UK citizen moving to Poland - some advice required.

gcooper:

I would really appreciate someone could offer guidance on how I must apply at first for temporary residency. I am aware of the office I must obtain and fill out the forms but what documentation do they require. For example what type of documentation confirms my stay in Poland and how many pieces of this documentation do I need?

gcooper:

Secondly how do I obtain a Polish national insurance number?

gcooper:

Finally how easy is it for a UK citizen to open a Polish bank account?

gcooper:

Do you recommend any banks?

gcooper:

Are any of these accounts open to holding foreign currency (GBP) although this is less of an issue?

gcooperThreads: 1 Joined: Jun 26, 09	Jun 26, 09, 13:28 / #
Hello, This summer I am moving from the UK to Szczecin with my Polish fiance. I am currently doing a Cambridge CELTA and have spoken to a number of English schools about teaching positions. They are all interested in hearing from me when I arrive there. I would really appreciate someone could offer guidance on how I must apply at first for temporary residency. I am aware of the office I must obtain and fill out the forms but what documentation do they require. For example what type of documentation confirms my stay in Poland and how many pieces of this documentation do I need? Secondly how do I obtain a Polish national insurance number? Finally how easy is it for a UK citizen to open a Polish bank account? Do you recommend any banks? Are any of these accounts open to holding foreign currency (GBP) although this is less of an issue? It was a lot easier when I was helping my fiance move here. We had the workers registration scheme forms filled out before she came, she obtained her NI number through an interview and simply evidence of applying for jobs (application forms) and her HSBC passport account was set up in 20 minutes. I would appreciate any help. I love Poland and I can't wait to move. I have become very disillusioned with life in the UK and have always felt welcome in Poland. Thank you, Greg

Wroclaw Boy	Edited by: Wroclaw Boy Jun 26, 09, 13:48 / #
gcooper: I would really appreciate someone could offer guidance on how I must apply at first for temporary residency. I am aware of the office I must obtain and fill out the forms but what documentation do they require. For example what type of documentation confirms my stay in Poland and how many pieces of this documentation do I need? Not sure about that. A few trips to the Gmina for sure, i think ive got one cant be sure with all the other crap you need to have. gcooper: Secondly how do I obtain a Polish national insurance number? I think you qualify for a pesel after being based at an address for 1 year. gcooper: Finally how easy is it for a UK citizen to open a Polish bank account? easy gcooper: Do you recommend any banks? Pekao and bzwbk seem to be the best. gcooper: Are any of these accounts open to holding foreign currency (GBP) although this is less of an issue? yes, EUR, USD and GBP shouldnt be a problem.

wildroverThreads: 180 Posts: 8,143 Joined: Jun 7, 07	Jun 26, 09, 13:51 / #
Hi Greg....Welcome to Polska.... I am also a Brit who has moved to Poland , and not too far from Szczecin , so you are welcome to come over to my old farm here for a beer and a gril if city life gets a bit hectic.... No doubt some will tell you that getting temp residence and NIP ( national insurance number) is a nightmare , but i found it quite easy , and painless... If your girlfriend is Polish , you won,t have much of a problem i think... I also got a bank account without too much trouble , i won,t reccomend any in particular , i am with bank pekao sa , but had a few problems with them , not sure which is the best one...? I too got a bit cheesed of with the UK , and love it here in Polska , its not an easy life , but i think , a better one.... No doubt you will soon be moaning about life in Polska , there are some things here that take a bit of getting used to , but if you try to forget your British ways , go with the flow , and accept life here with an open mind you will love it...best of luck to you.....

delphiandomineThreads: 40 Posts: 9,585 Joined: Nov 25, 08	Jun 26, 09, 18:25 / #
The British in Poland blog (http://www.britishinpoland.com) pretty much answers all your questions in detail, however... gcooper: I would really appreciate someone could offer guidance on how I must apply at first for temporary residency. I am aware of the office I must obtain and fill out the forms but what documentation do they require. For example what type of documentation confirms my stay in Poland and how many pieces of this documentation do I need? For the temporary (three month registration), you just have to go to the Urząd Miasta with the owner(s) of the property that you wish to be registered at and fill in a form with your passport. It's painless, as long as you've got the owners of the property with you. You might have problems with getting the owners of the flat to agree however - which is why it's imperative that you get them to agree to this before handing over any sort of rent or deposit. For the five year residence permit, it's more hassle - but you don't have to worry about this right now. gcooper: Secondly how do I obtain a Polish national insurance number? There's no such thing as a single number - you have to obtain a NIP number (tax number) and a PESEL. The NIP is a doddle to get - once you're registered, go to the tax office (Urząd Skarbowy) and fill in a form and wait three weeks. The PESEL will come after you obtain the EU residence permit for 5 years - but it isn't needed for day to day life. It's the closest to our national insurance numbers, though. If you do need it, they'll often just accept your passport number as a substitute. gcooper: Finally how easy is it for a UK citizen to open a Polish bank account? Do you recommend any banks? Are any of these accounts open to holding foreign currency (GBP) although this is less of an issue? mBank all the way. They offer multiple accounts (in PLN, USD, GBP, EUR and CHF) for free, along with almost free banking. They don't need proof of residency, just a declaration that you're actually resident in Poland - and they're very pain free to setup. They've also always got an English speaker on the phone (in my experience!).