Author of the article
Yaroslav Lanetsky
A crucial step towards legalization and integration in Poland is obtaining a Karta Pobytu (Residence Card). This document confirms the right to legally reside in the country, making it mandatory for foreigners who want to connect their lives with Poland, obtain Polish citizenship, and intend to study and work in the country for a long time.
The procedure for obtaining a Karta Pobytu is clearly defined by law, and the applicant must meet specific criteria and requirements. The process also includes an interview for a Permanent Residence Card or a Pole’s Card with an official at the Voivodeship Office (Urząd Wojewódzki). The purpose of this interview is to verify the applicant’s integration into Polish society and their knowledge about Poland.
What is a Karta Pobytu
A Karta Pobytu is an official document that confirms a foreigner’s legal status in Poland. There are two types:
- Karta czasowego pobytu (Temporary Residence Card) – grants permission for temporary residence and is issued for a period of 1-3 years.
- Karta stałego pobytu (Permanent Residence Card) – grants permission for permanent residence and is issued for 10 years with the right to renew.
It is a plastic card with the owner’s photo and biometric data. It includes the person’s last name, first name, registered address in Poland, access to the labor market, an individual PESEL number, and for Ukrainians who moved to Poland after February 24, 2022, a temporary protection PESEL UKR status.
A Karta Pobytu grants foreigners the same rights as Polish citizens (except for voting in elections). These include the right to official employment, free medical care, purchasing real estate, registering a business, free education at Polish state universities, and more.
Why is an interview for a Permanent Residence Card necessary
Since permanent residency in Poland provides foreigners with numerous opportunities for a legal and comfortable life on par with Polish citizens, the applicant must prove that they feel a part of the Polish nation. For this purpose, an interview is scheduled at the Urząd, where an official assesses the applicant’s Polish language proficiency, verifies the accuracy of the provided information, and checks their connection to Poland through knowledge of its history, traditions, and culture.
The purpose of the interview is to:
- Verify the person’s ability to integrate into Polish society.
- Confirm the relevance and truthfulness of the applicant’s information.
- Clarify the applicant’s future plans, i.e., whether they intend to stay in Poland for a long time or plan to return to their country of origin.
- Establish compliance with requirements for Polish language skills, sources of income, and health insurance.
- Verify the legality and authenticity of the marriage (to ensure it is not a sham marriage for the purpose of legalization).
Therefore, an interview at the Urząd is a mandatory stage of the procedure for obtaining a Permanent Residence Card for long-term legal stay in Poland. It is scheduled individually after submitting the application and supporting documents, has a clear set of rules, and lasts for approximately 60 minutes.
Preparing for the Permanent Residence Card and Pole’s Card Interview
To prepare thoroughly for the interview, you need to understand what the procedure is and how it is conducted.
First and foremost, remember that the interview is not an exam for a Permanent Residence Card or a Pole’s Card, but a meeting with a state representative. The goal is to get to know you and assess your ability to integrate into society. This meeting takes place in the format of a regular conversation in Polish at the Voivodeship Office (Urząd Wojewódzki) after you submit your application and documents.
The date and time of the interview are scheduled individually if there are no errors in your documents. You will be notified by a letter sent to the email address you provided.
During the conversation, the Urząd official will ask the applicant certain questions and record the answers. Afterward, the protocol is printed, and both parties sign it. Based on this information, the Voivode decides whether to grant a Permanent Residence Card or a Pole’s Card.
The interview does not require you to provide a certificate of Polish language proficiency, but the conversation will be conducted in Polish. Some offices allow an interpreter to be present at the meeting. However, since the purpose of the interview is to check your integration, such actions will likely be a disadvantage. You will therefore have to demonstrate a higher level of knowledge of the country’s history and culture to make a positive impression and show your genuine interest in living in Poland.
How to prepare for the interview:
- Learn the Polish language. Since the interview for a Permanent Residence Card and a Pole’s Card is conducted exclusively in Polish, it is advisable to have at least a B1 level of proficiency to understand the questions and answer them.
- Gather and remember essential information about Poland. You need to know the basics of Polish history (key dates, events, historical figures, and the country’s perspective on controversial moments), the geography and national symbols of Poland, cultural specifics, and the traditions and customs of the Polish people (holidays, national dishes, prominent figures, famous writers).
- Prepare a story about yourself. During the interview, you will need to talk about where you came from and why, what your connections to Poland are, what you do for a living, what you like about Poland, what you do in your free time, why you want to stay in Poland, etc.
- Communicate more. To feel confident during the interview, it is advisable to practice speaking. You can talk about relevant topics with a teacher, other students, or friends who know Polish.
- Remember your Polish heritage. Questions during the interview for a Permanent Residence Card or a Pole’s Card may also be to confirm your affiliation with the Polish nation. You will be asked to talk about your parents or other close relatives who have Polish citizenship or once lived in Poland.
An interview is not required to obtain a Temporary Residence Card. It is scheduled if you wish to obtain a Pole’s Card or a Permanent Residence Card, or if you can prove Polish origin, are reuniting with your family, or are married to a Polish citizen. This interview will be decisive in the question of whether to grant you a permanent residence permit. Since you will be expected to provide honest and simple answers, you should not make anything up or evade questions.
Arrive for the meeting on the specified day, but a little earlier than the indicated time to avoid rushing. Dress neatly but not overly formally. Be attentive, polite, and friendly. Answer the questions calmly and confidently.
To prepare more thoroughly for the interview and understand the nature of potential questions, you can take a mock test for a Permanent Residence Card, which is offered by consulting companies whose specialists help foreigners legalize their stay in Poland.
Migration consultants and lawyers at Real Consult provide comprehensive assistance and legal support during the procedure for obtaining a Permanent Residence Card or a Pole’s Card. You will receive help with translating documents, filling out and submitting the relevant application, registering your address of residence, and preparing for the interview.
Successful preparation for an interview for a permanent residence card in Poland requires a comprehensive approach, including not only fluency in Polish (preferably at the B1 level), but also in-depth knowledge of Polish history, culture, and traditions, as well as a clear justification of personal integration and plans for the future in the country.
Typical Interview Questions
There is no fixed list of questions for the interview. The Urząd official can ask anything related to the person’s origin, life, reasons for obtaining the Residence Card, integration into Polish society, as well as the Polish language, history, and culture of Poland.
What questions for a Permanent Residence Card are asked most often:
- Why did you decide to move to Poland?
- When did you come to Poland?
- What are your plans for the future?
- Why did you decide to stay in Poland?
- What is your level of Polish language proficiency?
- Where do you live now?
- Do you have relatives with a Pole’s Card or a Permanent Residence Card?
- Why do you think you have Polish roots?
- Is Polish spoken in your family?
- Where did you learn the Polish language?
- Who of your relatives remained in Ukraine?
- Where did you work in Poland?
- Do you have a stable source of income?
- Do you have health insurance?
- What holidays are celebrated in your family?
- What is the holiday of Three Kings’ Day?
- How is St. Nicholas Day celebrated in Poland?
- When was the baptism of Poland? How did it happen?
- Read an excerpt from the national anthem.
- Tell me about the key events of the Second World War.
- What do you think about Polish culture and society?
- What are your biggest difficulties in adapting to Polish life?
- What historical figures do you know?
- Who wrote the lyrics and music for the Polish anthem?
- What does the coat of arms of Poland look like?
- Do you watch Polish films? Which ones?
- Have you communicated with other people of Polish origin in Ukraine?
- What countries does Poland border?
- How long have you been married?
- When did you meet your partner?
- How do you plan your life with your husband in Poland?
- and others.
The question of why you want to live in Poland is a core one. In your answer, you can say that you have Polish roots, that you feel part of Polish society, that you found an interesting job and want to develop professionally, etc.
If you plan to move to Poland for permanent residency with a Pole’s Card, you need to be prepared to talk in detail about your family, Polish heritage, and your sense of unity with the Polish people.
In the case of marriage to a Polish citizen, the questions will be related to your marriage, shared life, and daily routine. You may be asked where you met your partner, how many years you have been together, where they live in Poland, how many apartments are in their building’s entrance, what color the furniture is at home, whether your partner has siblings, what their favorite dishes are, what they do for a living, what you did last weekend, etc. This type of questioning is intended to check for a sham marriage. Therefore, you should be patient and calmly answer all questions, even the seemingly strange ones.
Overall, the list of questions depends on the person’s status and the reasons for obtaining a Permanent Residence Card. The mood and character of the Urząd official conducting the interview can also influence the number of questions and the duration of the conversation.
What is checked during the interview
The interview for permanent residency in Poland is aimed at verifying the person’s knowledge, their ability to integrate into Polish society, and the accuracy of the information they provided. That is, the foreigner must prove that they meet the requirements of Polish law to be granted a permanent residence permit.
The main goal of the interview is to check your integration, your sense of unity with the Polish people, and your readiness to live, work, and develop in Poland.
Aspects that are paid attention to during the interview:
- The level of Polish language proficiency for everyday communication – at work, in stores, with government agencies, etc.
- Your future plans in Poland.
- Knowledge of national symbols, the country’s history, traditions, and customs of the Polish people, and an understanding of historical events.
- Marital status and family ties.
- Polish origin.
- Place of work and a stable source of income.
- Adaptation in society – having friends, leisure activities, sports, etc.
- The validity of documents and the accuracy and truthfulness of information.
- Compliance with the rules of stay in the country and the law.
You need to take all these aspects into account during your preparation so that the interview for a Permanent Residence Card goes successfully. This will allow you to confirm your intention to stay in Poland to build your life here. It will increase your chances of getting a permanent residence permit from the Polish authorities.
Common Mistakes During the Permanent Residence Card Interview
The first thing you need to do is to correctly fill out the application for a Karta Pobytu and submit the necessary documents. Please note that all foreign documents issued in your country of origin must have a sworn translation into Polish. The presence of errors and inaccuracies in the documents will lead to a refusal of the interview.
Mistakes to avoid during the interview:
- Discrepancies in information about marital status, work, financial capability, and future plans.
- Refusing to speak Polish – this is not an exam for a Permanent Residence Card, but your level of conversational language for communication will be assessed as a component of integration.
- The answer “I don’t know” – you should avoid this phrase and, instead, answer at least briefly.
- Silence or evading a response – to avoid suspicion, you need to be honest in your answers and show a desire to improve your knowledge of the Polish language, history, and culture.
- Negative comments about employers, colleagues, Poles in general, or the rules of stay in the country.
To avoid mistakes during the interview, you need to prepare thoroughly for the procedure and consult with migration law specialists in advance. They will help you gather the necessary package of documents, translate and properly format the documents, draft the application with a clear statement of information, and explain how the interview works, how to behave with the Urząd official, what questions they will ask, and how you should answer them to make a positive impression.
What to Do After the Interview
The next stage after the interview for a Permanent Residence Card or a Pole’s Card is waiting for a decision. During this period, you must comply with the requirements of the law, adhere to the rules of stay in Poland, and not commit crimes. The correct behavior ensures the successful completion of the procedure.
A foreigner’s actions after the interview:
- Live in Poland and do not leave the country until a decision is received, especially for an extended period.
- Promptly prepare and provide additional documents if requested by the authorities.
- Notify the Urząd of any changes in work, address of residence, or marital status during the waiting period.
- Pay the fee for the production of the plastic card – in case of a positive decision.
In addition, you need to be mentally prepared for a possible refusal, as this also happens. In such a case, you can file an appeal within the period established by law or apply for a permanent residence permit again. You can learn more about the procedure for appealing a refusal from migration law consultants and lawyers at Real Consult.
How to Find Out the Result of the Permanent Residence Card Interview
The legal term for making a decision to refuse or grant a Permanent Residence Card after the interview is 45 days. However, this process can take longer – from a few months to one year. It all depends on the workload of the state authorities and the specifics of your case.
The decision, or decyzja (zezwolenia na zamieszkanie na czas oznaczony), should be sent to your email address or as a message to the phone number specified in the application. You can also independently check the status of your application through the online system after registering on the website of the office to which you applied.
If you are granted a permanent residence permit in Poland, you must appear at the Office for Foreigners to sign the decision and pay the fee. Also, you may have to wait another month or so until the Karta Pobytu is produced.
To ensure compliance with the procedure and application deadlines, properly prepare all documents, and increase your chances of a successful interview outcome, get support from specialists.
Migration law consultants, sworn translators, and lawyers at Real Consult provide professional consultations, assistance in preparing documents and submitting applications, and full legal support for your case. In addition, you can contact our specialists if you are looking for housing, plan to get married in Poland, want to enter a Polish university for free, or officially get a job. We will provide you with comprehensive, qualified assistance on all issues related to legalization and residency in Poland.
For a consultation in online or offline format, please call us, write a message on Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp, send a letter to our email address, or fill out the appropriate form on the website. We provide services in Gdansk, Warsaw, Krakow, and smaller cities such as Gdynia, Reda, Rumia, Sopot, Borkowo, Zukowo, Pruszcz Gdanski, etc.