On 12 March 2022 the Polish president signed the draft act of 12 March 2022 on helping Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict on the territory of this state (in Polish: ustawa z 12 marca 2022 r. o pomocy obywatelom Ukrainy w związku z konfliktem zbrojnym na terytorium tego państwa). It means that from this day the act is in force The act facilitates the Ukrainian’s residence in Poland and gives them comprehensive support.
Who does the act affect?
- Ukrainian citizens (including these that have Karta Polaka) who legally arrived to Poland directly from Ukraine from 24 February 2022
- non-Ukrainian spouses of the Ukrainians if they legally arrive to Poland directly from Ukraine from 24 February 2022
- the act gives certain rights to the Ukrainians that came to Poland before 24 February 2022
What is the situation of the Ukrainians that came to Poland before 24 February 2022?
The Ukrainians who legally entered Poland before 24 February 2022 have their stay automatically extended without any formalities. They also get certain rights, particularly to legally work and run business in Poland.
If they are in Poland on the basis of D-type visa or permission for temporary residence they stay is legal to 31 December 2022.
If they are in Poland on the basis of C-type visa (Schengen) or visa free stay they can legally stay in Poland for 18 months.
All residence cards (in Polish: karta pobytu) granted to the Ukrainians expiring after 24 February 2022 are extended for 18 months.
What rights do have the Ukrainians who legally entered Poland from 24 February 2022?
- automatically get legal residence (without any formalities) – valid to 24 September 2023
- can get a permission for temporary residence (on their request) – for 3 years from the temporary residence decision (this decision can be negative only in exceptional situations specified in the act)
- can legally work without formalities (an employer must inform authorities about this)
- can legally run business on the same terms as Polish citizens
- can get PESEL on their request
- can get EPUAP (the electronic profile allowing to handle official matters online) on their request (they can apply it with the PESEL request)
- have access to medical care on the same terms as Polish citizens
- have access to social care on the same terms as Polish citizens (for instance to unemployment benefits, disability benefits, sickness benefits)
- can get one-off financial support in amount of 300 PLN per person – on their request
- can get free psychologic aid (taking into account the possibilities of communes)
- can get a permission to work as a doctor, dentist or nurse
What rights do have the Ukrainians who legally entered Poland before 24 February 2022?
- can legally work without formalities (an employer must inform authorities about this)
- can legally run business on the same terms as Polish citizens – they must get PESEL
- can get a permission to work as a doctor, dentist or nurse
What else should the Ukrainians know?
- if the Ukrainian leaves Poland for more than one month, the legalisation of his/her stay under this special provisions will expire
- relevant authorities will provide the forms of all applications (in Ukrainian) for the Ukrainians under the act on their websites
- the act can be found (in Polish) at: https://dziennikustaw.gov.pl/DU/2022/583
