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Posts by Einstein  

Joined: 19 May 2014 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 12 Oct 2023
Threads: 7
Posts: 54

Displayed posts: 61 / page 1 of 3
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Einstein   
12 Oct 2023
Law / Fotoradar and non-EU car, how to pay fines? [6]

I drive a car with non-EU plates. A year ago I was driving a bit too fast and a fotoradar flashed at my car. I am fully willing to pay the fine, but I never received any bill for a fine, which is not surprising because as far as I understand Poland has no access to information about non-EU cars. Therefore I don't know how much I owe or how to make payment. I forgot all about it and figured I don't need to worry.

But recently I heard a rumour that the Straż Graniczna may in the near future gain access to databases about non-EU cars and deny entry/exit to their owners until fines are paid. I wouldn't want to miss a flight because of some old fine I was never even notified of. What should I do?

I also heard that in certain situations an unpaid fine can be grounds for imprisonment. Surely that doesn't apply to people who never even got a notification in the mail that they need to pay a fine right?
Einstein   
5 Mar 2021
Law / Car Insurance for an US-import car in Poland [7]

I had permission to have the car here legally on a temporary basis. I'm not sure what to do to renew this permission. Anyways I don't drive near the non-schengen borders.
Einstein   
5 Mar 2021
Law / Car Insurance for an US-import car in Poland [7]

even Polish cops now know that the car is with expired registration and can impound it.

What are the requirements to renew an authorization to drive on USA plates? I didn't know this is possible.

I have had many interactions with the police here while in my car from the USA and I have never once been asked to show any proof of registration. I just show them the USA car title document (proof of ownership, not registration) and my ID and driving license and that's it. I can't imagine them going through the hassle of calling the US to check if the registration is expired. Not only would the call have to be made in English and within US business hours, but they would also have to be familiar with the fact that in the US there are 50 completely separate offices for car registration and only the one in the correct state could provide them with the information they seek.
Einstein   
4 Mar 2021
Law / Taxes working remotely B2B, Poland [8]

Yes you have to pay tax to Poland if you reside here, no matter where your income is from. But if you don't want to deal with VAT and ZUS then there is no reason why you can't register your business in a different country and operate it from your Polish home office.
Einstein   
4 Mar 2021
Law / Car Insurance for an US-import car in Poland [7]

Warta insures cars with foreign registrations. If you can show them the US car title or registration document, even if expired, they should be able to issue you a policy. Go to one of the small independent brokers, not the main headquarters buildings. They won't ask to see the license plates, so just provide the last known plate numbers.

Once you get the car registered in Poland just go back and tell them that the license plate number changed and they will update the policy.
Einstein   
26 May 2020
Law / Import car to Poland from NON-EU country (Switzerland) [3]

In early 2016 I imported a car from a non-EU country to Poland. I was able to be exempt from paying any VAT or excise tax by declaring that I am importing the car on a temporary basis for no more than 6 months. Is this still possible, or has the law changed?
Einstein   
21 May 2020
Law / Appeal for refusal of residence permit in Poland [16]

@Sakin
After 14 days it is too late to appeal. But if you happen to have some other legal basis for remaining in the country you can submit a new application.
Einstein   
22 Aug 2019
Law / Penalty for driving on expired license in Poland? [30]

@pawian
Is a 500zł fine and a chance of my car being towed the worse possible penalty? Seems small in comparison to the 3,000+ zł it would cost to hire a lawyer to take the issue to the administrative courts.
Einstein   
22 Aug 2019
Law / Penalty for driving on expired license in Poland? [30]

If I were you, I would take the matter to the Administrative Court

I will if I have to but that would likely take 4-6 months to resolve and I need a diving license now.

I sent a letter to the head of the driving license department. I guess I could try sending another letter to the head of the Powiat Pruszkowski but they would likely just forward it to the driving license department.

@dovla
I already tried that but when they replied after two months of waiting they refused to issue the letter.
Einstein   
22 Aug 2019
Law / Penalty for driving on expired license in Poland? [30]

@cms neuf
Yes I sent a letter to the head of the department but only received a general reply which shows that he didn't even read my letter. I have hired a lawyer to help but it is a slow complicated process.

@dovla
I showed them my zameldowanie paper when I first tried to get the license and they didn't seem to consider it proof of anything. The zameldowanie is only valid 3 months each and there were some gaps in between, but the office didn't take issue with this and simply demanded to see my kata pobytu or wisa.

What's the hold up on the karta?

They made a mistake in calculating whether or not I was legally in Poland on the day I submitted the application, and now that they realized their mistake they sent my application all the way back to step 1 and are asking for the same dozen or so documents that I already gave them a year ago. They seem to look for every tiny excuse to deny the application.
Einstein   
22 Aug 2019
Law / Penalty for driving on expired license in Poland? [30]

@Ziemowit
They said that they require a karta pobytu or visa to issue the license. I then told them that I am still waiting for my karta pobytu and that as an American it is impossible to get a visa because Americans are allowed to be here without visas. I then explained to them that their dziennik ustaw allows for a "karta pobytu, wisa, lub innego dokumentu" and presented my passport containing a stamp from the foreigners office as an "other document". They then said that they cannot accept my passport as an other document because "it isn't polish".

I have lived in Poland legally for 4 years and can prove this fact in several different ways. The office is making up their own rules which are not at all consistent with what the law actually says.
Einstein   
22 Aug 2019
Law / Penalty for driving on expired license in Poland? [30]

@Ziemowit
I can prove that I stay in Poland 185+ days each year via the stamps in my passport, travel receipts, and rental agreement. As an American I am allowed to reside in Poland as long as I want, as long as I leave every 90 days to cross a border and come back. This is even written on the Straż Graniczna website.

Even without a karta pobytu I am technically a resident of Poland simply because I legally live here 185+ days per year and as such I pay income tax to Poland on my worldwide income.
Einstein   
22 Aug 2019
Law / Penalty for driving on expired license in Poland? [30]

@mafketis

Not yet. But nowhere in the law is it written that a karta pobytu is required to get a driving license. It simply states that it is required to " stay on the territory of the Republic of Poland for at least 185 days in each calendar year", which I do.
Einstein   
22 Aug 2019
Law / Penalty for driving on expired license in Poland? [30]

Actually in my experience the police can be quite understanding. I once went on a 2,600 kilometer trip through three countries without any license plates on my car (they were lost by the shipping company). The police stopped me five times but let me go without any consequences once I proved that it is my car.
Einstein   
22 Aug 2019
Law / Penalty for driving on expired license in Poland? [30]

@cms neuf
I'm not trying to take any shortcuts; I have done everything I am supposed to do and they still won't give me the license.

1. I obtained my zameldowanie and PESEL
2. I passed my medical exam
3. I applied for a PKK number and received it
4. I passed the theory test
5. I completed my driving course
6. I passed the practical exam
7. I paid the driving license application fee
Einstein   
22 Aug 2019
Law / Penalty for driving on expired license in Poland? [30]

@Dougpol1
I cannot renew my old license because I am no longer a resident of the jurisdiction where it was issued. And I can't get a license in my new home because the Polish authorities are intent on imposing their own arbitrary rules even though I absolutely 100% meet the requirements for driving license issuance as specified by the law.
Einstein   
21 Aug 2019
Law / Penalty for driving on expired license in Poland? [30]

I'm not asking about a banned driver, just someone driving with an expired license. What would happen if the police noticed, and weren't feeling particularly tolerant?

he police are now fitted with cameras in cars and some police evn have body cameras - so you can forget about any bribing....

Since when is this? In mid 2018 I was stopped by the police near Warsaw and they made it quite clear that they wouldn't mind letting me go for some cash.
Einstein   
21 Aug 2019
Law / Penalty for driving on expired license in Poland? [30]

In Poland what happens if a foreigner is stopped while driving and the police notice that their non-EU driving license expired a few months ago? I read that the law allows a fine of up to 5,000 zł with a driving ban if it happens more than once. Is this true? What is the chance that the police would let them go with just a warning or take a 100 zł bribe rather than dealing with the paperwork of issuing the fine?

My experience of driving in Poland for 4 years is that the police never want to bother with giving a mandat to a foreigner. I have been stopped by the police 8 times for speeding or making an illegal turn. 5 times they let me go without paying anything, and 3 times they hinted that they would accept a bride and took 100zł. Not once did I have to pay a fine.
Einstein   
15 Feb 2019
Classifieds / Recommendations for accounting firm for US/PL atx forms? [NEW]

I am looking for a Polish accountant or accounting firm which can prepare my US and Polish tax forms. I have income from both countries and am having difficulty finding an accountant familiar with the process of reporting foreign income. Any recommendations would be appreciated.
Einstein   
14 Feb 2019
USA, Canada / Bilateral Visa Waiver Agreement between USA and Poland [47]

I also noticed the checkpoint at Kostrzyn nad Odrą. I simply turned around and used a different bridge to cross. The Copenhagen-Malmo border also had an extra control when I was there last year. I've never noticed any at airports however, have you?
Einstein   
13 Feb 2019
News / CHERNOBYL...threat to Poland? [29]

I was at Chernobyl three years ago. And there are people who live just a couple kilometers away.