Volunteer in Poland

Conditions

You can apply for a national visa (marked with a D symbol and annotation ‘13b’) or temporary residence permit for a volunteer in order to take part in the European Solidarity Corps volunteering programme on the basis of an agreement with the organisational unit for which the volunteering services are to be performed, based in Poland and approved by the Minister of the Interior, if such activity justifies the residence on the territory of the Republic of Poland for a period longer than 3 months.

The current list of the organisational units for which the third-country national may provide voluntary services approved by the Minister of the Interior may be found here (see the fourth list).

The temporary residence permit may not be applied for if the third-country national stays on the basis of the EU Blue Card or as a trainee employee on the basis of a temporary residence permit for the purpose of performing work in the framework of an intra-corporate transfer (ICT).

Procedures

Where and how to apply

National visas

The visa application can be completed online and printed, however there is no possibility to apply for a visa online. The only electronically operated part of the visa application procedure is the reservation of the date and time of the meeting in the consulate and registration of the application via the e-Konsulat portal. Printed and signed applications should be submitted to the consular offices. In some locations (Belarus, China, India, Philippines Turkey and Ukraine), applications can be submitted via the External Service Provider, where applicants may ask ESP staff to help them to fill in an application.

Applicants shall pay a visa fee of 80 euros.

A national visa or a decision refusing to issue this visa shall be issued within 30 days from the date of submission of the application together with the documents necessary to confirm the data contained in the application and the circumstances justifying the application for this visa. If the documents have not been attached to the application, the applicant has the right to supplement them within 7 days from the date of submission of the application.

Temporary residence permit

The third-country national makes the application in person, not later than on the last day of the lawful residence on the territory of Poland to the governmental province authority (voivode) competent in respect of his/her place of residence. You should make an appointment early enough.

While submitting the application, the third-country national is under the obligation to give his/her fingerprints.

More information on how to apply for a temporary residence permit for a volunteer may be found here.

Stamp duty PLN 340 (ap. 77 euros).

Fee for issuing a residence card PLN 100 (ap. 23 euros).

The procedure should end within 60 days from the day of making a complete application.

The third-country national who has obtained the temporary residence permit is issued with a residence card.

Documents required

National visa

• completed visa application form;
• valid travel document satisfying specified criteria should be presented (its validity period shall expire no earlier than 3 months after the expiry of the visa you are applying for, it contains at least two blank pages and has been issued in the past 10 years);
• up-to-date biometric photograph;
• proof of payment of the visa fee;
• supporting documents as listed below at the temporary residence permit procedure. As regards health insurance - proof of possession of public health insurance in Poland or a travel medical insurance for a minimum sum insured of 30000 euros, valid for the period of the intended stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland, covering any expenses that may arise during your stay in this territory in connection with repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention, emergency hospital treatment or death, in which the insurer undertakes to cover the costs of health services provided to the insured person directly to the entity providing such services based on the bill issued by that entity. Information on insurers and the insurance they offer meeting the statutory requirements can be found here.

Temporary residence permit

• completed form of the application for granting a temporary residence permit, accompanied by appendix No. 3. More information on how to apply for a temporary residence permit for a volunteer may be found here.
• four up-to-date photographs;
• copy of a valid travel document (original for inspection). In particularly justified cases, when the person has no valid travel document and it is impossible to obtain it, he/she may present another document confirming his/her identity.

Note: failure to submit any of the above-mentioned documents will result in the applicant being requested to provide the missing documents within a deadline of not less than 7 days from the delivery of the request, otherwise the application will not be considered. In case of failure to pay a stamp duty within a deadline specified in the request the application will be returned.

Standard documents necessary for examination of the application

• the agreement on the basis of which the third-country national is to provide voluntary services, concluded in a written form between the third-country national and the organisational unit for which the volunteering services are to be performed. The organisational unit must be approved by the Minister of the Interior (see the list of the approved organisational units for which the third-country national may provide voluntary services - the fourth list here).

An agreement with the organisational unit should be concluded in written and contain:

1. the description of the voluntary service,
2. the duration of the voluntary service,
3. the conditions of performing and supervising the voluntary service,
4. the hours of performing the services,
5. the means for covering costs of living and board of the third-country national and the minimal amount of pocket money given to the third-country national,
6. the trainings for the third-country national which are necessary to provide the services.

• documents confirming the third-country national is covered by public health insurance in Poland or the confirmation of the private insurer’s coverage of the medical treatment costs on the territory of Poland;
• the document confirming a place of residence (e.g. confirmation of registration, apartment rent contract, other contract enabling possession of a dwelling, or statement of a person authorised for the possession of a dwelling on the provision of a place of residence to the third-country national);
• documents confirming the possession of sufficient financial resources to cover subsistence costs and costs to travel back to the country of origin or residence or the costs of transit to a third country which shall grant the entry permit as well as the costs of the studies. The amount of monthly funds, upon deducting the funds dedicated to cover the costs of residence should exceed 776 PLN for single persons or 600 PLN for persons in the family. It is assumed that these costs of residence cover at least the amount of fixed charges for the use of the accommodation per number of people living in it as well as the charges for supplies of power, gas, water and disposal of sewage, waste and liquid waste. For the cost of the return travel acceptable amounts are 200 PLN in case of arrival from a neighbouring country, 500 PLN from other EU/EOG Member States or Switzerland, 2500 PLN from other countries. You may find detailed information here.

Duration of validity of permits/visas

National visas are issued for up to 1 year validity.

The temporary residence permit for a volunteer shall be granted for the period necessary for the execution of the contract, on the basis of which the third-country national shall perform voluntary service, not longer than one year, with the possibility to apply for a subsequent permit.

Conditions for renewal

The same as above.

Appeals

A third-country national who received a negative decision on issuing a visa may submit in person within 14 days a request to a consul for re-examination of the application.

A third-country national not satisfied with a decision concerning granting the residence permit may appeal before the Head of the Office for Foreigners within 14 days. Moreover, it is possible to bring a further appeal before the administrative courts. The decision includes detailed information on the right to appeal.

Rights

Change of status

Possible if conditions for other status are met.

Family members

Family members may accompany on general rules in a  framework of a national visa or temporary residence permit issued on discretionary basis.

Long-term residence

A volunteer is eligible for long-term/permanent residence under the general rules.

Polish law makes a distinction between a permanent residence permit and the EU long-term residence permit.

Permanent residence permit

A permanent residence permit is issued to specified categories of third-country nationals i.a. to children of Polish citizens or of permanent residents in Poland, spouses of Polish nationals and persons of Polish origin. A decision on granting a permanent residence permit is issued for an indefinite period. A residence card remains valid for 10 years, which means that it should be replaced every 10 years.

A permanent residence permit issued in Poland does not entitle the third-country national to obtain a residence permit in another EU country as is provided for holders of EU long-term residence permits.

A permanent residence permit entitles the third-country national to travel to other Schengen Area countries for up to 90 days in a 180-day period mainly for tourism purposes like temporary residence permits.

More on permanent residence permit

EU long-term residence permit

The EU long-term residence permit is issued to a third-country national who has been staying legally and continuously on the territory of Poland for at least 5 years directly prior to the submission of the application for granting this permit and meets the following conditions:

• has a source of stable and regular income adequate to cover the means of subsistence for himself/herself and his/her dependent family members;
• has a health insurance as defined by the Act of 27 August 2004 on health care services financed from the public funds or a certificate confirming that the costs of medical treatment on the territory of Poland shall be covered by an insurer;
• has confirmed command of Polish.

The permit is granted for indefinite time. A residence card remains valid for 5 years, which means that it should be replaced every 5 years.

More on EU long-term residence permit