The Polish Card is a document confirming a foreign national’s affiliation with the Polish nation. However, this does not imply the granting of Polish citizenship to foreign nationals, the granting of temporary or permanent residence in Poland, or the right to cross Poland’s borders without a visa.
In Poland, an application for a Polish Card may be submitted to the provincial office with jurisdiction over the foreign national’s place of residence.
Citizens of Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia, as well as individuals with stateless person status in those countries, are eligible for this opportunity.
For citizens of other countries, the only authority competent to extend or issue a Polish Card remains the consul with jurisdiction over the applicant’s place of residence. Applications are submitted at the consular office.
The Polish Card is valid for 10 years from the date of issuance. Its validity may be extended for another 10 years by submitting an application no earlier than 6 months before the expiration date of the previous Polish Card.
Holders of the "Polish Card" have certain rights:
- receive, free of charge, a national visa entitling the holder to cross the Polish border multiple times in order to exercise the rights granted by the Polish Card;
- submit an application to the President of the Republic of Poland for Polish citizenship without paying consular fees;
- to take up legal employment in Poland without having to obtain a work permit, under the terms set forth in the Act of April 20, 2004, on Employment Promotion and Labor Market Institutions;
- to conduct business activities in Poland under the same conditions as Polish citizens, as specified in the Act of March 6, 2018, – The Entrepreneurs’ Law and the Act of March 6, 2018, on the rules governing the participation of foreign entrepreneurs and other foreign persons in economic activity within the territory of the Republic of Poland;
- to apply, free of charge, for a permanent residence permit and, after submitting the application, to receive a cash benefit for themselves and their immediate family members residing with them in Poland, for a period not exceeding 9 months;
- to seek assistance from the consul, within the scope of his or her authority and in accordance with and respect for international law and customs, in situations that threaten life or safety;
- in emergency situations, receive health care services in Poland under the same conditions as Polish citizens, to the extent specified in the Act of August 27, 2004, on Health Care Services Financed from Public Funds;
- to benefit from Poland’s free education system at the primary, secondary, and higher education levels, under the same conditions as Polish citizens, while retaining the right to apply for scholarships and other educational assistance provided to foreign nationals studying in Poland;
- be eligible for the 37 % discount on rail travel within Poland, under the terms set forth in the Act of June 20, 1992, on eligibility for discounted travel on public transportation;
- free admission to state museums in Poland.
