EU national wanting to move and buy a house in Poland

I am British, thinking of moving to Poland, but would want to buy a house with my Polish Wife. Can I ? I see so much contradictory information I'm not sure, how long would I have to wait before I could buy?

(Not looking for work!)

You can buy a house without any problem. You don't need to register as resident beforehand. The only restrictions are on agricultural and forestry land.

Thats what I hoped to hear, but..............

gazetapodatnika.pl/artykuly/zezwolenie_na_osiedlenie_sie_w_polsce-a_2134.htm

Seems to imply I cannot be regarded as settled in Poland for five years. I would hate to buy a house I could not live in!

No, there's no issue with living in Poland. If you are a citizen of an EU country you have an absolute right to be there (the only way you can be excluded is as a threat to national security and this has never happened).

That article refers to people who are looking for permission to settle - this does not apply to a citizen of any EU member state. We do not need this and if anyone from within the EU applied, they would be politely refused. A typical person applying for that is a citizen of, say, Ukraine who came to Poland to work or study and wished to remain after 5 years.

You are supposed to register as resident if you stay in Poland for more than 3 months without ever leaving however this is not enforced - no citizen of an EU member state has had you leave because they chose not to register. Should they start enforcing that (unlikely to the point of unbelievable) then you'd just need to take your passport along and register or pop to Berlin for an afternoon's shopping and keep your train ticket as proof.

In any case, you do not need to register as resident in order to buy property.

The term cudzoziemców in the article doesn't refer to EU citizens.
ec.europa.eu/justice/citizen/move-live/index_en.htm

Worth mentioning that there is no law preventing you as a British Citizen from buying property (whether you're a resident or not) other than farming and forestry land, and there are legal and respectable ways to circumvent that rule if you want to be a farmer.

Thousands of British people own apartments or houses in Poland without hassle. Some even do buy-to-let and don't actually come here.

None of that is relevant. That refers to permanent residency obtained by a non-EU national.

However, it is worth pointing out that the Polish authorities will want to see clear evidence of income and health insurance if you want to reside here legally.

Which is why someone living off for example investments or a pension in the UK may prefer not to register to avoid creating a tax liability. The health insurance part is easy enough.

can a non-EU with valid work permit and residence permit buy a flat or detached house in poland?
if he loses his job, what happens ? (considering he has to leave country in a month or 3 ?)

He can, but it's unlikely that a mortgage would be granted to anyone with less than a permanent contract in this case.


He has to go. But if you have a physical asset and money to live on, the Straz Graniczna could well issue a "tolerated stay" permit.

Also, if he/she loses their job, they still have till the end of the residence permit.

I am not seeking work, I am retired and living off capital and savings.

Please, If you want to talk about moving and working then start your own thread, I seek only information about my situation

you are EU citizen ,married to Polish woman and worry about right to reside in Poland?or whatever you can buy house? you kidding ,right?

No worries there, then. You'll get the "certificate of residence" without any issue (it's free of charge).

Anyway, you can buy a house, it won't be any problem whatsoever.

Think carefully about keeping the UK as your official place of residence, even though you may be physically in Poland. You have the right to be there and to own property whether resident or not, however becoming resident there may incur higher taxes than you would expect.

I am not married yet! If I can buy a house she will retire with me, but she insists on living in Poland!

She is worth it!

If you play your cards well you will live there very well. Uk is not very far for a break.

Warwicktiger

"I am British, thinking of moving to Poland, but would want to buy a house with my Polish Wife. Can I ? I see so much contradictory information I'm not sure, how long would I have to wait before I could buy?"

As an EU national, there are restrictions on you purchasing a house or land in Poland. Those restrictions were lifted as of 01 May 2009. I'm legal qualified from the UK based In Poland. I advise property investors who purchased properties here. If you need any assistance - no obligation to instruct - please contact me. My email is my user-name followed by at gmail

Warwicktiger

No problem moving to Poland at all, I have a new brit pensioner (doesnt speak polish),who has moved in to the village whom i am helping to settle in.

The only problem is buying agricultural land/buildings, but I think that restriction is about to end 2016/2017. but you never know the authorities sometimes move the goal posts.

Good luck, Its a great place to retire if you don't need to work anymore.

weather,people,food, all good

Cost of living really cheap compared to the uk. take a look at lower Silesia , take a look at this website lscl.eu/ shows u a bit about where i live.

Good luck

Agreed about the people:) The other two criteria, not really. At all, in fact. A terrible place to retire to, weather wise.
But seeing as WarwickTiger is moving here because of the wee lassie, I don't suppose the cold climate and the fattening carbohydrates will bother him too much. Obviously he will be bringing the Scalectric set with him for those long winter evenings...?

psz.pl/91-europa/obywatele-ue-od-1-maja-moga-kupowac-nieruchomosci-w-polsce-bez-przeszkod

I advise You to ask polish lawyer to be sure. This is not very expensive.

Dougpol1

Not sure if you are a brit, but compared to the uk the southwestern part of Poland has great summers this year has been really warm, as i write this I am in my shorts and tee shirt with all the doors and windows open, my brother is in the uk freezing his nuts of lighting the fire at night.

True winter kicks in end of October and it starts getting warm in March, this year i was out chopping wood in my tee shirt in feb.

If you have a decent central heating system (and I mean proper self loading multi fuel job with a buffer tank) Winter is great, I like the snow the ski resort is 30 minutes away, I don't ski but I like the winter views from the top of the mountains and the restaurants are good, going to try tobogganing this year.

When it snows all the roads are kept clear and with decent winter tyres you can go anywhere, last winter we drove to the Austrian alps, took 7 hours, it was no problem.

Anyway, if you do't like the winter in Poland its cheap to buy flights to Spain or any other hot country to have a month or two break.

No worries if you are retired with no work to do.

Yep, Nottingham born and bred. Without the accent, ducks. It were a grand summer, I'll give'ee that!


edited


I know winters are great! I lived in Kato for 34 years and the Beskidy were my second home. I own half the shares in the old Zywiec brewery.....

Try ski-ing (or don't, if you are the addictive type) If I were a rich man, I would do nowt else. If ever you want to do a house swop......


Ekky thump - I don't leave 'ouse in winter! Seriously, Poland has great mountains and I've never been to Austria, but it must be great.It's just that for my level of drinking and skiing, the Polish and Czech Beskidy have it all :)


Well that's the thing......if the OP could stand the boredom, I reckon he could retire to the Canary Isles for about the same cost?


Dangerous.....no work, and he could kark it. Better to keep busy, shifting that snow, or felting the roof, or watching the neighbours, to check they don't nick his stuff, as Wildrover used to complain of :)

Dougpo...

trying to stay on topic ,, do you in your opinion think that Poland is a good place to retire to .

Spain for me is a bad idea. way too hot best just have a winter villa there

The monitor edited one of your comments, it has kind of left me in some suspense as to what you said. (hope you wern't using rude words).

Yep I am the addictive type, so I won't try skiing cos i might break my legs like the motorbike racing has.

from what you have said, u have been in Poland for a LLlooong time,

shame about your neighbours get a cheap cctv system.

Beskidy, thanks for the tip, I will give em a go.

what does kark mean googled it no joy.

Anyway its all a great adventure over here, beats the drudge and boredom of blighty, something makes me smile everyday.
(even if its my own sewage ending up in the cellar).

I'd say go foe it. Lovely place to live and work!

Work???

Sadly there is no work in Poland that really pays at the moment, I would not consider it for a second.

A huge number of highly skilled poles have left to work in the UK, and USA where they are highly rewarded.

Many skilled technical jobs in Poland are now being filled with foreign expats, unfortunately most of them are second rate or the B team as I would call them, they have not been able to make it to the top of their game in their own country, or have been given a sidestep backwater posting from their corporate employer.

They are prepared to work for low wages which does not help the overall economic picture.

Investment is growing within Poland and things are improving slowly, I just hope the Polish A team come back one day, and bring their big wad of cash with them.

Every little helps

Interesting question Dolno - if you are the active type and can mend things, then yes. By that I mean, something is always going wrong with the house/flat - big changes in temeperature etc, and you might be digging the garden in your eighties still (great, of course..)

Health care is poor for the elederly compared to the UK though - no Day Centres, with the old mini-bus to pick you up for the day.

No real comraderie, except from the neighbours who know you, and "respect you."

So, no - if I had the money/choice, as a foreigner I would not retire here.


You are 100 per correct. As many an ex-pat has found out too late. I refer you to the film "Sexy Beast", where our hero (a London bank-robber) is retired on the Costa Del Sol, with his swimming pool. It's morning (around 11) and he emerges in his dressing gown to the pool with a glass of breakfast whisky in his hand. you can see that he has a big house, land, money in the bank - it's blazingly hot sun directly overhead. Absolute heaven supposedly. His opinion - "Another ******* blue day..." :(((


Moi? Of course I was:) I can't help it if the American owner of this forum thinks it is for children :)


Actually, you wouldn't break your legs. I mean, you can break your leg for doing absolutely nothing (Polish ski slopes date from communism and you might just be unlucky) but it's great fun and if you live near a nice pub, it would be silly not to frequent the place. In the same way, mountains are there to enjoy.


No - 23 years. As you get older the time flies by. I will have to move soon, otherwise they will bury me in one of those catholic cemeteries by mistake :)


Keep your prize motorcycle wired up to some particularly nasty electrical current. I know I would. My (horrendously expensive) cycles are chained to floor bolts and I fitted a locking system where if thieves get into my garage, they won't be getting out again.

Then me and the dog will come down the stairs properly tooled up...... :))


Do - the Czech Beskidy especially. They have rigid planning laws and have not raped their countryside the way Poles do......


Snuff it/kick the bucket. All euphemisims for die.


I really envy you. I can only live in industrial cities/centres because of my work, but would love to go wild, and pull up the drawbridge and put some more (apple) logs on the fire. Don't use pine. Absolutely useless in terms of calories, and bloody hard work, though you did say you love chopping wood :)

Dougpol1

Thanks Dougpo for very insightful, detailed and interesting reply.

I think you are right, having to live in a house or flat in an industrialized city would be no fun at all, I hope one day you will get your place in the country so you can pull up the drawbridge.

Funny you mentioned apple logs, we have had loads of apples on the trees this year and quite a few large branches have snapped off under the weight.

For some reason i can't give the apples away, Poland is awash with Apples.

At least I will have loads of apple wood to burn in a year or so.

Back on topic , It was with a heavy heart I SOLD my motorcycle, it is just too dangerous to ride on the Polish roads, even with the best defensive riding skills.

You will meet someone on the wrong side of the road, on most of the bends round here.

AFAIK Poland is the biggest producer of apple juice in Europe. There should be a place near you that buys apples. We used to have a massive old apple tree that fruited every other year. We used to sell literally tons of apples to a place in town.


All woods have more or less the same calorific value. It seems counter-intuitive, but it's true. The difference is in the rate of burn. Hardwood is great, but if you want to flash up the furnace for some hot water in summer, it's no good.When I bought my place I cut down lots of trees. Some were 50+ year-old willows, which are basically air once dried out. A real pain in the neck, but if you want a fast-burning fire, willow or pine are good. We burn pine and birch in our furnace (plus coal), and alder and birch in our fireplace. We've got some apple and ash for a slow burn, but we save that for long cosy winter nights.

Thanks Roger. Useful info there. I (think I) meant that pine burns quickly, but apple burns slowly, and I was thinking of a fire in the house (with the door open) and all the folklore effect.

My dog practically lies on top of that type of slow burning fire to warm his paws, but most hostelries obviously burn pine, which singes his whiskers, so he prefers hardwood, as do I ( the old yule-tide log and all those memories)

They shouldn't burn any resinous wood in an enclosed space with people.


I know what you mean.

• 
  Bobik
  

One thing you can't buy in Poland, well certainly not in Lower Silesia, is properly dried, seasoned firewood.

You have to buy the wet stuff and wait a year or so.

But most of my neighbors burn the wet stuff(plus some plastic bottles) with the resultant tar build up and chimney fires.

When in Poland you have to plan ahead especially when it comes to firewood.