Can Foreigners Obtain a PESEL Number Without Registering their Stay?

Following the current general rules in the Population Registration Act of 24 September, the foreign national is granted a PESEL when their stay is registered for longer than 30 days. 

However that is not always the case. not able, due to various reasons, to sign the tenancy agreement or any other arrangement similar to one that could serve as the basis to register the stay.

Another method of obtaining a PESEL number is to do so, but it involves submitting a request to an appropriate authority (municipal office or district office, district). In addition to providing basic personal information, the application must also state the legal reason for the requirement of having a PESEL number.

It’s a fact that the main reason mentioned for the requirement to get the PESEL number was the desire to establish an authentic online profile, however, after getting a PESEL number, not many would bother to set it up. 

When applying, only the most meticulous officials would inquire regarding the location of residence and the applicant’s address, but most applications were approved with the understanding that it had about the payment of tax debts or making it easier to visit the doctor.

The PESEL code as well as the settlement of the personal Income Tax (PIT) as well as the social insurance (ZUS) before the modification

Prior to the amendment, foreigners were issued the NIP number, which allowed them to properly manage the tax requirements of their country. 

Tax office issues it was also a common procedure for tax returns filed on PIT-11 to be accepted with the number and series of the passport of the foreigner or a set of digits that repeated for example “9999999999” instead of the number NIP/PESEL. 

Sometimes, documents that were prepared in this way were not considered to be processed and settled with the tax authority and were not provided to the tax department, which the party concerned only was able to discover when they applied for residency permission in Poland.

It is also possible that tax returns prepared and settled in this manner in 2021 do not in general, need to be rectified regardless of whether the foreigner has been given a PESEL number. But, corrections can be made and recommended. The correction can be done by filing a new tax return with a PESEL number.

For non-Polish citizens, the absence of the PESEL number was also not a hindrance to getting health insurance in Poland It was enough to show any document that proved that you had registered for health insurance. 

In reality, it was often necessary to obtain additional documents, like from your employer, which increased the time required to sign up at a health clinic. At the time foreigners were identified on their contributions declarations using names on their passports. The situation, while simple, raised concerns between HR and payroll service suppliers in firms that employ foreign workers.

Furthermore, it may happen that following the issuance of a PESEL number, the foreigner was able to open two accounts with ZUS the first one where the individual was identified using their PESEL number, while the second was made using their passport number. 

However, in this scenario, the issue was only apparent when attachments were being compiled in the process of applying to obtain the right to reside in Poland. The solution was to join the accounts if they are not completed by ZUS ex officio by ZUS you can accomplish this by contacting ZUS’s Call Centre ZUS Call Centre or by visiting the relevant ZUS branch.