VISAS FOR RUSSIANS

Visas for Russians – detailed information

Many European Union countries, including Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, have introduced a ban on Russians entering on Schengen visas. This makes it increasingly difficult for Russian citizens to travel abroad. Only 29 per cent of Russians hold a foreign passport. By contrast, only 2 per cent of citizens hold Schengen visas.

However, this amounts to nearly 2.9 million people.

In this article, you will learn:

• Is it possible for a Russian citizen to take up employment in Poland on a tourist visa?
• How can you obtain a visa on the basis of a civil partnership?
• Does marriage to a Polish woman or man allow a Russian citizen to enter Poland?

A Russian national taking up employment on a tourist visa

A Russian national who wishes to work legally in Poland must meet all of the following conditions:

• hold a residence permit entitling them to work (Schengen visa, national visa, residence card);
• a work permit for Poland;
• a declaration of entrusting work to a foreign national, entered in the register of declarations;
• a seasonal work permit;
• a certificate confirming that an application for a seasonal work permit has been entered in the register of applications.

A tourist visa (01) does not entitle the holder to take up employment in Poland. A temporary residence permit on the grounds of circumstances requiring a short-term stay (for tourism purposes). It is worth noting that an employer wishing to employ a foreign national is obliged to check whether the foreign national holds a valid residence permit entitling them to work in Poland. In addition, the employer should keep a copy of such a document on their premises for the entire duration of the foreign national’s employment.

Visas for Russians – how to obtain a work visa?

If a Russian national wishes to take up employment in Poland, they must apply at the consulate for a work visa. Only then will they be able to reside and work legally in our country.

A Russian national may obtain a visa on the basis of:

• a work permit;
•  a certificate confirming that an application for a seasonal work permit has been entered in the register of applications;
• a declaration by the employer regarding the assignment of work to a foreign national, entered in the register of declarations by the district labour office.

Civil partnership and a Type D work visa 

This depends on whether the country in question recognises a registered civil partnership as equivalent to marriage. In such a situation, a Russian citizen wishing to enter Poland may find the process easier. European Union countries do not automatically grant the right of entry to their territory, but they may consider such an application.

A Russian citizen is required to hold a valid passport. In addition, they will be asked to present an entry visa at the border. And this is where the problems begin, as many European Union countries refuse to issue Schengen visas to Russian citizens. Consequently, this prevents them from crossing the border.

How do you apply for an entry visa for short stays of up to 90 days?

To apply for a residence visa, you must first go to the consulate or embassy of the country to which you wish to travel. Please note that you can also apply for a visa to Poland in countries other than your country of origin, but you must hold a temporary residence permit in the country where you are applying for the visa. If a Russian citizen is travelling with a partner from an EU country, the visa application will be processed fairly quickly. No fees are charged for this. For countries within the Schengen Area, this takes up to 15 days. In other countries, however, a residence visa should be issued as soon as possible.

Type D work visa for Russians – a long-stay visa

An entry visa is one thing. Another matter is the Type D work visa. This is a national, long-term visa. It is issued to those intending to stay in Poland for longer than 90 days. The maximum validity period of a Type D visa is one year. This visa for Russian nationals allows a Russian citizen to stay in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within any 180-day period, without having to apply for another visa.

The fact that a Type D visa entitles the holder to take up employment in Poland is indicated by one of the following codes:

• ‘05a’ – for the purpose of working on the basis of a declaration entrusting work to a foreign national, entered in the register by the district labour office
• ‘05b’ – for the purpose of carrying out seasonal work
• “06” – for the purpose of performing work not covered by the above visas, i.e. most commonly on the basis of a work permit.

Marriage to a Polish citizen and the entry of a Russian citizen into Poland

Marriage does not exempt a person from the obligation to obtain the documents necessary for entry. The situation differs depending on whether the stay is short-term or permanent. If a Russian citizen comes to Poland to join their spouse for less than a year, they should obtain a type D national visa. However, if they wish to stay in Poland permanently, they should hold:

• a valid passport;
• a biometric passport, if they come from a country covered by the visa-free regime for Poland;-remove
• visa/residence card

The foreign national may then submit an application to the provincial office with jurisdiction over their place of residence for a temporary residence permit on the grounds of marriage to a Polish citizen. The final step is to apply for permanent residence in Poland or for Polish citizenship.

We invite you to consult us on this matter!