Hi there, community!

As I saw way too many times people, even Poles-themselves wondering how comes the Polish passport is so desirable by non-EU persons I'd like to make a little breakdown of A) Why is it regarded high up the passport's ranks and B) What does contribute to it's power. As you might've guessed there is no simple answer, but I've tried to simplify it as much as possible!

(*) - references

1) Why is it considered strong?

- the Polish passport does allow visa free/visa on arrival/e-visa to around ~190 countries and territories according to Henley Passport Index(*1). It's an outstanding number, putting it in top the 10 (quite often in top3 or top5) in almost every passport's ranking imaginable.

- Freedom of Movement within the EEA-EFTA block (*2) (second biggest market in the world), all the paperwork and hustle is reduced to minimum for those planning to work/live/study in the countries of the block.

- Vocational work/travel/exchange programs available for the younger folks, like - Work and Travel in the US, similar programs in Australia, Canada, South America, East Asia etc...

2) What are the factors contributing to the Polish passport's power?

- First of all the so-called reciprocity mechanism of the Schengen area(*3), putting it simply it's the EU's requirement to get all the Schengen countries citizens Visa-free access to a third country if there be arrangements between the block and the third party: example - Poland doesn't have to worry about not having diplomatic relations with the "X" country, if there are visa free arrangements between the block and "X" The Schengen block will make sure to get the visa-free privileges for all the citizens.

- The Polish population is rather old, the average age in Poland in 2025 being - 42.5 years old(*4), and will get even older in the upcoming years. The older folks don't tend to migrate (*5) to or stay illegally in a third-country. So, there are smaller risks for the accepting side (whatever country outside of the EU or the Schengen area). Thus, letting polish tourists in doesn't present serious illegal-migration threats.

- Economic Development of Poland: It's getting richer by day(*6), and unemployment is again near all-time lows(*7), this further reduces the emigration from Poland,

Taking the above-mentioned into account it's no wonder the Polish Passport is strong as it is!

*As I said It's a really long topic and I simplified it to almost an inexcusable degree, otherwise it could've gotten get even more boring if to dig deeper in it. 😅 Please do add what you think I might have missed or correct me if you think I'm wrong.
Peace!

References:

*1) https://www.henleyglobal.com/passport-index/ranking
*2) https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/democracy-eu-citizenship-anti-corruption/free-movement-and-residence_en
*3) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/memo_18_6822
*4) https://www.worldometers.info/demographics/poland-demographics/
*5) https://wol.iza.org/uploads/articles/99/pdfs/impact-of-aging-on-scale-of-migration.pdf
*6) https://tradingeconomics.com/poland/gdp-growth-annual
*7) https://www.gov.pl/web/family/the-statistics-poland-confirmed-our-estimates-unemployment-in-april-2024-is-the-lowest-in-30-years

Wrocław Nadodrze has these vibes too! And it's beautiful. Who knows about the murals of Nadodrze?

Cześć i dzień dobry!

My adult children and I are currently in the queue for Polish citizenship. My father was deported by the Nazis in 1941 and never returned to Poland. Pursuing citizenship is something I have wanted to do for years, but I only recently discovered more of my father’s papers to help with the process. My father grew up in a very small village in southeastern Poland.

To my dismay, my father did not teach me Polish except for a few words and phrases (I actually heard more Dutch as a child growing up with Belgian grandparents) but I remember him speaking it with his Polish friends. It’s such a beautiful language but so complicated. I’m currently using Duolingo to learn the basics and I realize, even if I lived in Poland, I would probably always struggle. But I want to try as much as I can. Google Translate is always there too :-)

I’m 62F and looking at retirement within the next few years, or if things in the US go totally sideways quickly, in the next year. Poland is on my list of places to live, but with my language barrier, I’m wondering if even trying would be too much. I do still have some relatives in Poland (Zagan). I’m an adventurous person and have moved many times in my life, recently moving to Chicago without much of a support system. If the citizenship is confirmed, I plan on reaching out locally to find a Polish tutor.

How accepting are Poles regarding retired Americans? I realize with Polish citizenship I could look for a job (I’m an accountant with an MBA), but I feel like that’s unrealistic if I’m not fluent in Polish. I will have the financial means to retire without relying on any government assistance.

Even though I was born and raised in the US, my family’s culture was heavily influenced by Belgian and Polish culture. I didn’t really fit in with average American girls growing up. I’ve always identified more with Europeans (probably because immigrants were always in my family’s social circle) and I don’t understand the current US administration’s animosity towards Europe. (Personally, I think they’re envious). I’ve always enjoyed learning languages (my French is passable) and would enjoy the challenge of immersion in the language and culture. I live in a very ethnically Eastern European neighborhood here in Chicago (Ukrainian Village) and I chose it because it felt comfortable and familiar to me.

So, any advice or insights anyone can offer would be appreciated. I’m used to living in a large city (Chicago), so living in a rural area probably wouldn’t be the best for me. Ideally, I’d prefer a city that is bike-friendly and has public transportation so I don’t need a car. And access to libraries with books in English. I understand Warsaw is expensive, so perhaps Krakow or Rzeszów (not far from where my father grew up)? Any information regarding the details of setting up bank accounts, utilities, and general bureaucratic processes would be greatly appreciated. Are there any local businesses that help immigrants do these things? I plan to visit soon.

I don’t know what my children’s plans are regarding immigration. I think they are waiting to see how our political situation goes. My daughter is receiving a PhD in biogeochemistry next month (she’s a climate scientist) and her postdoc opportunities are becoming limited in the US. My other children work in law or tech, all with post-graduate degrees.

Thank you for any responses :-) Dziękuję

Would love to own an apartment in Poland and i'm from EU as well

Hi everyone,

I’m reaching out for some much-needed guidance and support because I feel completely stuck and overwhelmed. I moved to Poland for work in November 2024 under a contract with a Polish-based company, but all my visa and work permit matters are handled by an umbrella (middleman) company. Here’s the situation:

When I arrived, I was on a valid Schengen visa (from another EU country), but that expired in December.

My work permit was still being processed at that time and only got issued recently.

Because of the gap (3 months) between my Schengen visa expiring and my work permit being granted, my residence permit application in Poland is now stuck. They’ve told me it may take up to six months to sort out, which feels like an eternity in this stressful limbo.

The umbrella company claims they submitted my residence permit application in Warsaw but won’t give me any clear information or updates. I don’t know:

Which voivodeship they actually applied to,

What the current application status is,

Any details about the new visa situation, or

An accurate process timeline.

They recently told me that the process is delayed until May 2025, but I have no idea if that’s true—or just another vague statement.

I feel powerless and anxious because I can’t even leave Poland (or the EU) in case of an emergency, and I’m stuck here without a valid stamp in my passport. It also prevents me from exploring other job opportunities or traveling back home if something happens. It’s like my life is in a holding pattern, and it’s taking a huge toll on me emotionally and financially.

Has anyone else been in a similar situation with an umbrella company or faced similar delays when applying for a Polish residence permit? I’m desperate for any advice on how to get more transparent updates, push the process along, or at least get confirmation that things are truly moving forward.

Any tips or shared experiences would mean the world to me right now. Thank you so much for reading, and I appreciate any support or guidance you can offer.

https://krakow.wyborcza.pl/krakow/7,44425,31803952,redukcje-w-hsbc-i-gdzie-jeszcze-w-krakowie-zwolnienia-grupowe.html

Hi all, I have the possibility of moving out to Poland for a few year contract. However, some have warned me about all the talk related to war coming in to Poland... are these legitimate concerns, or is this overextended? If I move, I would like somewhere near the city of Lodz.

me and 3 buddies (19yrs old) are going to gdansk now in easter. any recommendations for clubs or what to do already going to watch lechiq gdansk football

Has anybody been on May 2nd for example? Is it mega busy or will it be okay because people tend to travel during the holidays?

I'm an American college student studying an old (1948) Polish-American recipe book. It has a section containing "Dairy Dishes" (written as POTRAWY MLECZNE I MĄCZNE in Polish). These recipes don't always contain milk/dairy products, but every recipe happens to include eggs.

Is there any reason that a Polish recipe book would refer to egg dishes as 'dairy'?

Cześć,

Razem z czterema znajomymi planujemy wybrać się na finał Pucharu Polski w Warszawie. Bardzo chcielibyśmy zobaczyć to wydarzenie na żywo!

Słyszeliśmy, że bilety mają trafić do sprzedaży 10 kwietnia, ale niestety nie udało nam się znaleźć informacji, o której godzinie dokładnie ruszy sprzedaż.

Nie jesteśmy obywatelami Polski ani członkami żadnego z klubów – czy to może być problem przy zakupie biletów online?

Byłoby super, gdybyście mogli podzielić się swoimi doświadczeniami lub dać jakieś wskazówki, jak najlepiej zdobyć bilety.

Z góry bardzo dziękuję za pomoc!

Hi guys! I recently asked a similar question for Warsaw and Krakow but in the end i will spend my easter in Poznan.

I am wondering if restaurants (Bar a boo for example) will be open on Easter Monday, 21 april

Praktyki zawodowe do mojego zawodu szybko zamieniły się w robotę za które nie mam płacone nawet złotówki.To są moje pierwsze praktyki i nie rozumiem jak można komuś kazać wykonywać pracę od rana do godziny 14:00 i nie płacić za to wszystko.Moje obowiązki to wypełnianie papierologii i patrolowanie obiektu pracy,jeżeli znowu dostanę do wypełnienia 8 dzienników po 135 stron każdy to zamierzam zakończyć tę praktyki i zobaczyć co dalej.

Hello,

I am currently traveling in Poland by car. From what I know EVs are still exempt from paid parking zones due to Article 13 of the Polish Public Roads Act. Bigger cities like Warsaw, Wroclaw, Krakow, etc. have websites where it's stated what exactly has to be done in each city, sometimes it is sending an email with the plate to a specific email address.

Unfortunately I cannot find such information for Świnoujście or other towns in Western Pomerania.
I checked https://ka.swinoujscie.pl/spp-od-1-maja-2024/cennik-spp/instrukcja-zakupu-biletu (with Google Translate) but found nothing. Parkopedia shows free EV parking in the paid zones A/B but no further information.

Can anyone tell me if I need to buy a ticket or have to do anything to be exempt from paid parking?
Thanks!

I’m American with some Polish on my mom’s side. We do this thing on Easter that allegedly comes through the Polish side where we eat a tablespoon of horseradish to symbolize burning away the sin and then take a bite of a hard boiled egg to symbolize rebirth.

Anybody else do this? Is this a Polish thing or just my family’s thing?

(Kielbasa, pierogis, and sauerkraut are also a part of this)