Temporary residence permit for a volunteer

Documents

a. Documents required at the application stage

A foreigner applying for a temporary residence permit submits to the voivode competent for the place of their stay:

• completed, in accordance with the instruction, application form for a temporary residence permit - under pain of leaving the application unprocessed. Rules for completing the application are presented in the following stage: “Completing the application”.

• Appendix 3 to the application for a temporary residence permit, completed in accordance with the instruction in MOS – under pain of leaving the application unexamined.

• 4 up-to-date photographs that clearly show the foreigner's face, without a hat and obscuring lenses, meeting the detailed criteria defined by law - under pain of not processing the application.

• a photocopy of a valid travel document (at the same time presents the person accepting the application with its original for inspection - under pain of leaving the application unprocessed).

In a particularly justified case, if a foreigner does not have a valid travel document and they are not possible to obtain it, they may present another document confirming their identity in a way that does not raise any doubts. At the same time, they should document the objective inability to obtain a travel document and the efforts made to obtain it.

• Proof of payment of stamp duty. Go to the "Stamp duty” step for more information.

b. Other documents

At the stage of submitting the application, it is also desirable to present the documents necessary to confirm the data contained in the application and the circumstances justifying the application for a temporary residence permit.

Such evidence is not subject to the consequence of leaving the application unprocessed and may be supplemented in the course of the proceedings. However, it should be remembered that attaching full documentation already at the stage of submitting the application is in accordance with the interest of the party. It organizes and simplifies the procedure, because already at the initial stage, the authority can make correct determinations with regard to the foreigner's situation, which undoubtedly speeds up the process of processing the application and reduces the risks associated with the need for supplementing documentation by a foreigner in the further course of the procedure for granting a temporary residence permit.

The evidence to be presented in the proceedings includes:

• an agreement on participation in volunteering, i.e., an agreement concluded with a foreigner, in writing, by an organizational unit that has been approved by the minister competent for internal affairs as part of an appropriate procedure, containing/specifying:

• description of volunteering,

• duration of volunteering,

• conditions for volunteering and supervision,

• hours of performance of services,

• financial means to cover the costs of living and accommodation of the foreigner and the minimum amount of pocket money received by the foreigner,

• training of a foreigner, which are necessary to perform services.

• a document confirming health insurance;

• a document confirming the possession of a secured place of residence (e.g., a certificate of residence, a lease agreement for an apartment, another contract enabling the possession of a dwelling, or a statement of a person authorized to own a dwelling on providing the foreigner with a place of residence);

• documents confirming compliance with the requirement to have sufficient financial means to cover the costs of living on the territory of the Republic of Poland and the return journey to the country of origin or residence or the costs of transit to a third country that will grant entry (See more in the tab: Requirements);

■ with regard to determining the costs of residence – submit documents confirming the amount of fixed fees related to the operation of the premises and the last bills for the supply of electricity, gas, water to the premises and the collection of sewage, waste, and liquid waste. You can also submit a statement on the amount of housing costs, which is subject to assessment from the point of view of its credibility. If you are a citizen of Belarus, you do not need to make such a statement.

■ as regards the costs of the return journey to the country of origin or residence or the costs of transit to a third country which grants the entry permit, the catalogue of documents which may be produced shall be laid down in the relevant Regulation, such documents as may be produced shall be:

• traveller’s cheque,

• a certificate of the amount of the limit on the credit card issued by the bank that issued the credit card,

• certificate of possession of cash in a bank or cooperative savings and credit union with its registered office on the territory of the Republic of Poland,

• volunteering agreement,

• a certificate issued by the organisational unit where you intend to volunteer to cover these costs under Erasmus+ or the European Solidarity Corps.

These documents should be issued no earlier than 1 month before submitting the application.

■ with regard to the cost of living - submit documents confirming the fulfilment in each month of the planned stay of the income criterion, after deducting the cost of living.

You can use the same documents as for the return journey costs (there is no need to present them for each of the requirements separately).

Remember!

• the documents should be attached in the original or in a copy certified to be a true copy of the original by a notary public or the party's attorney who is an attorney-at-law or legal advisor; certification of the compliance of the copy with the original may also be made by an authorized employee of the voivodeship office in the administration office, upon presentation of the original document;

• documents drawn up in a foreign language must be presented together with a sworn translation into Polish; the register of sworn translators is kept by the Ministry of Justice and is available HERE.

• closely related documents should be presented jointly (e.g., a sublease agreement with a lease agreement) and be valid on the date the permit is issued.