Help with confusing requirements for emigration from UK to Poland

Hi,

A little about me first - I'm an Englishman married to a Polish lady for 6 years (together for 12) and we were planning to go and live in Poland next week to be resident in Poland before the end of the transition agreement so she can be closer to her family after her young brother died of cancer suddenly last year. My wife will give up her job in the uk and not be seeking work in Poland.

I have work in the UK which I will keep (working remotely with the bkessing of my employers) and will pay UK tax and national insurance. Both and English and polish accountant have told me this is fine.

I also have a house in the UK which I will keep for at least a few years (but not rent out).

So it's the week before the move and my inlaws suddenly say "you need an s1 form you can't register to live here without it" - an S1 form is apparently a mechanism for my uk NI contributions to pay for Polish healthcare that I have to apply through via hmrc here. Apparently the office in Rzeszow said this was the case.

It's not a guaranteed thing to get and the lead time is 6 weeks because hmrc messed up my records and I have to apply by post!

My research indicated I just needed my passport and official translated copies of my marriage certificates so what's going on?

Please can someone help me quickly with a definitive answer to this, I've already spent a lot of time and money setting up the move and working things out with my employer and have flights booked for late next week!

If I had to I could pay voluntary contributions to the NFZ fund (I think that's around £230 a month) but I got blank looks from the inlaws when I mentioned that so I don't know if that's really possible either.

Many thanks and possibly much alcohol to someone who can help. My main aim is to register to live in Poland quickly and the health stuff can be sorted out after - I do have emergency travel insurance available if needed :-)

Rob.

You will have to pay Polish tax. This means that your tax bill will be significantly higher, as you must pay 17% on the first 85,000PLN earnt and then 32% after that. You may submit a joint tax return with your wife after one full year of residence, which means that you share your personal allowances.

Hi, thanks but the tax isn't really what I'm concerned about its the specific question about requirements for my residency.

You need two things (prior to 31/12/20 when it changes). These are:

- A meldunek. This takes a few minutes at the town hall. You need to fill a form in, show your passport, and the owner of wherever you live shows proof of ownership.

- Health insurance. You can either use the NFZ or private. The type you need doesn't cost as much as you mention.

Then you go to the regional office that issues residency with proof of those two things, fill in a simple form and wait for your card.

Note that this is the system prior to the end of 2020 (after which you will probably need to convert the card they give you to a new one. If you leave it until 2021 it is very possible that you'll need to go through a far lengthier procedure depending on whether there's a Brexshit deal or not and depending on what the Schengen zone and Poland decide to do.

There are several facebook groups where this is much discussed. I don't use FB myself, however a quick look at a friend's shows groups called Brits in Poland, Brytyjczycy w Polsce and various variants of those. People in those groups are going through the process and can advise in real time.

Its 417 zl a month less than 100 pounds a month that would cover you and the wife and sprogs if u got em.

Best sort it out sooner than later cos there are extra payments required for each year you are in Poland and don't.

If you get a job in poland or go on the dole your contributions are paid for

Oh and basically your EHIC card will work forever , no one checks in the UK and polish hospital's are more than happy to take it

You then just pay 100 zl (20 quid) per doctor visit /

But best do NFZ proper, that's the right and honest thing to do.

If you dont want to Pi$$ around with S1's from the uk etc, get a job in Poland for one month get fired (say no more) , then go to the NFZ office and ask to continue paying voluntary contributions.

In fact it won't. The UK government have said that UK citizens will not be part of this system after the end of the transition period.


Or a private alternative. There are pluses and minuses to both.


It sounds like your relatives have been enquiring about something else entirely, perhaps permanent residence. I suggest you have a look at the FB groups where the current situation is discussed daily.

Poor sods , basically anyone with a problem that would not be covered under private insurance (there are plenty) would have to think twice about a European holiday, or get a 50,000 pound bill for repatriation lolololol serves them right hahahahahah

Will the s1 work for old folk post brexit ? , no more Brit retirees pensioners in Poland , France or Spain !!!!!

Thank you all I really appreciate this. Wpuld anyone have a link I can send to my inlaws or indeed myself where I can find out how to register for nfz contributions. Thank you so much!

Local NFZ office you relatives will know where it is .

Lol I hope it's really that easy thanks you. Do you know what documents I may need to register with the nfz scheme?

Probably very little, ID and maybe a PESEL (a number they'll issue you with when you do your meldunek).

You don't need to do anything about health insurance (the NFZ scheme or private) until you're here.

As I say, sign up with one of the FB groups for British people living here. Most of the people in them have just gone through this or are doing it right now including at Rzeszów (important because local offices can be inconsistent with the way they interpret rules). Worth remembering that plenty of Brits are racing to regulate their stay before the transition period ends and the various offices in question are well used to British people right now.


Sadly yes unless Johnson pulls off a miracle deal over the next 10 weeks. It's the same for pensioners who are going to find travel becoming more and more expensive as they age.

Many thanks people I really appreciate the help :-)

You can now get a pesel without a meldunek go to the town hall ask to register your stay in poland (you need a document confirming your adress ), they ask you how long 1,2,3 years they then give you a pesel and for 15zl a bit of paper too , thats enough to register with the nfz and buy coal you need a pesel to do that lol lo lol

You can, however they'll give you one anyway when you do the meldunek (if you don't have one already) so not much point getting another appointment (you have to wait a couple of weeks) to get one separately.

I was actually at the Town Hall today doing this to help a friend who doesn't speak Polish very well.

Yeah I have been doing the same , no appointments needed at my town hall yet. Tauron yes pain in the A$$

That's good. It's a 3 week wait in some parts of Warsaw at the moment and similar in other larger cities. You do get a specific time slot though, and probably quicker if you can go in the morning when most people are working.

Is this correct long term? I don't believe you can live in Poland and remain paying tax in UK. There is some sort of double taxation agreement between both countries which I am actually looking into myself as similar to you will be living in Poland and working for UK company remotely.

Usually you can't.


That's correct.

There are however some (rare and obscure) exceptions that don't affect most people. Exceptions relate to very specialised fields of work and anyone eligible for that would know already if it applied to them and wouldn't generally be asking on a forum.

Assuming that doesn't apply here, the OP will probably be liable for Polish tax and in any case will need to submit a declaration

I agree I may well end up with Polish tax liabilities which I am prepared for despite what my company may say. I don't really care where I pay tax so long as I only pay it once. I'm not out to cheat my way out of my liabilities, I'll leave that to the multi millionaires

I do also expect there is a possibility i will end up paying tax in both countries and claiming back from one or the other so the first year I will be saving like mad. It's all part of the fun of moving and I accept that. It gives another customer to a Polish accountant if nothing else!

At least my living costs in Poland will be extremely low with no Polish mortgage/rent to pay.

Although my employer have said they have other employees in Europe doing the same as me so they do not think it will be an issue, I haven't seen the terms of the new contract yet so I can't comment on if it is accurate.

Pretty much in same boat. I am seeking professional help to clarify this properly so will share if/when I can.

If you are renewing contract with work, they may put you down as contractor and leave it to you to sort tax out, which may be easier

@Roibeard79
I would appreciate that and I will do the same if I actually manage to get any sensible info :-)

Hi, just a quick update in case it is useful to anyone. I've been in Poland now for a month (flying during lockdown turned out to be great apart from rebooking my flight with 3 different airlines - top tip, don't bother with Easyjet).

I have my meldunek and pesel thanks to my wonderful inlaws and am waiting for my 5 year residents permit (after which I will get the permenant one).

As far as health insurancd goes, I am still waiting for my S1 form so i can register for nfz healthcare. I spoke to the friendly and helpful nfz lady who told me I can't buy nfz insurance while paying ni contributions in the uk - I have to use the s1. If after the end of the transition period I no longer qualify for s1 from the uk then I can pay separately for nfz contributions.

As far as tax goes, I'm saving for a tax bill but not particularly concerned as I know I won't be double taxed in the long run and my finances are in good shape. I've got nothing here yet to draw attention to my finances anyway (no Polish bank account) so I suspect I won't be on the radar for now.

My only concern is getting health cover sorted before the end of the year as the ehic will no longer be valid and this sodding S1 form is takes up to 8 weeks (I applied before I left so 8 weeks is up soon).