For British people, Poland used to be a place where you simply turned up. Since 1 January 2021, you arrive as a third-country national, unless you were already living in Poland at the end of 2020. Moving to Poland from the UK is still very possible, but it needs a permit and a bit more planning than it did for your cousins in France or Germany.
Can you still move to Poland from the UK?
Yes, but the route depends on when you arrived and what you plan to do.
- You lived in Poland before the end of 2020. You are protected by the Withdrawal Agreement. The Office for Foreigners (UDSC) says you can still apply for a residence document that carries a mention of the agreement, and recommends doing so, because it exempts you from the EES registration at borders and from the ETIAS authorisation.
- You arrive now. The general rules for third-country nationals apply.
Citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland have a simpler procedure; see residence in Poland for EU citizens.
How long can you stay without a visa?
Without a visa, you may stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area, Poland included. That includes holidays elsewhere in Schengen, so count them. Beyond that you need either:
- a national visa (type D) for up to one year, or
- a temporary residence permit (zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy) for up to three years, requested from the wojewoda (the voivode).
Work may require a separate permit or a combined residence-and-work permit.
How do you apply and what does it cost?
Since 27 April 2026, applications for a temporary residence permit are filed only electronically on the MOS portal run by the Office for Foreigners. The stamp duty is generally 340 zloty for a temporary residence permit and 440 zloty for a combined residence and work permit; the residence card adds 100 zloty. Fees are paid to the voivodeship office.
The permit category depends on your purpose: work, a business, study, family reunification (for example as the spouse of a Pole), and so on. Choose the one that fits, because a permit for one purpose does not allow another.
Picking the right permit and assembling the proof is where British applicants usually lose months. Moovy can look at your plans (job, business, family, retirement) and tell you which category fits and what it needs. You still file the application yourself.
What about health cover?
The NFZ says that to receive public care in Poland you need to acquire a right through one of these routes: work or self-employment in Poland, a UK pension paid in Poland (with an S1 issued by the British insurer), unemployed status obtained in Poland, being a family member of an insured person, or voluntary insurance with the NFZ. The NFZ page is dated January 2021, so confirm with the NFZ what applies if you arrive today without Withdrawal Agreement protection. Full details are in healthcare in Poland for expats.
Can a British citizen buy a flat in Poland?
In principle a foreigner from outside the EU/EEA needs a permit from the Minister of the Interior, which costs 1,570 zloty. There are exceptions, including buying an independent residential flat (samodzielny lokal mieszkalny) or a garage connected to it outside a border zone, having had permanent residence for five years, and being covered by the Withdrawal Agreement. Read buying property in Poland before you sign anything.
What about driving and tax?
A British licence issued up to 31 December 2020 does not have to be exchanged; it stays valid in Poland until its expiry date, according to gov.pl. A licence issued later lets you drive for six months, after which you should exchange it without an exam. Details in driving in Poland.
On tax, the UK-Poland tax treaty applies. Once you are tax resident in Poland, Scottish tax bands no longer matter, but British-source income can remain taxable in the UK under the treaty. The Polish tax administration publishes its rules on podatki.gov.pl.
What are the common mistakes?
- Counting days in Schengen wrongly. Short trips elsewhere in Schengen count against your 90 days.
- Assuming business is open to you. Without the right permit a Briton may not run a sole proprietorship in Poland, though a limited company is possible.
- Skipping the Withdrawal Agreement document. If you lived in Poland before 2021, apply for it.
What does moving to Poland from the UK involve in practice?
Think of it as three layers: how you enter, how you stay beyond 90 days, and what you set up once you live here.
Entry. With a British passport you can enter Poland and the Schengen area without a visa and stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The Office for Foreigners also points out that people covered by the Withdrawal Agreement should consider a residence document that mentions it, because it exempts them from the EES registration at borders and from ETIAS.
Staying longer. Choose between a national visa (type D, up to one year) and a temporary residence permit (up to three years). The permit is requested from the voivode. Work or business may need a specific authorisation or a combined permit.
Settling. Once you are legally resident, the steps of everyday life look like those of any foreigner: declaring your address, getting a PESEL, health cover, a bank account. Most of these are described in moving to Poland.
Which permit fits your plans?
The categories depend on what you do. The official fact sheet lists, for example, a residence and work permit for employees (440 zloty of stamp duty), a temporary residence permit for family reunification, study or research (generally 340 zloty), and rights for spouses of Polish citizens. The residence card adds 100 zloty. A permit for one purpose does not entitle you to another, so a Briton who arrives to work for an employer and later wants to run a business should ask before changing activity.
Can British citizens run a business in Poland?
A sole proprietorship is open to non-Europeans only with certain residence titles: permanent residence, EU long-term resident, EU Blue Card, temporary residence for family reunification, study or research, spouse of a Pole, Karta Polaka and a few others. Otherwise, a British person can set up a limited company (sp. z o.o.), which is open to everyone, though living in Poland to manage it requires a suitable residence title. Registration in the CEIDG business register is done through biznes.gov.pl.
How does Brexit change work and social security?
Non-EU citizens in principle need a work permit. Social security coordination now runs through the protocol of the EU-UK trade agreement, which is similar but less complete than EU rules. For pensioners, ask the British institution whether it can issue an S1. For jobs, see working in Poland, and check with the voivodeship office which permit applies to you.
What happens with money and phones?
Poland uses the zloty, so open a local account when your address allows it. The bank decides whether to give you the basic account, because the European right to it does not apply without legal residence in the EU; see bank account in Poland. On phones, the UK and Switzerland are not covered by the EU roaming rule, so check roaming fees with your operator.
What if you lived in Poland before 2021?
If you settled in Poland before the end of 2020, you keep your rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. The Office for Foreigners (UDSC) recommends that you apply for the residence document with the mention of the agreement, mainly because it exempts you from EES registration and ETIAS. Start from the UDSC page and bring the proof of your residence before 2021: lease, payslips, tax records.
What are the common mistakes for people moving to Poland from the UK?
- Overstaying the 90 days because the count includes other Schengen trips.
- Starting to work before the permit allows it.
- Assuming British tax rules still apply. Once you are a Polish tax resident you declare worldwide income in Poland, and the UK-Poland treaty then decides who taxes what.
- Buying a home without checking the permit rule. See buying property in Poland.
- Relying on a 2021 health page. Ask the NFZ what applies today.
How early should you apply?
As early as you can. The electronic application on the MOS portal is the only route for temporary residence permits since 27 April 2026, and we have no official processing time to quote, so build a margin into your move date.
Rules and fees change, so check the UDSC pages before you apply.