Responsible calculation and recording of the dates of all travels within Poland, as well as within the EU and beyond their borders, is the responsibility of every foreign citizen who plans to immigrate to Poland.
WHERE CAN THIS SKILL BE USEFUL FOR YOU?
1 – Travel on the basis of a visa-free regime or Schengen visa
2 – Obtaining a long-term EU residence card in Poland
3 – Obtaining citizenship of the Republic of Poland
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF INCORRECT CALCULATION OF DAYS OF YOUR STAY IN POLAND AND EU?
1 – Illegal stay in the EU and, as a result, a restriction on entry into the EU in the future, as well as a fine
2 – Difficulties in obtaining a long-term EU residence card in Poland
Namely, there may be problems with confirming the required 5-year legal and continuous stay on the territory of Poland.
This is one of the most common reasons for denial of a long-term EU residence card in Poland application! It is quite common for foreigners to miscalculate a couple of days, as well as not to take into account the requirements of “continuous stay”.
Continuous stay – the stay of a foreigner on the territory of Poland with breaks not exceeding 6 months, while the total duration of all breaks did not exceed 10 months. (with some exceptions)
3 – Difficulties in obtaining Polish citizenship
With obtaining Polish citizenship, the situation is the same as with the long-term EU residence card, but sometimes it can be even more complicated. Since in order to obtain Polish citizenship, in some cases foreigners have to prove their 10-year legal and continuous stay on the territory of Poland.
HOW TO KNOW THE DAYS OF YOUR STAY?
Unfortunately, the Polish Border Service does not provide foreigners with data on their entry and exit dates from the territory of Poland.
Such information can only be obtained by the relevant state authorities upon official request. So, for example, the Immigration Office “Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców” will send an official request to the border guard to receive information about your stay in Poland.
HOW TO COUNT THE DAYS OF YOUR STAY IN POLAND?
The main confirmation of your entry and exit from the territory of Poland and the EU can be stamps in your passport.
HOWEVER, if you are traveling on the basis of a residence card, then it will no longer be possible to track the days of your stay by stamps, since the border guards do not fix it in your passport.
Moreover, travel within the European Union should also be taken into account, but this will not be noted in the passport.
Therefore, you can also track the dates of entries and exits by using your tickets for a plane, train, bus, and so on.
WHAT IS THE SOLUTION OF THIS PROBLEM?
The best solution of this problem is to strictly count the days of your travels and stays from the first days of immigration to Poland. This will definitely simplify the process of legalization of your stay in Poland and, of course, increase the chances of obtaining a long-term EU residence card and Polish citizenship in the shortest possible time.
If you have difficulties with counting the days of your stay and you are not sure about the “continuity” of your stay on the territory of Poland, you can always sign up for a legal consultation with our immigration specialists or a lawyer. We will always be happy to help you with the solution of all problems.