Visas & Support | English Wizards
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Visas & Support

The most comprehensive and personalized support services available in Europe. Now, all are available on our installment plans too.

Visas & Residence

Every one of our Wizards coming from outside the EU receives everything necessary to obtain the necessary visas and permits
to work in Poland as an English teacher.

This is provided at no extra cost to you, and our legal team will be there to help you with the process along the way. Trust us, we know visa applications can be annoying!

Standard
Included
  • All documentation necessary to obtain a work visa and legal residence in Poland
  • Step-by-step guidance in obtaining the visa through your nearest consulate or Temporary Residence Permit from the Immigration Office if you're already in Poland
  • Ongoing support from our staff on maintaining your legality
  • Translation of documents into Polish, when necessary
  • Price: Included in all programs at no extra cost
Residency Package
295
  • Personal assistance from our immigration agent in applying for the Temporary Residence Permit
  • Translation of documents into Polish, when necessary
  • Ongoing correspondence with the Immigration Office to ensure your permit is processed as fast as possible
  • Ongoing personal assistance from our staff and immigration agent to maintain your legality, including filing and obtaining additional documents if needed**
  • If on our incubator visa pathway, an extra 100 euros is required to cover a 2nd work permit.
  • Recommended for anyone wishing to stay in Poland for longer than the 1-year duration of the visa.
Premium Residency Package
650
  • All support from our standard Residency Package PLUS
  • An immigration specialist to accompany you in-person for your appointment**
  • Management of the application via power of attorney
  • Can be used for both Temporary & Permanent Residency applications

**Pricing does not include travel expenses if applying in a city other than Krakow.

Not covered: Consular visa fee (€60-100), Temporary Residence Permit administrative fee (about €100), medical insurance (required for visa, from €160 per year for the cheapest plans); translation fees (about €20 per document); personal documents such as passport scans, bank statements, photographs, and flight itineraries.

A work permit, if required, lasts 12 months. If a second work permit is required, an additional payment of 100 euro will be required.

All add-ons, services, & programs are available to be paid in installments with a deposit.

What documents are required for the work visa?

Required documents for the visa can vary from consulate to consulate, so make sure to check with your local consulate.

You will usually not be required to get your documents certified, apostilled, or translated into Polish in most cases.

  • The completed Visa Application Form

  • Your approved work permit (we'll send this to you)
  • Your passport and a photocopy of the main page
  • Proof of medical insurance (if you already have medical insurance that covers you overseas or your school has offered to provide medical insurance, this may suffice. Otherwise we recommend you arrange travel insurance; see our packages below for recommendations)
  • Proof of sufficient funds to support yourself until the first pay period (there is no official minimum for this, but we recommend showing at least €1500 or equivalent in a bank account)
  • Your flight reservation to Poland
  • Cash in local currency for the fee payment

FAQ:

Yes!

However, due to restrictions applied at certain Polish embassies around the world, we have realized that when dealing with embassies in certain countries, there is a high probability of visa rejection. If you are from a non-English speaking country and do not have a passport that allows visa-free travel to Poland, feel free to reach out and we can advise on the likelihood that you may experience visa troubles and the best options to mitigate the risks.

 

**Update 2024**

Due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Poland has suspended all visa operations in the Russian Federation. As such, we are unfortunately unable to accept nationals of Russia at this moment, unless you already have a valid visa or Residence Permit for the EU.

Yes! A Bachelor’s Degree is not a legal requirement to get a visa in order to teach English in Poland, though you must hold a high school/secondary education diploma or equivalent.

Having a TEFL certification or equivalent qualification for your profession is required.

Yes.

The Polish government has announced that, as of January 1st 2021, citizens of the United Kingdom who were not living in Poland prior to 2021 will be treated as non-EU nationals.

Most consulates process visas in less than two weeks, although it’s best to inquire directly with the consulate. Before you apply for the visa, your work permit (or another form of work permission) must be approved, which is a process that can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 5 months, depending on a number of factors. Also bear in mind that wait times for visa appointments can often be long.

For a full overview of the visa process and estimated timelines depending on what program you’re coming on, click here to download our full visa breakdown.

Yes. Polish Type-D Visas and Temporary Residence Permits are valid for temporary leisure travel in all 23 EU countries that make up the Schengen Area, as well as the non-Schengen EU countries of Romania, Bulgaria, and Cyprus. They are also valid for travel to certain non-EU countries in Europe, such as Albania, Serbia, and Georgia.

Note that Polish visas are not valid for travel to the UK or Ireland.

A Type-D Visa and Temporary Residence Permit are two completely different documents, though they both serve the same function: to allow a non-EU citizen to live in Poland for longer than 90 days. The key difference between the two documents is that a Type-D Visa is obtained from Polish embassies and consulates outside of Poland, and comes in the form of a sticker in your passport, while a Temporary Residence Permit is obtained from the Immigration Offices within Poland, and comes in the form of a plastic ID card.

The procedures, required documents, and fees required for each document are also different. As is the validity: Type-D Visas are valid for up to one year, and Temporary Residence Permits are valid for up to 3 years.

As the Temporary Residence Permit is applied for within Poland, in practice, our Wizards who wish to stay in Poland long-term use it as a means to extend their stay beyond the 1-year validity of their Type-D Visa.

If you hold a passport that allows for 90 days of visa-free stay in Poland and the Schengen Area, then yes.

It is possible to apply for a Temporary Residence Permit while in Poland on a 90-day visa-free period, however, though this is a more complex process. We strongly recommend applying for a Type-D Visa from the Polish embassy in your home country if possible.

If your country of citizenship requires a Schengen Tourist Visa to enter Poland and the Schengen Area, applying within Poland is not a possibility. You must obtain a work visa through a Polish consulate in your home country before coming to Poland.

Renewed, yes; extended, no.

Most Wizards come to Poland on a Type-D Visa will then apply for a Temporary Residence Permit shortly before the visa expires, allowing them to stay for a maximum of 3 years beyond the visa’s expiration. There is no limit to how many times a Temporary Residence Permit can be extended.

After 5 years of living in Poland on a visa or Temporary Residence Permit, it is possible to apply for Permanent Residence and Long-Term EU Residence, provided you speak an intermediate level of Polish.

In most cases, yes. Your spouse and dependent children can apply for a visa through the consulate on the basis of being your dependents. Dependent visas can usually be applied for at the same time as your work visa. Having dependent visas will not give your family permission to work in Poland.

You will most likely have to prove to the consulate that you have sufficient financial means to support your dependents for the duration of their stay, as an ESL teacher’s remuneration is generally not considered enough to support a family. English Wizards cannot provide any additional documentation to facilitate the visas or Residence Permits of your dependents.

Arrival Support

Nobody likes to feel alone when moving to a new country, and that’s why English Wizards provides a dedicated team to support our Wizards every step of the way.

Our support team will be there to answer your questions before traveling, pick you up at the airport when you land, and assist you in sorting out the basic necessities during your first few weeks.

What We Offer

A PESEL is Poland's national identification number. It's required for basically everything in Poland. Let's make it easy for you and get your PESEL in less than an hour!

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Obtain PESEL
120

Opening a bank account in Poland as a foreigner doesn't have to be difficult, though navigating the web of requirements can be confusing. Let's get your account open at the best bank in no time!

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Open Bank Account
120

If you have a driving license from your home country that's recognized in Poland (most are) and an International Driving Permit, you can drive here for 6 months, but after that, you're going to need to obtain a Polish driving license. Let us take care of all the dirty work!

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Drivers License
350

many employers will request a police background check from the local authorities here in Poland. This also might be required if you later decide to move to another country that does require foreign police background checks. We'll get it for you in less than an hour!

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Police Certificate
120

Want to meet fellow English teachers, digital nomads, and other expats and have a great time exploring your new home for your first week? Join one of our orientation weeks for a jam-packed week of fun!

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Orientation Week
350

Finding an apartment can be hard if you don't speak the language. Many foreigners end up shelling outrageous sums to real estate agencies for apartments that are already incredibly overpriced for the local market. Let us help you find an apartment for the "local" price, not the expat price!

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Apartment Hunting
295

Arriving with a lot of luggage? Well if you're moving here for good, you probably are! Book an airport transfer through us and avoid the stress of haggling with taxis, lugging your bags around, and trying to find your way out. Offered from every international airport in Poland.

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Airport Pickup
65

Spend your first two weeks in a centrally located youth hostel or full-sized apartment! It's your choice, and we're here to make sure you get the best location and quality.

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Temporary Accommodation
300 - 800
Temporary Accommodation Details:
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Hostel Shared Dorm
Spending your first two weeks in a centrally-located youth hostel can be an extremely affordable – and exciting – way to spend your time in a new city and meet fellow travellers. We work exclusively with respectable, safe, and clean traveller hostels. Complimentary breakfast and lockers are always provided.
300
15 days / 14 nights
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Guesthouse Private Room
Enjoy a splendid balance of privacy and authenticity by spending your first two weeks at a locally owned guesthouse. You’ll have your own lockable room and personal space – while also having the priceless benefit of a local host and a welcoming to the Polish hospitality.
650
15 days / 14 nights
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Private Apartment
Treat yourself to a bit of privacy and luxury for your first two weeks with a temporary private apartment, all to yourself. The centrally located apartment will be your home for two weeks, with all the space you need to cook, live, and work uninterrupted, just as you would at home
800
15 days / 14 nights
FAQ:

Nobody likes to feel alone when moving to a new country, and that’s why English Wizards provides a dedicated team to support our Wizards every step of the way.

Our support team will be there to answer your questions before traveling, pick you up at the airport when you land, and assist you in sorting out the basic necessities during your first few weeks.

Nobody likes to feel alone when moving to a new country, and that’s why English Wizards provides a dedicated team to support our Wizards every step of the way.

Our support team will be there to answer your questions before traveling, pick you up at the airport when you land, and assist you in sorting out the basic necessities during your first few weeks.

Nobody likes to feel alone when moving to a new country, and that’s why English Wizards provides a dedicated team to support our Wizards every step of the way.

Our support team will be there to answer your questions before traveling, pick you up at the airport when you land, and assist you in sorting out the basic necessities during your first few weeks.

Medical & Fitness

When it comes to health, English Wizards take it very seriously! We believe in work life balance, so we not only provide the emergency medical insurance you need for visa's, but we also provide access to Poland's unique Multisport system. A card that permits you access to gyms, saunas, tennis courts, swimming pools, martial arts, dance, and yoga venues.

This is all topped off with Luxmed private medical care plans that allow you easy management of your medical consultations, e-prescriptions, and much more.

You're in safe hands.

Medical & Fitness Packages
Emergency insurance
Emergency medical insurance is a “must-have” for anyone living, or even just traveling overseas. With emergency insurance, you’ll be financially covered if the worst was to happen. The plan provided through this package meets the requirements for non-EU citizens looking to get a work visa and/ or residence permit.
from160Per Year
  • Covers medical expenses in the event of an accident or sudden illness
  • Meets the medical insurance requirements for the work visa and residence permit
  • Emergency coverage of up to €30,000 in expenses
Private Medical insurance
For those that want a fully comprehensive medical insurance package, this is the package for you. With private medical insurance, you can rest assured knowing that a free appointment with any English-speaking doctor or specialist is never more than a quick phone call away.
from40Per Month
  • Access to private medical facilities at over 1000 clinics and hospitals around Poland with English-speaking doctors
  • Unlimited visits to physicians and most medical specialists
  • Routine vaccinations
  • Laboratory and Imaging services
  • Dental care
  • Consultations with a psychologist or psychiatrist
  • Emergency home visits
Psychotherapy
This package aim to offer a holistic approach to mental health treatment by combining various therapeutic modalities, tools, and additional support services. See more here.
from35Per Session
  • Initial assessment
  • Therapy sessions
  • Individualized treatment plan
  • Access to additional resources
Multisport
This package provides individuals with access to multiple sports facilities or activities
from35Per Month
  • Free access to over 4,800 sports, fitness, and outdoor recreation facilities in Poland
  • More than just a gym membership – facilities also include dance studios, yoga classes, tennis courts, saunas, climbing gyms, ice rinks, water parks, martial arts studios, bike and kayak rentals, paintball, and more! See the full list of facilities available with Multisport.
  • Unlimited plans available with zero monthly limits to usage or additional fees
FAQ:

Our Accommodation Packages provide a range of affordable, quality-assured options to spend your first 2 weeks in Poland (and longer if necessary) at conveniently located guesthouses that you can book through us at an affordable flat rate.

For those coming for our Internship Programs or orientation week, these packages give you a convenient place to live, shared with other Wizards, and within walking distance to everything.

Our Accommodation Packages provide a range of affordable, quality-assured options to spend your first 2 weeks in Poland (and longer if necessary) at conveniently located guesthouses that you can book through us at an affordable flat rate.

For those coming for our Internship Programs or orientation week, these packages give you a convenient place to live, shared with other Wizards, and within walking distance to everything.

Our Accommodation Packages provide a range of affordable, quality-assured options to spend your first 2 weeks in Poland (and longer if necessary) at conveniently located guesthouses that you can book through us at an affordable flat rate.

For those coming for our Internship Programs or orientation week, these packages give you a convenient place to live, shared with other Wizards, and within walking distance to everything.

Work & Finance

Our Accommodation Packages provide a range of affordable, quality-assured options to spend your first 2 weeks in Poland (and longer if necessary) at conveniently located guesthouses that you can book through us at an affordable flat rate.

For those coming for our Internship Programs or orientation week, these packages give you a convenient place to live, shared with other Wizards, and within walking distance to everything.

Work & Finance Packages
Job Assist
Poland has one of the ripest job markets in Europe for English-speaking professionals. Whether you're fresh out of university or well into your career and looking for a senior-level position, you're bound to have plenty of options here! Even if you don't speak Polish and don't have an EU passport.

Though the recruitment process in Poland works very differently than it does outside of Europe, and if you aren't an EU citizen, finding the right options can be tough even though they are out there. Let our professional career counselors at English Wizards, with over a decade of experience in the industry, assist you in getting yourself ready and guiding you through the job market in Poland.

295
  • Full review and revising of your CV, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile
  • Individualized consultation on potential job prospects and the Polish job market
  • One-on-one coaching to prepare you for interviews, salary and contract negotiation, and dealing with Polish HR departments
Accounting
Although Poland offers one of Europe's most favorable tax regimes for freelancers, the tax system can be a bit complicated and requires regular monthly reporting and compliance. It can be so complex that even Polish locals typically pay for an accountant to do the dirty work every month!
fromPLN300per month
  • Monthly tax and ZUS filing
  • Calculation of tax and ZUS payments due
  • End-of-year tax filing
  • Access to our simple online invoice generation and management system, available in English
  • Access to our simple online invoice generation and management system, available in English
  • Support from our native English speaking staff to answer all your questions about taxes and business matters
  • Reports and updates in the government business registry system as necessary
Virtual Mailing Address
If you're a digital nomad with no permanent home in Poland or would just prefer not to have government mail coming to your personal address, a virtual address can be an excellent solution! Our accounting team have a registered business address which you can use to have mail or packages shipped from overseas, register your business, and use for formal correspondence. We'll forward everything to you electronically straight away, and of course physically if need be!
299Per Year
  • Mailing Address
  • Mail and Package Handling
  • Privacy and Professionalism
  • Access to Additional Services
  • Digital Mail Management
Company Registration
Poland can be an incredibly enticing country to start a business in, given its low tax rates, booming economy, and easy access to the European Single Market. Unlike many other countries in the EU, foreigners can start a business in Poland as an LLC, foundation, association, or partnership with very few restrictions.
from1195
  • Name availability check
  • Documentation preparation
  • Legal and compliance guidance
  • Notorizations, and translations
  • Timely updates and notifications:
  • Post-registration support
  • Additional Requirements:
  • - 5K PLN minimum share capital required
FAQ:

Well, tax laws in Poland are fairly strict on this.

Polish law requires a monthly ledger to be kept, and tax and social security payments to be made and reported each month based on income. This is all fairly complicated, and even most Polish citizens who work as freelancers pay for accountants to manage things for them.

Trust us – as a foreigner who doesn’t speak the language and isn’t too familiar with the bureaucracy here, having an accountant who speaks fluent English will make things a whole lot easier for you and less stressful!

All foreigners can conduct business in the following forms, on the same grounds as Polish citizens:

  • registered partnership
  • limited joint-stock partnership
  • limited liability company
  • joint stock company

A Limited Liability Company (sp. z o.o as it’s called in Polish) is by far the most popular option for foreigners and Poles alike.

Other types of businesses are available to certain categories of foreigners, including:

  • EU citizens
  • US citizens
  • Ukrainian citizens
  • Spouses of Polish and EU citizens
  • Students and graduates of Polish university programs
  • EU blue card holders

Among the categories of businesses that are more restrictive for foreigners, the most popular is a sole trader (jednoosobowa działalność gospodarcza).

Well – just about anything!

 

Contact info

Have any questions about our programs or want to know more about English Wizards? Fill out the form and we will get back to you in the next 24 hours.