Since 2008, citizens of the CIS and Baltic countries can receive a special document - the Pole Map. What it is? What privileges does he give to the owner? It should be said that a lot of myths have developed about the last question. Say, a Pole card is equivalent to a visa or a permit for permanent residence. In this article, we will try to study what is true and what is myth. We will also tell you how to get a Pole Card, what stages this long process involves and what information you need to take into account in order to avoid denial at the Consulate.
How did this type of document come about?
After some territories of Poland were part of the Russian Empire, many of its citizens were resettled to the east. People were exiled to hard labor in Siberia, and after the Second World War, the borders between Poland and the USSR moved west. Mazovsh and Subcarpathia became part of Belarus and Ukraine. The Pole card (Karta polaka) is a document which is intended to return to those who have not yet lost their cultural and spiritual ties with their historical homeland, some of the rights that their compatriots have. It was adopted during the presidency of Lech Kaczynski and began to be issued to citizens of the Baltic republics and CIS countries since 2008.
Who can apply for a Card?
As follows from the logic of the development of the document, it is issued to ethnic Poles, and only to those who feel that they are. “You have so long carried a white eagle in the heart (the symbol of the country that is present in its coat of arms),” said Lech Kaczynski, “that now the motherland is handing you a document with it.” To prove that you feel like a Pole, you need to demonstrate knowledge of the language, history, geography, political structure of this country. You also need to prove your family roots. It is enough to have at least one great-grandfather or great-grandmother in the family tree (with documentary evidence of their Polish origin and your relationship with them) to qualify for the Pole Card. There is a myth that it is necessary to have living relatives in the territory of this country. It is not true. How to get a Pole Card if your ancestors born on the territory of this state have already died? In this case, contact the archive with a request for an extract.
What benefits does this document provide?
In addition to deep moral satisfaction in connection with the reunion of spiritual ties with the homeland, the Pole Card gives its owner a number of privileges. The main one is the opportunity to get a long-term multiple entry visa for free. You can stay in the country at least 365 days a year! True, this visa on the Pole Map is not Schengen, and you can be fined and deported for crossing the western cordons of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth . Also, the Pole Card holder has the right to legally work without additional permission. Along with citizens, such a person can engage in entrepreneurial activity, receive free education at all levels, and in emergency cases, and medical assistance. If you are subject to any laws of the country that provide benefits (for pensioners, people with disabilities, etc.), you can use the 37% discount when buying train tickets and visit Polish museums for free.
How long is the document issued
The Pole Card is valid for ten years. Three months before the end of this period, you must contact the Consulate with a corresponding application for an extension. How to get a Pole Card for a child? If both parents have this document, then no problems should arise. If the child is too small, the parents are asking. In the case when a minor is already 16 years old, he himself expresses a desire to receive this document. If only one of the parents has the Pole Card, the second, in the presence of the Consul, agrees to issue this document to his son or daughter. When a child reaches adulthood, the Pole Card, regardless of when it is issued, expires after one year. In order to extend it for ten years, a person who has already become an adult must apply to the Consulate with a corresponding application. The document also ceases to be valid when a person obtains Polish citizenship. This also happens in the case of a legal residence permit in this country.
Registration on the Pole Card
Now consider the long, but not complicated process of obtaining this coveted document. First you need to register, that is, make an appointment for an interview. This must be done at the place of residence. For example, if you are registered in Grodno, then the Polish Embassy in Minsk will not accept you. Each consular department has its own rules for registering citizens. Somewhere this can only be done by telephone. But in Ukraine you need to register on the site. The questionnaire, which must be completed in Polish, can also be downloaded via the Internet. Indication of the date and time of the interview comes to the applicant's electronic mailbox. As a rule, it should take place a few months after registration.
Interview on Pole Map
Do not be afraid of him! You will not be forced to recite Mitskevich’s poems by heart (although, to hit the consul, it does not bother to learn at least a short passage). As the law on the Pole Card says, a person applying for this document needs to demonstrate at least basic command of spoken Polish, as well as a superficial knowledge of the traditions and customs of the people. Consuls who accept an interview behave in a friendly and “do not fail”. The conversation is conducted in a relaxed tone. They are asked to tell about themselves why you want the Pole Map, what do you know about the region. It is enough to talk about the main cities, mountains, sea, name world-famous scientists and cultural figures. You may be asked about the religious holidays that are celebrated in Poland.
Getting a Card
If the consul considered that the documents proving your ethnic origin, false, the level of knowledge of the language and traditions are sufficient, and your desire to join the historical homeland is sincere, he gives you a Declaration on belonging to the Polish People for signature. After that, they indicate the period (usually in a month and a half) when you can come to get the Card. In this case, no consular fee will be charged! A Pole card is issued in a festive atmosphere, to several applicants at once.
Mediation of cultural societies (fraternities)
How to get a Pole Card in the easiest way? In large cities of Ukraine and Belarus, local cells of national minorities operate . It would be nice to join the Polish cultural center. Membership fees there are small, but such organizations can provide you with considerable mediation assistance. Firstly, the chairpersons of such cells are constantly in touch with the Embassy or consular departments of Poland. Therefore, they will not be difficult to contact them by phone and register you. In Belarus, for example, the main problem is to get through to the Consulate. Secondly, if you are a member of such a partnership for three years, you can apply for a certificate confirming your active participation in the cultural activities of a national minority. If you do not have the necessary documents to prove your Polish origin, such an extract may be sufficient. And thirdly, communicating with people from the community, you will gain experience in speaking, expand your horizons regarding the history and culture of the region. This can further help you answer questions on the Pole Map during the interview.