Many foreign citizens who have moved to Poland have decided to stay here as the country is very friendly to immigrants who work or have their own businesses here. Poland is one of the Central European countries to attract a large number of foreigners willing to relocate here because of the country’s economy which is stable and prolific. Most of them have also brought family members along.
Those planning to immigrate or have recently moved here and want to bring their families can use the family reunification visa in Poland and reunite with them here.
Below, our immigration lawyers in Poland explain the main requirements associated with bringing family members to this country and the options available.
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EU citizens moving to Poland and bringing family members here
As an EU member state, Poland offers numerous advantages to EU citizens moving here, just like Polish citizens have on the territory of all other EU countries. Among these, they do not need to apply for entry visas when relocating to Poland, but only registering with the local authorities. Once they stay long enough in the country they can apply for residency in Poland.
This requirement also applies when they want to bring their spouses and children, as well as other members of the family, thus these need not apply for a family reunification visa in Poland.
Non-EU citizens who want to move to Poland on the other hand need to apply for residence permits if they want to stay in the country for longer periods.
Our immigration law firm in Poland is at the service of those interested in applying for residency. The documents to obtain Polish permanent residency are minimal. They imply proof of having lived here, sufficient funds to support oneself, as well as a valid passport. These must be filed with the immigration authorities which will place the residency stamp on the passport. Contact us for assistance in obtaining it.
If you want to apply for Polish citizenship, the process is not complicated. You can rely on us if you want to have your status verified in order to file your papers with the immigration authorities. Our lawyers have great deal of experience in such cases and can help you obtain a Polish passport.
Non-EU citizens and the family reunification visa in Poland
Citizens of non-EU countries who have established them in Poland and want to bring family members, need to know that the following categories of applicants can enter the country based on family reunification visas:
- they are married to Polish citizens in accordance with the Polish Civil Code;
- they are minor children (biological or adopted) of at least one Polish citizen;
- they have obtained long-term EU residence permits under which they can relocate to other EU countries;
- they are refugees or need protection against persecution or for any other humanitarian reasons.
Non-EU citizens who have obtained temporary residence permits can also be eligible for the family reunification visa in Poland under which they can invite their families to join them provided that one of the following requirements are met:
- the foreign citizens have been living in Poland for at least 2 years based on temporary residence permits;
- the foreign citizens have obtained temporary residence permits for conducting scientific research, for employment or intra-company transfers.
The members of their families coming from abroad can qualify for obtaining short-term residence permits with a duration of at least one year or equal to the duration of the residence permit obtained by the relative inviting them.
The application for the family reunification visa must be filed by the foreign citizen inviting them to join them in Poland.
Our Polish immigration lawyers are at the service of foreign citizens who live here and want to bring family members to the country.
We can also assist you with your Polish citizenship application. You must first make sure you have secured permanent residency in order to be qualified for a Polish passport. Our immigration experts are available to you and can provide you with specialized support if you decide to relocate.
Documents necessary for applying for a family reunification visa
As mentioned above, the invitation to come to join them or better said the application for the family reunification visa in Poland must be filed with the immigration center falling under the supervision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and must contain:
- documents stating the relationship between the applicant and the invitee;
- the applicant’s residence permit (passport with the visa stamp or residence card);
- proof that the applicant has a stable source of income on Polish territory;
- proof of legal address of the applicant in Poland.
It usually takes about one month to obtain the family reunification visa, and our immigration lawyers can provide the necessary support.
How many foreign citizens live in Poland?
According to statistics, at the level of 2020, there were more than 2 million foreign citizens living in Poland. Furthermore:
- the expat community in Poland accounted for 5% of its entire population;
- out them, more than 1.3 million were Ukrainian citizens;
- there were also a little over 105,000 Belarussian citizens living in Poland;
- the number of German citizens established in Poland is quite high, reaching 77,073;
- Poland has also welcomed Asian citizens, most of them from India – 33,107.
If you want to apply for a family reunification visa and bring your relatives to Poland, do not hesitate to contact our immigration specialists for support.
