Ambassador Jonathan Knott
Dear UK nationals in Poland,
Following developments over the last week, I wanted to write to update you on the situation around the UK's departure from the EU. And to offer some advice.
The UK and EU have agreed to extend the deadline for the UK's Exit from the EU. The terms of the extension mean that the new exit day will be 31 January 2020, although the UK's withdrawal could take place earlier if a deal is ratified by both sides. For the period of this extension, the UK will continue to hold full membership rights and UK nationals will retain their full EU citizenship rights. So if you are a UK national living in Poland now, nothing has changed.
In the absence of a deal, or a further extension, the legal default remains that the UK will leave the EU on 31 January 2020 with no deal. So it is still important to be ready for that. If you have not already done so, we recommend that you follow the steps below to ensure you are prepared:
Make sure you are registered with your local Voivode office.
If you want to learn more about your residency and steps you need to take, please check the Polish Office for Foreigners' Brexit webpage. Please remember that if you are in doubt - you should go and check with your local Voivode Office whether you are correctly registered.
Exchange your UK driving licence for a Polish one if you are living in Poland for more than 6 months.
If you have a paper driving licence, you must exchange it soon - in a "no deal" scenario, paper driving licences will not be valid in Poland after Brexit.
Make sure you are registered for healthcare in Poland, unless you wish to pay for private healthcare.
You should check with ZUS if you are correctly paying contributions in Poland. There are some useful links where you can find more information about your access to healthcare in Poland and the UK:
- The Polish National Health Fund (NFZ) Brexit webpage
- How to make voluntary contributions in Poland (in Polish)
- UK government website about healthcare in Poland
- Living in Poland guide
Check if your passport is valid for travel.
You should have at least 6 months of validity on your passport. If you are unsure whether you have enough time on your passport, you should use our passport checker tool.
Returning to the UK.
Make sure you have checked what rules apply to any non-British family members if you decide to return to the UK with your family in the future. There are several webpages on gov.uk were you can find more information which applies in both a deal and no deal scenario.
Travelling with pets.
There might be changes to the rules around travelling with pets after Brexit. You should contact your vet at least 4 months before travelling and check if your pet has all arrangements at place. You should also read our guidance.
Take steps where necessary to ensure your professional qualifications are recognised in Poland before Brexit.
To access the latest advice, please visit our Living in Poland guide where you will find the details about your rights as the UK leaves the EU. When you visit this webpage, you will find there an option of signing up for our email alerts. We recommend you register for these updates as you will be notified about the latest information and developments regarding Brexit.
