Poland Work Permit / Study Visa Processing Times

Hello again everyone!

Just wanted to check in about another issue. How long does it take to process a work permit for Non-EU residents (coming from the USA). We were told that it may take about 3 months, is that true? Can anyone share their experience here? Thanks :)

We've been at it since August and still don't have one! Have to go out of the country every three months until we get it. Yesterday I learned that once we get it, it's only good for one year. So, a few months after we get it, we have to start the whole process over again for the next year! We've lived in other countries and never experienced ANYTHING like this. Requires lots of patience. Good luck. :-)

Thanks for your reply Bev - I dont quite understand about leaving every 3 mos and coming back, we arent allowed to enter until we get the work visa in the US, and he cant really work until he has one (my husband's company is sponsoring him), anyway it does seem quite tideous...

that's the price for keeping the nasty visa system for Poles in the USA (many rejections, 100$ fee not refundable even if your application gets rejected by th US embassy, many other annoying things during the processing of your application).

I just finally got a work permit after living in Poland for a few years. My advice is to get a lawyer to help you. I only had to visit the various offices a couple of times, the rest of the work was done for me. I just had to provide the right documents and get some of them officially translated. The total cost including the lawyer was about 3000 PLN, but as Bev07 pointed out, the permit is only valid for a year. The application process took about 3 months, but I was collecting docs from my home country long before this.

Sorry to hear that Krzysztov, yes unfortunately the visa system is the US is quite tideous as well, but one has to consider that it was due to heightened security after 9/11. Visa to the US at one point used to be quite an easy thing, work, study or visit. Now unfortunately the times have changed.


Thanks for your reply Andy, we are also hoping that since my husband's company is arranging for everything, it would not take longer than 3 mos. Oh well, atleast we'll get there with the winters behind us..hopefully ..:)

I should clarify that the price I mentioned (3000zł) was for both a work permit and residence permit, and that the applications were submitted concurrently.

No need to be sorry, I never even considered going to US because of this bureaucracy, but I heard/read lots of complaints from normal people who wanted to go (in Polish we say they "had to prove that they are not camels"). And I think the problem had existed long before 9/11.

But it's quite offtopic, so I stop here, because I have no helpful information to offer :(

No worries Krzysztof :), I was not really defending the policy either, just merely guessing what the reasons could be...and ther's no such thing as "off-topic" if it matters to you, then this would be the place to make it heard :)

Thanks Andy and good luck with everything on your end :)

That would be the maxmum if you are having it done by your company (i.e. they either have a person who is dedicated to this or, more probably, use an agency). It's certainly not going to be less than 6 weeks because the company will need to advertise the job and then get no Polish/other EU applicants.

The good news is that after the first 0ne-year permit, the permits usually go to two-year validity.

*Phew* Thanks so much Harry!! Once again you've provided invaluable information! Actually I had been reading up on this and what you're saying is the closest to what was my understanding, I guess that's why I got a bit confused when it was different for some people here. Yes, my husband's company is taking care of everything from soup to nuts and they did suggest approx 3 mos, so I was wondering if it could take less..See in the US, its pretty much the same and but it depends on the city/state and how fast the applications are being processed..then there is also the fast track application ie. more money less time..So maybe thats the case in Poland as well..?

My company arranged everything and I started process in Nov, got everything done in December 15 for residence, then work permit took a week and then karta pobytu should take a month, thats what they told me. good luck, be patient but not careless

Hey guys,

I'm going to be traveling to Poland to intern for someone for 7 months. It seems like the easiest solution might be for me to just leave and come back periodically. Do you know how long you have to be out of the country for on each occasion?

-Alex

Now that Poland is in the Schengen zone you can only stay in the Schengen zone on a tourist visa for three out of any six consecutive months. So after you have been here for three months, you have to leave the Schengen zone and can not come back for three months. The Schengen zone is Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Or at least that's the law, practice might be rather different, nobody really knows because Poland hasn't been in the Schengen zone for three months yet (joined end of December 2007). You might find that you can nip over to Ukraine and come back the same day with a fresh 90-day visa. Or you might be told that you have to stay in Ukraine for the next 90 days. I'd think it would more probably be the latter. Alternatively you might find that you can nip over to Ukraine and come back the same day with a fresh 90-day visa but then be stopped at the airport on your way out and asked to explain how you've been in the Schengen zone for seven months without getting a residency permit/visa and when you can't explain, you might be hit with a ban on visiting the the Schengen zone for ten years.

All things considered, it'll be best to get a visa really.

Hey

Whats the process with polish work permit? Once the company applies then u get a letter stating that you are authorized to work from the polish counsel?? After that letter you have to apply for a visa in your home country.... Is that the process.

I was hoping that the company just gives you a card which is equivalent to the work permit and thats it... please help

Regards
Hemendra

Actually its even easier than that... the company simply waves its magic wand, sprinkles some fairy dust and make it appear out of thin air ;)....

*sigh* unfortunately its not that easy...anywhere...

The whole process can take about 60 days (sometimes more). The company applies a request for a work permit and after 30 days or so they recieve the approval which one has to then take to a Polish consulate outside the country and get it stamped on the passport. This is what was explained to us, my husband is currently undergoing this process and I'll update you as soon as we hear anything..Good Luck :)

I heard that once you have applied for Work Permit, you can not enter that country on any other Visa (i.e. Business Visa or Visitor Visa). Is it true for Poland as well?

Regards,

I am Japanese and am waiting for my working visa to be processed in Poland. Around the mid-August I got the job run by Japanese company in Poland. The person who is helping me get the visa requested me to submit all the necessary documents by fax and I did that already. I have heard, however, that the decision to be made by Polish authority will take more than three weeks. I was hoping to enter Poland in October but it seems that it may take more time. Still, I am not sure if I will be granted the visa after that waiting term. I am wondering what condition is that may reject my application, if I eventually do not get the working visa. This waiting period is, I understand, really tough.

I pray 4 u Katsuhiko. Paperwork is a notoriously complicated business. My friend from NZ had problems getting his and it ruined everything for him.

Maybe ask to see what the status of ur application is. Chase them up and make sure that they are doing sth.

U have nothing to lose this way and it doesn't constitute harrassment.

Seanus, I have just received the news on my current visa procession, and the person in charge just went to voivode office in Zielona Gora (that is where the work permit is going to be issued for those who are coming to Wroclaw), and if everything is going well, they will give me the permission, which may be made around the first of Nov.

That is to say, Newbie, in my case, it has been taking for more than two months (my visa process has started since 1st of Sep). But I am not really sure, yet.

Good news, a success story

Another Japanese here.

It seems my prospective employer in Krakow has been through a serious amount of paperwork for my work permit.

The local work/employment/whatever office has even requested a proof of my English language ability even though I HAVE A PHD FROM MANCHSTER UNIVERSITY! Even the UK Home Office, God help them, hasn't asked for it.

Komatta mon desu na.

Anyway, it seems things will be sorted by 01/12 when my job is expected to start, and I'll be living in lovely Krakow. Uraaaaa.

Good for you. Check Mangha Museum while in Krakow. My Japanese girlfriend was not very impressed but that about all Japanese-related we have in Krakow. Beside a few restaurants that is.

Get ready for descent to Hell. Get ready for Polish Red Tape, HAHAHA
Good luck anyway. Konichiwa.

I've been to Poland many times and have a lot of local friends, so I've heard quite a lot about red tapes there.

Knowing the way things (don't) work in Poland, I'd rather not think about the coming troubles, such as opening bank accounts, get registered at the local government office, have a residence card, then visa extension, then work permit extension......

I've been to Manggha once and I liked some, if not all, of their collection. They have some very good swords, for example.

In my case, also, I was requested to submit my English certificate in spite that I have MA I got in Dublin. I would not mind that, though. The more serious problem was, however, when the person in charge once asked me to give all the refereces from all the company that I had worked for for the last 5 years. Yes, I had certainly worked for five years, but in different companies but some of the work I did was just part-time. I was not in the position to get all the references. Later, though, the person who was getting me the visa said that I might not have to. The person would change the detail of the job advertisement.

Good luck

If you have a sponsor for your work permit then usually they give you the requested amount of time the employer asks for. Maybe a 3 year visa. If you apply yourself like I have then yes you have the daunting task of filling everything out a few months later because your work permit is good for only 1 year. After that you are approved for a 2 year working visa. After the 2 year visa is a 10 year which I currently have at this moment. Also the amount of time has been slower because of the main office in Warsaw and the Post Office. If you haven't noticed the Polish Post is one of the laziest in the world!

Do you really think that Polish Post is that bad?
Actually, at the moment, I am waiting for a copy of document to be sent to the company office in Poland from the other office in Poland, and it has not yet been received, despite that the latter already sent, like, more than a week ago...

I had the same problem, but, having heard of the nature of Polish bureaucracy from my Polish friends, I thought it was just another bureaucratic b#llocks. I asked my boss here (a university academic) to write a letter stating my job title and income level. I guess that was enough.


No, I don't think so. The British "Royal Mail" and DHL are much worse.

The company in Poland got my work permit a week ago. It took them a tad bit less than two months. They sent me the provisional work permit and a statement regarding my work there separately by DHL, but the delivery men "allegedly" came during my absence and went away without leaving any delivery notice. They attempted to deliver twice each for two items, so they failed four times.

So, I ended up in going to their depot twice and picking them up. That has been the single most annoyance in the entire process so far.

I went to the consulate in London yesterday and applied for my visa. It will take two weeks for them to give it to me, so I'll enjoy the last moments of my life in Manchester.