Temporary residence permit for the purpose of conducting scientific research

Requirements

In order for a foreigner to be able to obtain a temporary residence permit to conduct scientific research, it is necessary for them to meet the following requirements in a combined manner:

• they are people entitled to apply for a temporary residence permit for the purpose of conducting scientific research– they are therefore third-country nationals or stateless persons, and at the time of the application in this matter they are legally on the territory of the Republic of Poland on the basis of a short-term residence title (excluding stay m.in for humanitarian purposes, on the basis of a Blue Card or as a trainee employee on the basis of a residence permit temporary to perform work as part of an intra-corporate transfer);

• the foreigner holds at least a master's degree or an equivalent professional title enabling them to obtain a doctoral degree;

• both the declared and the actual purpose of their stay on the territory of the Republic of Poland is to conduct scientific research or development works on the territory of the Republic of Poland in a scientific unit approved by the minister competent for internal affairs. The current list of approved scientific units is published in the official journal of the minister competent for internal affairs;

More information about the procedure for approving scientific units can be found here.

• this circumstance is the basis for applying for a temporary residence permit, and at the same time must justify their stay on the territory of the Republic of Poland for a period longer than 3 months;

• complete the formal requirements related to the permit, including: submit the application in person, on the form, together with the necessary attachments, as well as present a valid travel document (or in justified cases, if the foreigner does not have a travel document and it is not possible to obtain it – another document confirming their identity), give fingerprints (except when it is not physically possible to take fingerprints) and pay stamp duty;

• has health insurance within the meaning of the Act of 27 August 2004 on health care services financed from public funds or confirmation of coverage by the insurer of the costs of treatment on the territory of the Republic of Poland;

• has sufficient financial means to cover the cost of living (a + b) to cover:

a) maintenance costs, which on a monthly basis, after deducting the actual costs of living, should be higher than the social assistance threshold (i.e., currently for a single person – in the amount higher than PLN 776 net per month, for a person in the family – in the amount higher than PLN 600 net per month).

It is assumed that the costs of residence include at least the amount of fixed fees related to the operation of the premises occupied by the foreigner in the settlement for the number of persons living in this premises, as well as fees for the supply of electricity, gas, water to the premises and the collection of sewage, waste, and liquid waste. The total (i.e., aggregated) amount of these costs is deducted from the income reported by the foreigner, therefore, unless they have been exempted from the need to document the costs of living (currently this exclusion applies only to citizens of Belarus), they should document these costs by presenting m.in the last bills for electricity, gas, etc. It is also allowed to submit a statement by a foreigner regarding the amount of the costs of residence, which is subject to assessment from the point of view of its credibility.

b) and the cost of the return journey to the country of origin or residence or the cost of transit to the third country which grants the entry permit.

These measures in respect of the foreigner and any dependent family member shall be:

• PLN 200 – if these persons came from a country neighbouring Poland (i.e., Russia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany)

• PLN 500 – if these persons came from an EU Member State not adjacent to the Republic of Poland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, or Switzerland

• PLN 2500 – if these people came from other countries

- or be equivalent to these amounts in foreign currencies (according to the exchange rate announced by the National Bank of Polish on the last working day preceding the submission of the application for a temporary residence permit).

• has a statement of the scientific unit, submitted in writing, in which it undertakes to reimburse the costs of issuing and implementing a return decision, covered from the state budget within 6 months from the date of expiry of the agreement on the admission of the foreigner, if the prerequisite for issuing a return decision for the foreigner is their illegal stay in Poland.