Information on what to do during the first 30 days in Poland (PESEL no., benefits, employment offices)?

Update: 01.02.2023

Persons covered by the law on assistance to citizens of Ukraine in connection with an armed conflict in the territory of that state.

The Act of March 12, 2022 on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict in the territory of that state covers mainly Ukrainian citizens who, in the period from February 24, 2022, came to the territory of Poland from Ukraine in connection with hostilities conducted on the territory of that state. the territory of this country, and Ukrainian citizens who have the Polish Card, who, together with their closest family, came to the territory of Poland due to these hostilities.

This protection also covers persons who do not have Ukrainian citizenship, who are spouses of Ukrainian citizens, provided that they came to Poland from Ukraine in connection with hostilities on the territory of that country.

The Act also applies to a child born on the territory of the Republic of Poland by a mother who is the person referred to above (is a Ukrainian citizen or a married citizen of Ukraine and came to the territory of Poland after February 24, 2022 in connection with hostilities conducted on that territory). countries)

The stay of these people on the territory of Poland is legal.

· If you need emergency assistance (accommodation, food, clothes) – go to the reception desk. They are most often located in city centers, at railway stations or close to the border.

Pursuant to the Act, if for some reason your entry into the territory of Poland has not been registered by the commanding officer of the Border Guard post during the border control, the Commandant in Chief of the Border Guard will register your stay in Poland.

Registration of stay in the territory of Poland takes place at your request, submitted no later than 30 days from the date of entry. Currently, registration is carried out by the offices of municipalities (cities).

If you do not have a stamp in your travel document, do not worry, in this case you will make a statement when you entered Poland.

To take advantage of various benefits, submit an application for a PESEL number.

The application is submitted in person at the seat of the commune authority in writing in a hard copy, with a legible handwritten signature, filled in by the applicant or by an employee of this authority on the basis of the data provided by the applicant.

What should you take with you?

a) a travel document (e.g. passport), internal passport, ID card or other photo document, in the case of children it may be a birth certificate. These documents do not need to be translated. If you do not have an identity document, the identity is confirmed on the basis of a declaration;

b) photo, taken earlier at the photographer’s (on the office’s website there are photographers’ addresses where you can take a photo free of charge. If there is no such information, contact the information point);

c) telephone – it will be needed to run a Trusted Profile (electronic signature). It is important that it is a Polish number. SIM cards are distributed free of charge at reception points. When assigning a PESEL number, a Trusted Profile is also assigned. The phone will be needed to confirm the receipt of e-mail messages and SMS with codes to run a Trusted Profile.

d) the reservation number that the person received earlier (if such a system is in place at a given office).

A person who has been assigned a PESEL number will additionally receive:

–  Electronic identity, available on the phone, which can be identified in all offices, schools, doctors, etc.

· Electronic signature (Trusted Profile), thanks to which it will be possible to submit applications electronically to Polish offices (e.g. for financial aid).

If you received a PESEL number before the start of registration (i.e. before 16/03/2022), in order to be able to use financial benefits, it must be supplemented with fingerprints and a photo. Then you will obtain the UKR status in IT systems.

Persons covered by the Act may work on the same terms as Polish citizens. The entity entrusting the performance of work to a foreigner is, however, obliged to notify the labor office of this fact via the ICT system – https://www.praca.gov.pl/ , within 14 days from the date of commencement of work by the foreigner.

After assigning a PESEL number, you can also register and be recognized as unemployed or looking for a job. Poviat Labor Offices deal with the registration of the unemployed.

If the holder of a PESEL number, you can undertake and conduct business activity in the territory of the Republic of Poland on the same terms as Polish citizens.

As a person covered by this law, you have the right to:

1) family benefits

2) child benefit, if you live with children in the territory of Poland,

3) a good start if you live with your children in Poland,

4) family care capital, if you live with your children in Poland,

5) co-financing the reduction of the parent’s fee for the child’s stay in a nursery, children’s club or with a day carer, if you live with the children in Poland.

A citizen of Ukraine residing on the territory of Poland, whose stay is considered legal, who has been entered in the PESEL register, may be granted cash and in-kind benefits, and is also entitled to assistance in the form of a one-time cash benefit in the amount of PLN 300 per person, intended for maintenance, in in particular, to cover expenses for food, clothing, footwear, personal hygiene products and housing charges.

It is also important that if you have submitted an application for international protection (refugee status, subsidiary protection) or have declared your intention to submit an application for international protection in Poland, you can withdraw such application or declaration. Then you will be protected on the territory of Poland. Remember to apply for a PESEL number then.

Persons covered by Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/382 of 4 March 2022 finding the existence of a massive influx of displaced persons from Ukraine

As a result of the Council’s Implementing Decision, protection in the territory of the EU was granted to:

1. Ukrainian citizens residing in Ukraine before February 24, 2022;

2. stateless persons or third-country nationals other than Ukraine who, before 24 February 2022, were enjoying international protection or equivalent national protection in Ukraine; and

3. family members of these people.

In addition, Member States should apply the decision or the appropriate protection provided for under their national law to stateless persons and third-country nationals other than Ukraine who can prove that they were legally residing in Ukraine prior to 24 February 2022 on the basis of a valid residence permit. permanent issued in accordance with Ukrainian law and who are unable to return to their country or region of origin in safe and durable conditions. The decision covers displaced persons who had to leave Ukraine from February 24, 2022.

If you are included in this group of people, you should submit an application to the Head of the Office for Foreigners. Pursuant to the Act of 13 June 2003 on granting protection to foreigners within the territory of the Republic of Poland, upon arrival in the territory of Poland, a foreigner enjoying temporary protection issues, upon its request, a certificate confirming the use of temporary protection.

Such a certificate is valid until the date on which the period for which temporary protection is granted in accordance with the decision of the Council of the European Union expires. The certificate will become invalid if you are transferred to another Member State.

In the event of an extension of this period under the provisions of European Union law, the period of validity of the certificate is extended by operation of law.

The certificate is the only proof of the use of temporary protection in Poland and during its validity it certifies the holder’s right to stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland.

As a person covered by this protection, you have the right, inter alia, to down:

– Obtaining residence permits for the entire duration of temporary protection (unfortunately, the relevant implementing provisions in this regard have not yet been adopted in Poland),

– Obtaining a travel document, if you do not have one (unfortunately, in Poland, the relevant executive regulations in this regard have still not been adopted),

–  Self-employment or employed activity under similar conditions to nationals of a Member State, taking into account the rules governing the profession,

–   Taking advantage of educational opportunities, including adult education, vocational training and on-the-job training.

The head of the Office for Foreigners provides, at the request of the person with temporary protection, medical care and grants assistance through accommodation and meals or assistance in the form of cash benefits.

The assistance provided through accommodation and meals includes:

1) permanent financial assistance for the purchase of cleaning and personal hygene products or supplies for cleaning or personal hygene;

2) assistance in the form of learning Polish language and basic materials necessary to learn this language;

3) teaching aid for children benefiting from education and care in public institutions, primary scools or secondary schools;

4) financing of journey by public transport:

a) for purpose of treatment or undergoing preventive vaccinations,

b) in other particularly justified cases.

Food used by a minor child should be adapted to his or her age.

In return for food for a child until age of 6 or for a primary or secondary school student, the child is entitled to a cash equivalent.

If the Head of the Office is unable to provide assistance through accommodation and meals, he grants a cash benefit.

Persons covered by temporary protection on the basis of the Council’s decision may obtain a PESEL number on general terms, i.e. they must have a valid passport and provide the legal basis for obtaining a PESEL number. Granting a PESEL number does not entitle to receive the UKR Status and does not give the possibility of applying for cash benefits to persons covered by the special act.

Foreigners from the so-called third countries without temporary protection on the territory of the Republic of Poland and the EU.

If you are a person who has not been covered by the Act of 12 March 2022 on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict or EU temporary protection and you entered the territory of the Republic of Poland after February 24, 2022, remember to legalize your stay.

If you plan to stay in Poland, the best solution will be to submit an application for a temporary residence permit. The permit or refusal in this matter is issued by the locally competent voivode. It is important that the application is delivered to the voivodeship office no later than on the last day of legal stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland.

https://ukraina.interwencjaprawna.pl/how-to-submit-an-application-for-temporary-residence/