On April 15, 2022, the Act of April 8, 2022, amending the Act on Assistance to Ukrainian Citizens in Connection with the Armed Conflict in the Territory of Ukraine and Certain Other Acts entered into force. This legal act introduced a number of changes concerning foreigners residing in Poland. A significant change in the legalization of stay and work is the introduction of provisions suspending the deadline for resolving cases pending before voivodes regarding:
- Granting a temporary residence permit, permanent residence permit and long-term EU resident residence permit;
- Changes to the temporary residence and work permit and changes to the Blue Card permit;
- Withdrawal of a temporary residence permit, permanent residence permit, or long-term EU resident permit.
The deadline, in accordance with the provisions of the aforementioned Act, is suspended until December 31, 2022. This means that the body before which the proceedings are pending is exempt from liability for inaction and excessive delay in connection with proceedings pending during the suspension period . This change is intended to relieve the burden on regional offices, which are receiving significantly more applications due to the war in Ukraine. The introduced solutions are intended to provide time for administrative procedures to be adapted to enable the most efficient operation possible in the current situation.
What's crucial, however, is that this change doesn't mean that cases won't be considered by offices. Proceedings can still be pending before the relevant authorities. Despite the suspension of the deadline, applications for the aforementioned permits can still be submitted. However, there is certainly a risk that this will increase the duration of the proceedings.
In summary, it's worth noting that the change described does not directly impact the application procedure for the aforementioned permit. It primarily affects public administration bodies, not foreigners, for whom the main difference may be an extended waiting time for a decision.
This alert is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
