Living in Poland

EU Exit updates

To keep up to date with information about EU Exit:

• read UK nationals in the EU: essential information
• attend one of our community outreach events
• follow British Embassy Warsaw on Facebook and Twitter
• sign up for email updates from the British Embassy Warsaw

Visas and residency

You may want to check the entry requirements for Poland.

If you’re staying in Poland for more than 3 months, you must register your address with the Department of Foreigners at your local Voivod office. However, please note that the Office for Foreigners have advised that the application will be discontinued if we leave the EU without a deal before your application is completed. In the event of a no deal, you would need to submit a new application specifically for UK nationals legally resident in Poland at the point of the UK’s exit from the EU.

You can also find out how to apply for permanent residency at your local Voivod office.

After the UK leaves the EU, you will need to apply for new residency documentation. For more information you should look at the Polish Office for Foreigners’ website.

In the event of changes to residency rules or registration processes after the UK leaves the EU, we will update this guidance as soon as information is available. You should sign up for our email updates.

Passports and travel

You can apply for or renew your British passport from Poland. If you cannot get a passport in time for your trip, you may need to get an emergency travel document or ‘emergency passport’.

You can read our guidance on moving or retiring abroad.

Passports and travel after the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, new travel rules will apply. You should have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe (not including Ireland).

If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the 6 months needed.

You should check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip. You’ll need to renew your passport before travelling if you do not have enough time left on your passport.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, UK nationals will not need visas for short stays elsewhere in the EU. You will be able to stay up to 90 days in another EU country, within a 180 day period. You should retain evidence of travel (e.g. train and plane tickets), in case these are requested by national authorities. If you hold a residence permit from an EU Member State, you will be able to transit through other EU Member States to reach your country of residence. We will update this guidance as more information becomes available.

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, nothing will change until the end of 2020. In this time you can continue to travel freely in the Schengen area with your UK passport. What happens after 2020 will form the next part of negotiations.

Healthcare

You should ensure you are properly registered for healthcare as a resident in Poland, as well as registering, where necessary, with a health insurer.

If you live in Poland and receive an exportable UK pension, contribution-based Employment Support Allowance or another exportable benefit, you may currently be entitled to state healthcare paid for by the UK. You will need to apply for a certificate of entitlement known as an S1 certificate.

If you are resident in Poland, you should not be using a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the UK to access healthcare in Poland.

• you may use an EHIC to access state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland
• the EHIC covers treatment that is medically necessary until your planned return home
• an EHIC is not a replacement for comprehensive travel insurance
• for more information you can read our travel advice pages and advice on foreign travel insurance

You can read the NHS’s guidance on healthcare in Poland.

You can read the NHS’s guidance on healthcare and studying abroad.

You can find an English-speaking doctor in Poland.

You should also check your prescriptions are legal.

Healthcare after the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, your current rights on access to healthcare in Poland will remain the same until 31 December 2020, as long as you remain a resident in Poland.

If the UK leaves the EU with or without a deal, and you are a resident in Poland and pay contributions to the National Health Fund (NFZ), you will continue to have access to healthcare in Poland after the UK leaves the EU.

If you are registered for healthcare in any other way, your access to healthcare may change and you should review the status of your healthcare cover.

The UK has proposed maintaining current healthcare cooperation with Poland for S1 form holders until the end of December 2020. If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, and there is no arrangement with Poland to continue reciprocal healthcare, those receiving coverage through the S1 form will not be covered.

You should take action now to confirm your residency status and decide what steps you need to take to ensure access to healthcare. UK nationals will be able to return to UK for treatment.

Your EHIC may not be valid in the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal. The UK has offered to maintain the EHIC scheme should the UK leave the EU without a deal, however this is reliant on Poland continuing to accept UK EHICs.

You should read the NHS’s guidance on healthcare for UK nationals in Poland and how it may change after UK leaves the EU.

Working in Poland

Read our guidance on working in another EU country.

You may need to apply for a UK police certificate.

If you’re planning to start a business, provide a service, or do a job in a regulated profession after the UK leaves the EU, further guidance can be found here.

Working in Poland after the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, your right to work will stay the same until the end of the implementation period.

In the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal, if you were a resident in Poland before the day the UK leaves the EU, you will not need a work permit. UK nationals who want to move to Poland after the UK leaves the EU may need to obtain a work permit.

Read the Polish government’s guidance on recognition of professional qualifications. Once we have more information about the recognition of professional qualifications if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, we will update this guidance.

Money and tax

The UK has a double-taxation agreement with Poland to ensure people do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.

You should read the guidance on:

• tax if you leave the UK to live abroad
• the tax on your UK income if you live abroad
• paying income tax in Poland

We recommend you get professional advice on paying tax in Poland. Find English speaking lawyers in Poland.

National insurance

You may be able to pay National Insurance while abroad so that you protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.

Money and tax after the UK leaves the EU

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, it may become more expensive to use your UK bank card in the EU. Read more about using a bank card, insurance or other financial service in the EU.

The UK leaving the European Union will not change existing double taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Poland. You should direct individual taxpayer questions about double taxation to the relevant tax authority.

Pensions

You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.

If you retire in Poland, you can claim:

• your UK state pension or new UK State Pension. Please contact the International Pensions Centre to claim
• your Polish pension from the Polish Social Insurance Institution, if you have worked in Poland
• pensions from working abroad, if you have worked in other EU countries. Read the EU guidance

Life certificates for UK state pensions

If you get a ‘life certificate’ form in the post, you must fill it in promptly otherwise your payments may be suspended.

Pensions after the UK leaves the EU

The UK government will uprate your UK state pension for the fiscal year 2019/2020 in any scenario.

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Poland, you will still be able to add your UK social security contributions towards your Polish pension. This will happen even if you claim your pension after the end of the implementation period.

Benefits

You may still be able to claim some UK benefits like child and disability benefits if you live in Poland. You can:

• read our guidance on which benefits you can claim if you live abroad
• use our tool to check which benefits you can claim while you’re abroad

If you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks, many income-related benefits such as pension credit and housing benefit can’t be paid.

You can request proof of the time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.

Polish benefits

You may be eligible to claim some Polish social security benefits. To find out if you are entitled to Polish benefits and how to claim, read the European Union’s guidance on claiming benefits in Poland.

Benefits after the UK leaves the EU

The UK government will continue to pay the UK state pension, child benefits, and disability benefits to those eligible in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal and you work and pay social security contributions in Poland, your UK social security contributions will be taken into account when applying for Polish contributions-based benefits. This will happen even if you claim contributions-based benefits after the end of the implementation period.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the Polish government has proposed that they will continue to take periods of work in the UK before the day the UK leaves the EU into account when claiming Polish contributions-based benefits.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you can read our guidance on benefits and pensions in a no deal scenario.

Driving in Poland

If you are a resident in Poland, you should exchange your UK licence for a Polish licence, as your UK licence may not be valid once the UK leaves the EU. You can still use your Polish licence in the UK for short visits or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test if you return to live in the UK.

For information on driving in Poland, read the information on:

• driving licence renewal and exchange
• road travel in Poland
• what you need to drive abroad

When driving, you should always have your:

• driving licence
• ID
• car registration papers
• insurance papers

Bringing a UK-registered vehicle to Poland

Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK.

You should read the European Union’s guidance on car registration and taxes in Poland. You may be exempt from some of these taxes. If so you will need certificates of exemption.

Driving after the UK leaves the EU

The Polish government has advised that UK issued paper driving licences will not be recognised and cannot be exchanged after the UK leaves the EU. If you are resident in Poland and hold a UK issued paper driving licence, you should exchange it for a Polish licence before the UK leaves the EU.

If the UK leaves the EU with a deal, your rights will not change until the end of implementation period.

Please read our guidance on driving in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.

Voting

You may be able to vote in some UK elections. You can:

• check if you are able to vote
• register as an overseas voter if you would like to vote

If you’re resident in Poland, you can vote in local municipal and European parliamentary elections.

You need to register on the electoral roll in the municipality where you are permanently residing no later than 3 days before the election. You can read the European Union’s guidance on voting in Poland and the Poland National Electoral Commission’s list of specific requirements (in Polish).

Voting after the UK leaves the EU

Once the UK leaves the EU, you may not be able to vote in local elections in Poland. The UK is pursuing a bilateral agreement with Poland to secure the right to vote in local elections for UK nationals living in Poland.

After the UK leaves the EU, you will no longer be able to vote in European elections.

Births, deaths and getting married

If your child is born in Poland, you will need to register the birth abroad.

If someone dies in Poland you can:

• read our guidance on what to do after someone dies abroad
• read guidance for UK nationals on bereavements in Poland
• find a list of English-speaking funeral directors in Poland

Find out how you can get married abroad.

Find out about notarial and documentary services for UK nationals in Poland.

You may also need English-speaking lawyers in Poland

Accommodation and buying property

Read our guidance on buying a property abroad.

After the UK leaves the EU you may have to get a permit from the Minister responsible for home affairs to buy the property.

Pets

When the UK leaves the EU, you will still be able to travel to and from the UK with a cat, dog or ferret but the rules will change. You can read guidance on pet travel to Europe after the UK leaves the EU.

While the UK is still a Member State you’ll be able to travel with your pet to the EU under the current pet travel rules using your current EU pet passport. If you’re travelling with your pet for the first time you’ll have to visit your vet to get a pet passport.

Read guidance on returning your cat, dog or ferret to the UK. For moving pet horses and other equines read guidance on export horses and ponies: special rules.

Emergencies

As well as the European emergency number 112, Poland also has:

• 997 – police
• 998 – fire brigade
• 999 – ambulance

See Poland – emergency numbers.

If you need urgent help, contact the British Embassy Warsaw.

Returning to the UK

Tell the Polish and UK authorities if you are returning to the UK permanently.

You should read our guidance on:

• returning to live in the UK
• returning to live in the UK in the case of no-deal
• bringing your family to the UK
• access to higher education, 19+ further education and apprenticeship funding
• importing vehicles back to the UK
• bringing your pet back to the UK
• checking your tax status after returning to the UK

To move your pension to the UK, contact the International Pension Centre.

If you get healthcare in Poland through the S1 form, you must contact the Overseas Healthcare Team on +44 (0)191 218 1999 to make sure your S1 is cancelled at the right time.

Disclaimer

Please note that this information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information should be obtained from the Polish authorities. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information.