Act on special arrangements of 02.03.2020

On the basis of the provisions of the Act of 2 March 2020 on special arrangements for protection, prevention and combating COVID-19, other infectious diseases and the resulting crisis situations (the “Coronavirus” Act) , all existing Polish temporary residence permits (residence cards) and Polish type D national visas, whose expiry date was for the period of declaring an epidemic emergency or state of epidemics (i.e. the period from 14 March 2020), were extended by law until the 30th day following the date of revocation of the last of these conditions.

However, this does not apply to stays on the basis of Schengen visas, national visas and residence permits issued by other Schengen States and stays under visa-free regime. In such a case the legality of further stay of a foreigner on the territory of the Republic of Poland will depend on submitting an application for a temporary residence permit to a voivode. According to the provisions of the aforementioned Act, the deadline for submitting an application for a temporary residence permit, which expired during the period when an epidemic hazard or state of epidemics was declared (i.e. the period from 14 March 2020), was also extended to 30 days following the date of revoking the last state. This means that a foreigner who applies for a temporary residence permit will legalise his/her stay on the territory of the Republic of Poland. (Even if the application is submitted after the expiry of the validity of the grounds for stay held so far).

According to the aforementioned Act, also work permits and declarations on entrusting work to a foreigner whose expiry date was for the period of declaring an epidemic hazard or state of epidemics (i.e. the period from 14 March 2020) were extended by law until the 30th day following the date of revoking the last state.