Moving to Poland from Germany: Rules for EU Citizens
Vathanakone Prakosay · Updated on
In short: Moving to Poland from Germany takes no visa for EU citizens, but two registrations: your residence with the voivode and your address with the municipality. Health cover, pensions and taxes follow their own rules. This guide lists deadlines and offices as of 25 October 2026.
What do EU citizens need for moving to Poland from Germany?
EU citizens need a valid travel document and nothing more for entry. For the first three months, Poland cannot ask you for a residence document. After that, two separate registrations apply, each with its own office and deadline.
This guide is written for people who live in Germany and plan to settle in Poland. It follows the order of the steps and names the official page behind every figure. If a page shows no date, the text says "retrieved 25 October 2026". People from outside the EU face different rules; the checked sources cover EU citizens, so this guide stays with them.
Requirements at a glance
| Topic | Rule | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Passport, ID card or a provisional document, valid for the whole stay | German Federal Foreign Office, 25 Oct 2026 |
| First three months | No residence document can be demanded | Your Europe, 1 Jul 2026 |
| Residence registration | No later than the day after the three months end; voivode; free of charge | Polish Ministry of the Interior, retrieved 25 Oct 2026 |
| Address registration | By the 30th day of residence; municipality; free of charge | gov.pl, 11 Mar 2026 |
| PESEL number | Issued automatically with an address registration over 30 days | gov.pl, 23 Mar 2026 |
| Health insurance | Voluntary NFZ cover from 845.67 PLN a month (Jul to Sep 2026) | NFZ, 9 Sep 2026 |
| Work | No work permit for EU citizens | Your Europe, 14 Oct 2026 |
| Buying property | No permit from the Interior Minister for EEA citizens | Polish Ministry of the Interior, retrieved 25 Oct 2026 |
Which documents do you need to enter Poland from Germany?
German citizens can enter with a passport, an ID card, a provisional passport, a provisional ID card or a child passport. The document must stay valid for the entire stay, says the Federal Foreign Office.
Poland has run border checks on the German border since July 2025. Carry your ID on every crossing. Dual German-Polish citizens use a Polish document, because Polish law treats them as Polish citizens.
For the opposite direction, see Moving to Germany. The German address rules appear in Register your address in Germany.
How do you register your residence in Poland?
You register with the voivode, the regional state office, once you stay longer than three months. The deadline is the day after the three months end. You appear in person; in justified cases such as illness the office can waive this. The registration costs nothing. If documents are missing, the office grants at least seven days to add them.
What the office asks for depends on your situation. The Ministry of the Interior lists a form, four biometric photos that are at most six months old, and the original travel document. On top come proofs for your group.
| Group | Proof |
|---|---|
| Employees | Employment contract, pay certificate or employer statement |
| Self-employed | Proof of the business activity |
| Not working | Enough funds and comprehensive health insurance |
| Students | Enough funds and comprehensive health insurance |
The office cannot force you to show bank statements, says the Your Europe FAQ (1 July 2026). Job seekers may stay up to six months without meeting the usual conditions. After that they must show that they search actively and have a real chance of a job.
Without a registration, a fine is possible. Your Europe states that nobody can be expelled for this reason alone, and the penalty has to be proportionate. No source names an amount.
How do you register your address in Poland?
The address registration runs separately at the municipality. EU and EFTA citizens must register by the 30th day of residence in Poland (gov.pl, 11 March 2026). Stays up to 30 days need no registration. You can register online with a trusted profile or a qualified electronic signature. Without a PESEL number you go to the office in person.
Registering costs nothing. A certificate for a temporary registration costs 17 PLN, and nothing if the online registration is automatic (gov.pl, 11 March 2026).
One person cannot hold two permanent addresses or two temporary addresses at the same time. A permanent plus a temporary address is possible. Whether a German registration counts, the page does not say.
What you need to bring
The lists come from two offices and differ by procedure.
- Residence registration: form, four biometric photos, original travel document
- Proof for your group: contract, proof of self-employment, or insurance plus funds
- Address registration: travel document, lease or land register extract, landlord confirmation
- Without landlord confirmation: an application with your own statement
Ask the voivode and the municipality for the current lists before your appointment.
Do you get a PESEL number when you move to Poland?
Yes, if you register your address for more than 30 days. The office then assigns the PESEL number automatically (gov.pl, 23 March 2026). Without a registration, any municipality accepts an application with a form, a handwritten signature, an ID and the legal ground. This application is free. The page does not list EU citizens among the people who must apply in person, so the municipality can confirm the exact route.
How do you get health cover in Poland?
For short stays the EHIC is enough. It covers treatment that cannot wait until you go home, and it does not cover private care, planned treatment or the return transport. Without the card you are not turned away, but you may have to pay first and claim a refund later. The Federal Foreign Office strongly advises a travel health insurance with repatriation.
If you live in Poland and have no compulsory insurance, you can join the National Health Fund (NFZ) voluntarily. Four conditions apply: residence in Poland, no compulsory cover, no status as a covered family member, and no protection in the public system of another EU or EFTA state. The contribution is 9 % of the assessment base, with a minimum of 845.67 PLN a month for July to September 2026. It is due by the 20th of the following month.
A gap in cover of more than three months triggers a surcharge. For gaps from three months to one year it is at least 1,879.27 PLN (NFZ, 9 September 2026). Your coverage ends 30 days after the contract ends, and the contract ends after one month of unpaid contributions. The German view of insurance appears in Health insurance when moving to Germany.
Can you keep your German pension in Poland?
Yes. The German Pension Insurance pays pensions to EU states. With periods in both countries, one application is enough and each state pays its part. A yearly proof of life can apply in some countries; the checked sources do not say whether Poland belongs to them.
Whether Poland taxes a German state pension, no checked source tells. Your Europe notes that each country has its own rules for taxing state pensions from abroad. You count as a Polish tax resident if your centre of vital interests lies in Poland or you stay more than 183 days in the tax year, subject to tax treaties. Residents pay Polish tax on worldwide income.
Can you work in Poland and do you need recognition of your degree?
EU citizens work in Poland without a work permit. Regulated professions need a decision from the competent authority, and only a positive decision allows practice. Doctors and pharmacists need enough Polish; their chambers run a language exam unless the degree was taught in Polish. The Polish authority confirms receipt within one month and decides within three months, which can be extended by one month (biznes.gov.pl, 24 October 2022).
Employers register employees with the social insurance institution ZUS within seven days. The self-employed register themselves in the same time. Tax rates and fees on those pages date from 2022 and are not repeated here.
Can EU citizens buy property in Poland?
Yes. Citizens of the European Economic Area do not need a permit from the Interior Minister, even for a home in the border zone. The exemption also covers shares in real estate companies for EEA and Swiss citizens. Buyers from outside the EEA do need a permit. For farmland, check with the authority or a notary before you buy. The checked pages say nothing about the purchase process, rent law or property taxes.
Where can you read more?
For other destinations, use the Countries overview. The German sections of this site cover the single Polish steps: residence, address, PESEL, health insurance, pension and work. If you plan to return, Moving to Germany explains the way back.
Frequently asked questions
Do EU citizens need a visa for Poland?
No. A valid passport or ID card is enough for entry (Federal Foreign Office, 25 October 2026).
When must I register my address in Poland?
EU and EFTA citizens register by the 30th day of residence. Stays up to 30 days need no registration.
When must I register my residence?
No later than the day after the first three months end. The voivode handles it and charges nothing.
How do I get a PESEL number?
It is assigned automatically with an address registration over 30 days. Otherwise apply at any municipality, free of charge.
Can I join the Polish health fund?
Yes, voluntarily, if you live in Poland and have no other cover. The minimum is 845.67 PLN a month for July to September 2026.
Do I need a permit to buy a flat?
No. EEA citizens are exempt from the Interior Minister's permit, also in the border zone.
Sources
- German Federal Foreign Office: Poland, travel and safety advice, 2026 (As of: 25 Oct 2026)
- Your Europe: Registering your residence, 2026 (As of: checked 1 Jul 2026)
- Your Europe: Registering residence, FAQ, 2026 (As of: 1 Jul 2026)
- Polish Ministry of the Interior: Registration of residence, 2026 (As of: retrieved 25 Oct 2026)
- gov.pl: Address registration for foreigners, 2026 (As of: 11 Mar 2026)
- gov.pl: PESEL number for foreigners, 2026 (As of: 23 Mar 2026)
- NFZ: Voluntary health insurance, 2026 (As of: 9 Sep 2026)
- Your Europe: Temporary stays, unplanned healthcare, 2026 (As of: checked 16 Sep 2026)
- German Pension Insurance: Liaison office Poland, 2026 (As of: retrieved 25 Oct 2026)
- Polish tax administration: Residents, 2026 (As of: updated 5 Oct 2026)
- Your Europe: Pensions (German page), 2026 (As of: checked 2026)
- Your Europe: Working abroad, 2026 (As of: checked 14 Oct 2026)
- biznes.gov.pl: Recognition of professional qualifications, 2022 (As of: 24 Oct 2022)
- biznes.gov.pl: Registration with social insurance ZUS, 2022 (As of: 9 Nov 2022)
- Polish Ministry of the Interior: Frequently asked questions, 2026 (As of: retrieved 25 Oct 2026)
- Polish Ministry of the Interior: Permit to acquire real estate, 2026 (As of: retrieved 25 Oct 2026)
General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the linked official pages before you act.
Author: Vathanakone Prakosay · Updated on October 25, 2026
