Living in Poland

This page tells you what to do ahead of the UK leaving the EU. It will be updated if anything changes, including if a deal is agreed.

Attend a citizen outreach meeting

The British Embassy regularly holds events across Poland for UK nationals. Attend one of our citizen outreach meetings to keep up to date on working and living in Poland after Brexit.

You can also also:

• read Living in the EU: prepare for Brexit.

Visas and residency

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 VoivodeshipVoivod office.

Check the locations of local voivode offices in Poland and where you should register your stay.

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

Visas and residency after Brexit

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Visas

In order to secure your status and these rights, you should register your stay or apply for permanent residency afterbefore Brexit

Brexit. Incomplete applications will be discontinued if the UK leaves the EU without a deal before your application is completed. If you have not yet registered your stay in Poland, you should do so as soon as possible. Read the Polishguidance Officeissued forby Foreignersthe dedicatedPolish pageOffice onfor BrexitForeigners.

If there’s no deal, and you are already legally resident in Poland, you will need to submit a new residency application specifically for UK nationals legally resident in Poland beforeat the endpoint of the implementationUK’s periodexit onfrom the EU. You will have until 31 December 2020 to submit your application.

If you previously attempted to register your stay in Poland before Brexit but your application was discontinued, this will benot ableprevent you from making an application under the new scheme. You may need to stay.provide more documentation to prove that you were legally resident in Poland on the day of exit. For more information you can:

• Ifread therethe arePolish Office for Foreigners page dedicated to Brexit

• check the European Commission’s webpage for more information about no deal residency schemes in Poland

In the event of changes to residency rules or registration processes after Brexit, 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.

See our travel advice for Poland and sign up to email alerts for up-to-date travel information on local laws and customs, safety and emergencies.

Passports and travel after Brexit

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Healthcare

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State healthcare: S1

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.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

If you are resident in Poland, you mustshould not usebe yourusing a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the UK to access healthcare in Poland.

When you travel from Poland for a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland, you can use an EHIC to access state-provided healthcare in that country. During that short stay:

• 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

IfRead youthe areNHS aguidance student,on readhealthcare in Poland.

Read the NHS 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 Brexit

ThereIf there’s a deal, your current rights on access to healthcare in Poland will beremain the same until 31 December 2020, as long as you remain a resident in Poland.

If there’s no changesdeal, and you are a resident in Poland and pay contributions to yourthe National Health Fund (NFZ), you will continue to have access to healthcare in Poland after Brexit.

If you are registered for healthcare in any other way, your access beforeto 31healthcare 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. YouIf canthere’s alsono deal, and there is no arrangement with Poland to continue reciprocal healthcare, those receiving coverage through the S1 form will not be covered.

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Working in Poland

Read our guidance on working in another EU country.

You may need to apply for a UK police certificate.

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Read the Polish government’s Brexit information about access to education in Poland for children of UK nationals (in Polish)Polish).

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
• 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 to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.

If you are employed or self-employed in the EU or EEA and you have a UK-issued A1/E101 form, you will remain subject to UK legislation until the end date on the form.

If the end date on your form is after 31 October 2019, you should contact the relevant EU, EEA or Swiss authority to confirm whether you need to start paying social security contributions in that country after 31 October, as well as UK National Insurance contributions.

Find out more about social security contributions after a no-deal Brexit

Money and tax after Brexit

Brexit will not change existing double-taxationdouble taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Poland. You should direct individual taxpayer questions about double-taxationdouble taxation to the relevant tax authority.

Pensions

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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

Life certificates for UK State Pensions

If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you need to respond as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you don´t.

Pensions after Brexit

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If youthere’s area livingdeal inand Poland by 31 December 2020, you will be able to count future social security contributions towards meeting the qualifying conditions for your UK State Pension.

If you work and pay social security contributions in Poland, you will still be able to count 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

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Read our guidance on pensions if there’s no deal.

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 EU’s guidance on claiming benefits in Poland.

Benefits after Brexit

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If there’s 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 there’s no deal, the Polish government has proposed that they will continue to take periods of work in the UK before Brexit into account when claiming Polish contributions-based benefits. For more information, you can:

• read the European Commission’s announcement on benefits and social security coordination in a no deal scenario
• read the Polish government’s information on social security benefits in a no deal scenario (in Polish)
• read our guidance on benefits and pensions in a no deal scenario

You should also read the Polish government’s information on unemployment benefits and access to national employment agency services in a no deal scenario (in Polish).

Driving in Poland

UK licences are only valid in Poland for the first 6 months of residence. After 6 months, you must exchange your driving licence for a Polish licence. If you are resident in Poland, you should exchange your UK licence for a Polish licence, as your UK licence may not be valid after Brexit. 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 Brexit

If there is no deal the Polish government has passed legislation that will continue to recognise UK driving licences for up to 6 months. UK driving licenses will continue to be valid for exchange for a Polish licence without taking a test.

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

If there’s a deal, your rights will not change until the end of implementation period.

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 should register on the electoral roll in the municipality where you are permanently residing no later than 5 days before the election.

Voting after Brexit

After Brexit, 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 Brexit, 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 our 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 Brexit, you may have to get a permit from the Minister responsible for home affairs to buy the property.

Pets

CurrentAfter petBrexit, you will still be able to travel to and from the UK with a cat, dog or ferret but the rules will staychange. Read guidance on pet travel to Europe after Brexit.

While the sameUK untilis 31still Decembera 2020.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 youyou’ll musthave to visit your vet to get a pet passport.

Read guidance on returning your cat, dog or ferret to the UK.

For moving pet travelhorses 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:

• access to benefits and services in the UK if there is a 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.

Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently which includes information on, amongst other things, tax, access to services and bringing family members.

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.