Can my Canadian girlfriend live with me if I'm a Polish citizen?

Hi,

I recently got my Polish passport (I am a citizen because I was born there) and would like to return to Poland and live there. I'd like to spend some time travelling to the Schengen countries as well as visit family in Canada once a year.

Having a dual citizenship, this should be easy for me, but my girlfriend is only Canadian. Is it possible for us to spend many years together in Europe or would she be required to leave? She works remotely on the internet, so would she need to get a work visa in Poland or would they not accept such work as valid for a work visa?

How would things work if we married - would she be required to have a work visa then or could she just be allowed to stay with me because of being my wife?

I've heard of the 3 or 5 years rules in order to get permanent residence or citizenship. Would we be allowed to travel to schengen countries during those years or would my girlfriend/future wife need to spend a significant amount of time inside poland's borders specifically?

She can only stay for maximum 90 days within any 180 day period, starting on the date of entry in the Schengen zone.

consulfrance-vancouver.org/Short-stay-visa-other-than-tourism

There are countries in Europe which don't belong yo Schengen, like UK or Ukraine, so she could spend there remaining 275 days.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area

She can also get permit to stay for longer on base of work. As a Canadian she should be able to get teaching job somewhere in Europe.


Then she would be treated by all EU countries as equal. Meaning permit for staying and working is automatically granted, but only as long as she lives with you.


Without marriage it's 5 years of continues, legal, not interrupted by more than 6 months, stay in Poland or other EU country. Study counts as 50%.


Girlfriend can travel, but max 6 months in 5 years.

There is one more option if you're not fixed on Poland and don't want to marry. In Belgium and perhaps some other countries there is kind of Civil Partnership agreement, which allows girlfriend to be treated as married by Belgian law, meaning it allows spouse to work, stay in Belgium and do taxation together. Problem it's not recognized by must of EU countries, so when leaving Belgium you will be not married :)