International Student Office

ISO is focused on ensuring a legal residency in Republic of Poland for:
- WSB-NLU Students (procedures concerned with temporary residence throughout the period of study at WSB-NLU)
- WSB-NLU Staff (procedures concerned with temporary residence throughout the period of contractual employment at WSB-NLU)
ISO offers assistance in:
- Filling and submitting of applications required for obtaining legal temporary residency in Poland;
- Translation of documentation required for the abovementioned applications;
- Nostrification (formal approval) of diplomas needed for entry onto WSB-NLU programmes;
-Setting up a bank account;
- Purchasing of medical insurance;
- Finding and maintaining contacts with local medical institutions and staff

ISO contact : Ms. Iwona Kawka, +48184499115

Legalizing an Alien’s Stay in Poland

Upon arrival in Poland in order to commence studying at WSB-NLU, a foreign student should contact immediately the International Students Office (ISO) at WSB-NLU in order to take steps aiming at legalizing his/her stay in Poland for the duration of study.
1. In compliance with the Act referred to in §1 pkt.1 herein, the alien [foreign national] should submit the following documents:
a. Five 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm photographs (EU nationals – two 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm photographs) showing the left half-profile of the applicant, with left ear visible;
b. A photocopy of all passport pages (the original to be shown while applying);
c. A photocopy of the certificate of registration for temporary residence (the original to be shown while applying);
d. A certificate issued by WSB-NLU confirming that the applicant is a student of WSB-NLU;
e. A certificate issued by the WSB-NLU Kwestura [Bursar’s Office] regarding the amount of total tuition fees and showing no tuition payments in arrears;
f. A photocopy of the birth certificate including its certified translation into Polish (the original to be shown while applying) in case when the applicant files a first-time application;
g. A bank certificate (from the bank account opened by the applicant in Poland) stating the amount of funds sufficient to cover the applicant’s stay in Poland as well as bank statements for the last three months;
h. Health insurance – see item II.1 g of this Order
i. Power of attorney granted to the ISO employee to represent the student before Urzad Wojewódzki [Governor’s office].
j. Receipt of payment of the fees to Urzad Wojewódzki [Governor’s Office] for granting the power of attorney and making a decision on residence permit.
Issuing temporary residence cards for a fixed period of time to foreign persons.
Issuing a temporary residence card allowing a foreigner to reside in the territory of the Republic of Poland for a fixed period of time is done in a manner of an administrative decision taken by Wojewoda Malopolski [Governor of the Province of Malopolska] upon a submitted application.

The deadline for completing the procedure – not later than two months following the receipt of the application.

Parties may appeal the Governor’s decision to the Head of the Office for Foreigners in Warsaw, via the Governor of Malopolska. Appeals must be submitted in writing within 14 days upon the receipt of the decision.

A temporary residence card is issued for the period of time necessary to accomplish the purpose of stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland, respectively: students – for the period of time not exceeding one year; employees employed on the basis of a employment contract for a definite period of time – for a period not exceeding two years.

If a foreign national is staying in the territory of Poland, he/she must submit an application for a temporary residence card at least 45 days before the lapse of the residence period permitted under the terms of the existing visa or a residence card. If such application was submitted in a timely manner but the document (a visa or a residence card) expired, the Governor shall issue to the foreigner a visa for the period of stay until the final decision is made.

If the application was submitted after the deadline (i.e. less than 45 days before the expiration of the existing permit), the foreigner is required to leave the territory of the Republic of Poland and to apply for a visa at a Polish diplomatic post in his/her country of residence.

Having obtained the decision permitting him/her to stay for a determined period of time in the territory of Poland, the foreign national is obligated to register for temporary residence (for the period of time determined by the Governor’s decision) and to provide a current certificate of registration in order to collect the temporary residence card.

Undertaking work by Foreigners

Foreigners residing in the territory of the Republic of Poland in order to take up study (on the basis of which they are issued a visa and then a temporary residence card) may be deported from the territory of Poland if they perform work violating the Act on Promotion of Employment and Institutions of the Labor Market, dated April 20, 2004 (Journal of Laws of 2004, No 99 item 1001).
According to art. 87 of the said Act, an alien may perform work in the territory of the Republic of Poland if he/she obtains a work permit issued by a province governor (Voivode) competent for the registered seat of the employer.
The following groups of foreigners do not have the obligation to apply for a permit:
1) individuals who have a refugee status granted in the Republic of Poland;
2) individuals who have a permit to settle in Poland;
3) individuals who have a permit for tolerated residence in the Republic of Poland;
4) individuals using a temporary protection of the Republic of Poland;
5) family members of a Polish citizen:
a) who are citizens of an EU member state or a state with which the EU has signed an agreement on freedom of movement of people;
b) who are not citizens of a state mentioned in section 5) letter ‘a’ and who have a residence permit in Poland for a fixed period of time granted due to entering into marriage;
6) family members of an alien referred to in items from 1) through 4) above, who have a residence permit in Poland for a fixed period of time granted due to entering into marriage;
7) individuals exempted from the obligation to obtain a work permit under other legal provisions;
8) aliens towards whom a principle of reciprocity may be applied using equivalent measures and restrictions set forth in Appendix XII, item 2, paragraph 11 of the Treaty on Poland’s Accession to the European Union:
a) citizens of the European Union member states ;
b) citizens of the states with which the EU has signed an agreement on freedom of movement of people;
c) family members of an alien referred to in items a) and b) above, who resides in the territory of the Republic of Poland in compliance with the provisions of:
- the right of residence applicable to EU member states,
- the right of residence for employees and individuals running a business who have finished employment, applicable to EU member states;
- the right of residence for students, applicable to EU member states.

The only exception to the above rules are free student internships (of 200 hours in duration) which are permissible under the regulations. Such internships may also be held in the country of the foreigner’s permanent residence and certified by an appropriate document.
Lack of financial means necessary to cover the cost of studying and living in Poland provides another basis for deportation from the territory of Poland.