month ago and they said no. I also tried registering residency then and they said no, after karta. We're going back tomorrow and try and brow beat them telling them wojewódski demands a number. We are rather far out in the sticks!

Law / PESEL or NIP in Poland for an American married to Polish citizen [22]

I have been approved for my Karta as a spouse of a Polish citizen. The Urząd Woj. office said I must get e PEZEL. Assuming they are not up to date, I should get a NIP number for payroll and tax purposes. Now, I have read that 3 years down the road when I get my permanent Karta it will automatically include a PEZEL. If that is true, how do I connect 3 years of NIP payments to my PEZEL to qualify for retirement etc, in the future.

Life / Health insurance in Poland - your suggestions please [35]

Merged: Monthly cost of National Health insurance premium

What is the monthly cost for a family to join the National health insurance, thx

Real Estate / Poland online property ownership checker (government website) [19]

When you say property does the include flats? thx

Genealogy / Ukrainians in Poland before WW2. Ukrainian last names? [7]

Also, in the south east, borders moved, not people.

USA, Canada / Emigrate from the USA - the sequence of events [207]

Would anyone like to offer practical advice on the mechanics of settling in Poland coming from the USA? Why do so many of the discussions deteriorate in to personal attacks between a few people? I suggest another thread be started to discuss the American situation.

USA, Canada / Emigrate from the USA - the sequence of events [207]

Interesting how this thread has gone. Some of the comments must be from some of the 1%. I work in logistics. I go in to many companies and factories. I see how our heavy industry is a shell of its' former self. I read the bulletin boards listing employees insurance payroll deductions. Many are paying 30% of their pay for premiums. That is unsustainable. Many working families are a paycheck away from bankruptcy. Anyone who suggest we have a good social safety net system is uninformed. We have a child that qualifies for assistance. Budget cuts by the state and the fact that we are living above the poverty line means no help. I am not suggesting imminent disaster. But, those in first class are too far above the water line to notice that the water is rising. Pax Americana is waning.

USA, Canada / Emigrate from the USA - the sequence of events [207]

We are part of the dying blue collar middle class. I work for an internationally recognized company with a good paying job. As long as we don't get sick or hurt, or the company moves operations, we're fine. Three big iffs. Our kids will come out of college though with a 5 figure debt. Instead of saving for a house they'll be paying off college. Health care is not Obama's fault. The problem is we don't have a health care system. We have a health care industry that operates on a profit motive at every step of the way from the insurance to the providers. All at our expense. There is a growing movement of retirees moving out of the country. Most are moving to central America where they are building large developments and catering to the American diaspora. The biggest reasons are cashing in on your home's value, stretching retirement money, and health care cost. We're just looking to do the same but in Poland because we have a large family there and i don't like tropical climates. (yes I like the cold)

USA, Canada / Emigrate from the USA - the sequence of events [207]

Harry, I meant how do you sign up for the national health plan, and if you are working, then is it automatically taken care of as a payroll deduction? Here you generally don't receive health coverage until after having worked 90 days and buying private insurance is ridiculously expensive.

OK thanks, that points me in the right direction. What do you mean though about having a marriage certificate with a recent date? I think we have a Polish certificate or acknowledgement of our USA marriage. If I remember correctly we had to register the marriage in Poland to get a kids their Polish Passports. 300ZL a year for health insurance per person. You can pay that much per month here and still have to pay a great deal out of pocket.

USA, Canada / Emigrate from the USA - the sequence of events [207]

Simple, family, friends, and eye on retirement.

On the contrary, I would not recommend anyone moving to the USA.

Study / Studying Polish in Poland for a Polish Citizen [7]

The Polish language school at the University of Lodz offers a discount to those of Polish descent.

USA, Canada / Marriage certificate required for Polish passport (I'm a Polish-American) [9]

Might as well register the marriage similarly to registering your birth etc. It will make it easier if you want to get passports for your children. Just watch parking around the consulate, tow squads looking for out of towners. Park in a garage...

USA, Canada / Poles in Philadelphia [9]

I don't think "Our Lady of Częstochowa" was painted black. I think you will find it is smoke damage.

Travel / Why does everyone seem to hate LOT Polish Airlines? [380]

We've flown LOT many times over the last 20 years. They are the only carrier to offer non-stop from the US to Poland. Prices are cheaper than others. We've flown with small children as a family, mother with child alone, and teenager flying solo. Crew, food, and service has always been good. Only time we had a luggage problem was returning through JFK.

Real Estate / Returning Polish expat wishing to purchase property in Poland [4]

Thanks. Just checking. Many years ago there was an internal passport of some sort required for government transactions.