MS Kancelaria Radcowska

24/07/2025

The immigration authority has no grounds to assess the level of Polish language proficiency

We did it! 💪⚖️
The Provincial Administrative Court in Warsaw upheld our arguments and ruled that a post-secondary school diploma is sufficient proof of Polish language proficiency in administrative proceedings.
The Court clearly stated that the authority had no grounds to question an official document unless there is evidence that it was issued unlawfully. Moreover, the authority was not entitled to assess the level of language proficiency acquired through completing a post-secondary school program – such an evaluation exceeded its competence.
We are proud to have represented a client who had the courage to challenge the decision of the Head of the Office for Foreigners, which overturned the Mazovian Voivode's decision and referred the case for re-examination.
📄 Ref. No. IV SA/Wa 1492/25
📌 The judgment is not final

05/07/2023

On 01.07.2023 the Polish government cancelled the pandemic regime in Poland.
-> all visas, stays based on visa free regime, stay permits and work permits (also a declarations regarding the intention of employing a foreigner -oświadczenie o zamiarze powierzenia pracy - hereinafter: declaration) which were prolong by Covid rules will expire on 31.07.2023 r.
-> if your visas / stay permits/ visa free regime stays already expired during the Covid regime period and their validity were prolonged based on Covid rules or will expire at least on 31.07.2023, you should apply for a new residence card before end of July
-> if your visa/ residence card/ visa-free regime stay expires on 01.07.2023 or later the last day of validity of your stay/document is the last day when you should apply for a new residence card.
-> if a work permit or declaration has been prolonged based on the Covid rules, it will expire on 31.07.2023. To prolong your right to work your employer should apply for a new one as soon as possible as between expiring the old work permit/ declaration and receiving a new one the foreigner has no right to work, and- as we all know - the procedures in immigration office take time...

17/03/2022

https://www.facebook.com/125315657498411/posts/5526975140665742/

[PL]
WZORY WNIOSKÓW DLA OSÓB KORZYSTAJĄCYCH Z OCHRONY CZASOWEJ

Od dziś, 17.03, osoby z krajów trzecich (innych, niż Ukraina), którzy przed 24 lutego 2022 r.:
📍 korzystali z ochrony międzynarodowej lub równoważnej ochrony krajowej w Ukrainie,
📍 legalnie przebywali w Ukrainie na podstawie ważnego zezwolenia na pobyt stały wydanego zgodnie z prawem ukraińskim,
📍 a jednocześnie nie są w stanie w bezpiecznych warunkach powrócić do kraju lub regionu pochodzenia
mogą bezpłatnie otrzymać zaświadczenie potwierdzające korzystanie z ochrony czasowej.

Zaświadczenie to można odebrać po złożeniu wniosku w Urzędzie do Spraw Cudzoziemców w Warszawie przy ul. Taborowej 33. Wzór wniosku o wydanie zaświadczenia dostępny jest na naszej stronie: 👉 https://bit.ly/3q8Ygrd

ℹ Ochrona czasowa uprawnia cudzoziemca(-mkę) do korzystania z organizowanej przez Szefa Urzędu ds. Cudzoziemców opieki medycznej oraz pomocy przez zakwaterowanie i wyżywienie albo pomocy w postaci świadczenia pieniężnego. Ponadto osoba korzystająca z ochrony czasowej ma prawo wykonywać prace i podejmować działalność gospodarczą w Polsce bez dodatkowego zezwolenia.

[EN]
APPLICATION TEMPLATES FOR PEOPLE UNDER TEMPORARY PROTECTION

As of today, March 17, people from third countries (other than Ukraine) who before February 24, 2022 were:
📍 under international protection or equivalent national protection in Ukraine,
📍 legally residing in Ukraine based on a valid permanent residence permit issued in accordance with Ukrainian law,
📍and, at the same time, are not able to safely return to the country or region of origin
can obtain a free certificate confirming the use of temporary protection.

This certificate can be collected after submitting the application at the Office for Foreigners in Warsaw at ul. Taborowa 33. A template of the application for a certificate is available on our website: 👉 https://bit.ly/3Ik3zdt

ℹ Temporary protection entitles a foreigner to benefit from medical care organized by the Head of the Office for Foreigners and assistance in the form of accommodation and meals or assistance in the form of cash benefits. Moreover, a person under temporary protection has the right to perform work and take up business activity in Poland without additional permit.

[UA]
ШАБЛОНИ ЗАЯВ ДЛЯ ОСІБ, ЯКІ СКОРИСТАЛИСЯ МІЖНАРОДНИМ ЗАХИСТОМ

Станом на сьогодні, 17 березня, особи з третіх країн (крім України), які до 24 лютого
2022 року:
📍 скористалися міжнародним захистом або еквівалентним національним захистом в Україні,
📍 легально проживали в Україні на підставі дійсної посвідки на постійне проживання,
виданої відповідно до законодавства України,
📍 в той же час вони не можуть безпечно повернутися до країни або регіону походження,
вони можуть безкоштовно отримати сертифікат, що підтверджує використання
тимчасового захисту.

Цю довідку можна отримати після подачі заяви в Управлінні у справах іноземців у
Варшаві за адресою: ul. Taborowej 33. Шаблон заяви на отримання сертифіката
доступний на нашому сайті: 👉 https://bit.ly/3CPdF4S

ℹ Тимчасовий захист дає право іноземцю на медичну допомогу, організовану керівником Управління у справах іноземців, та допомогу у вигляді проживання та харчування або допомогу у вигляді грошової допомоги. Крім того, особа, яка користується тимчасовим захистом, має право працювати та займатися підприємницькою діяльністю в Польщі без додаткового дозволу.

14/03/2022

On March 12, the law on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict entered into force
It concerns Ukrainian citizens who came directly from the territory of Ukraine from February 24, and their spouses. In terms of certain rights - e.g. access to the labor market - it also applies to Ukrainian citizens who stayed in Poland before February 24.
it still does not change much in the case of third-country nationals who do not have Ukrainian citizenship.

So what are the options if you are not Ukrainian citizen?

if you are family member of a Ukrainian or have benefited from international protection in Ukraine - you are subject to temporary EU protection
if you are not family member of a Ukrainian but had a permanent residence permit in Ukraine and prove that you are unable to return to your country of origin - you are also subject to temporary protection.
If you – as a third-country national- do not meet any of the above conditions - you may:
- return to your country of origin
- consider applying for a temporary residence permit - indicating the purpose of stay in Poland
- check the rules of entry and stay to other EU countries and, based on your individual situation, make sure that these rules apply
Each of the EU countries may introduce slightly different entry and stay conditions, so it is worth following the information on the governments websites of each EU country.

11/03/2022

Important information regarding rules of entry and stay in the EU countries

04/03/2022

The final decision of the EU Council approved today is less favorable than that proposed in the draft
Persons who are not citizens of Ukraine will receive temporary protection in the EU only if they have had permanent residence in Ukraine and at the same time prove that they cannot return to their country of origin.
Originally it was planned to provide protection to people with long-term residence in Ukraine, without the need to fulfill an additional condition (proving that they cannot return).
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/PL/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2022.071.01.0001.01.POL&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2022%3A071%3ATOC

Additionally, the proposed Polish law containing special solutions in connection with the armed conflict in Ukraine will not apply to third-country nationals (not Ukrainians).
The draft is still processed, hopefully the suggestions from NGO's will be taken into account.
Thank you- Stowarzyszenie Interwencji Prawnej and Helsińska Fundacja Praw Człowieka for your efforts to work on the content of the new law in order to ensure the protection of all those fleeing the war

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04/03/2022

Embassy hotlines for third-country nationals who have fled from Ukraine to Poland Materials Embassy hotlines for third-country nationals who have fled from Ukraine to Poland Hotlines​_for​_foreigners​_from​_third​_countries​_who​_have​_fled​_from​_Ukraine​_.pdf 0.14MB

04/03/2022

Dear All
We were not with you for a long time. During this time, we try to help everyone who needs legal advice.
For the first time in history, the European Union will extend temporary protection to refugees from Ukraine on the territory of the EU.
Proposal for a COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING DECISION establishing the existence of a mass influx of displaced persons from Ukraine within the meaning of Article 5 of Council Directive 2001/55/EC of 20 July 2001, and having the effect of introducing temporary protection
has already been published

According to the assumptions of the project:
- Ukrainian citizens who were displaced from February 24, 2022
- citizens of other countries who had long-term stay permit in Ukraine
- citizens of other countries who have stayed legally in Ukraine, who cannot safely return to their country of origin
and family members mentioned above.

Polish regulation is not ready yet, we will keep you informed

source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52022PC0091

08/01/2021

Some important information for British citizens in Poland:

https://udsc.gov.pl/en/cudzoziemcy/brexit/rules-of-stay-of-british-citizens-in-poland-after-brexit/after-the-end-of-the-transition-period/

06/01/2021

Continuing Monday's post, around 1 million workers in Ukraine will not be eligible for the vaccine :

By móc zaszczepić się przeciw COVID-19, cudzoziemiec musi przebywać legalnie na terenie Polski i mieć uregulowany pobyt posiadając np. kartę czasowego lub stałego pobytu. Według szacunków firmy Personnel Service oznacza to, że blisko 1 mln Ukraińców może zostać w naszym kraju bez szcz...

04/01/2021

Some important information on covid-19 vaccination.

All foreigners with temporary and permanent stay will have a right to get vaccination.

More information below:

People registered in Poland will start to get automatically-generated e-invitations for Covid-19 vaccinations in the first quarter of next year under the national vaccination programme.

07/12/2020

[EN below]

Nielegalne zatrudnianie cudzoziemców wciąz jest plagą.

Co 5 kontrola przeprowadzona przez Inspekcję Pracy wykryła nielegalne zatrudnienie.

Więcej:

Illegal employment of foreigners is still a scourge.

Every 5th inspection carried out by the Labor Inspectorate detected illegal employment.

More:

W ubiegłym roku co trzeci nielegalnie pracujący cudzoziemiec pracował na polskich budowach - wynika z danych Państwowej Inspekcji Pracy.