Do I need a permit to buy a property in Poland?
Answer
If you are not an EU citizen you will need a permit to purchase a property in Poland.EU citizens may buy freely with the exception of agricultural land or farmland. For these permits are extremely hard to come by unless you can prove 'strong bonds with the Republic of Poland'. Examples could be a Polish spouse or a farmer who has rented fields for several years and managed them in a responsible manner.
Search result for 'permit' in Buying Property in Poland
Chapter 3:
About Polish Property
113.
"... land in the surrounding areas has also been defined.
Land is also one of the more restricted types of real estate under the permit system and certain classifications are very hard for foreigners to acquire (see Part Four: How to Buy).
Polish land can be divided into four ..."
"...It is also important to note that despite categorisation and certain other restrictions this does not mean an owner can build anything. They must still apply for a permit relating to the actual project they want to construct. To this end a market has developed for pre-planned projects and catalogues can be found in bookshops and newsagents across the country.
..."
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Chapter 5:
The State of the Property Market Now
4.
"...
Furthermore, growth cannot be further fuelled by foreign investors as a non-national is only allowed to buy one property without a permit (see Part Four: How to Buy), and only particular types of property. Against this backdrop future growth seems unlikely, unless you question the figures.
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Chapter 7:
Property Types
"...If you can get a permit (see Part Four: How to Buy) agricultural land has to be one of the shrewdest buys on the market. Not only can it provide an immediate income via rental to local farmers but there is also the possibility of EU subsidies for those working the land or those who ..."
"...Change of Use is never guaranteed however and so agricultural land is only for the speculative investor or the genuine farmer. As a general point it is expected to increase in value anyway as the permit system comes to an end and due to the rising demand for soil suitable for the growing of organic produce.
..."
79.
"... a situation where the current system is bursting at the seams.
For the foreign investor there is one more substantial advantage. A permit is not required for a second purchase if it is to be used for tourist related purposes.
Hotels are not limited to those with large capital. They come ..."
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Chapter 9:
The Regions
"...Agricultural land is extremely fertile, ideal for organic crops and, with milder temperatures than other parts of the country, it can be worked longer every year. Its other attraction is that it is almost impossible for a foreign person to buy any as it is heavily protected under the permit system. This is set to be phased out by 2016 so if Polish citizenship can be obtained this may make for a highly profitable buy, especially when so close to the German border
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Chapter 11:
Before the Purchase
"...Before beginning the search for a Polish property any buyer must first ensure they are allowed to purchase. Poland operates a strict permit system to regulate the amount of real estate that foreigners can buy, which not only helps to regulate price increases but ensures property values remain within the reach of the domestic market.
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"...If you are confident that you can get a permit and a check on the financial products available has given you a concrete budget on which to move forward it is then time to start considering what you want to buy. But Poland has its own real estate culture and this chapter will cover, among other things how best ..."
8.
"... agents, how viewings work and how best to make an offer. Specific details on visiting Poland and buying off-plan are also discussed.
- The permit System -
The Polish know only too well the even larger boom in property prices that would occur if it was left to the free market — with ..."
"...The permit system is not uniform across the country but stricter in the west than the east. This is because left unchecked much of the border area would probably already be under German ownership due to the low prices of Polish land and real estate versus the much richer wealth of ..."
"...The Act on the Acquisition of Immovable Properties by Foreign Persons 1920 begins by saying, "Acquisition of immovable properties by a foreign person shall require a permit" and then goes on to list a number of exceptions. Perhaps the best summary is in the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agencies book How to Do Business: Investors’ Guide Poland. Below are the key extracts:
..."
"...In summary if you are from the EU you do not need a permit unless you are buying farmland, forested land or a second property. For farmland or forested land you don't need a permit if you can prove long term ‘bonds with the Republic of Poland’. An example might be that you have been renting farmland and using it for agricultural purposes ..."
24.
"... For those living outside the EU this does not mean that Polish property is out of bounds, it simply means that a permit is required and in general for a single purchase individuals from countries such as the United States, Australia and Canada have found few issues in obtaining permission.
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"...The law requires that the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration makes a decision on an application for a permit within two months and although in Polish bureaucratic terms this is a relatively short period of time, in the property market it may make the difference between successfully securing a property and being beaten to it by a Polish buyer. As such if you are looking to buy an ..."
28.
"... advance.
Applying for either a standard or conditional permit does not involve a great deal of paperwork but it is required in the Polish text. If you don’t have the language engage a solicitor to help you complete the documents correctly and thus avoid any unnecessary delays.
- Getting ..."
30.
"... have the language engage a solicitor to help you complete the documents correctly and thus avoid any unnecessary delays.
- Getting Round the permit System -
The permit system is strict and should be treated with caution. It is possible to ignore it altogether but you do so at your ..."
32.
"... unnecessary delays.
- Getting Round the Permit System -
The permit system is strict and should be treated with caution. It is possible to ignore it altogether but you do so at your own peril as problems can occur in two ways.
Firstly, you can make the purchase successfully but when, at ..."
34.
"... problems can occur in two ways.
Firstly, you can make the purchase successfully but when, at the end of the transaction, the papers are sent to the land registry to have the property recorded in your name the court can refuse to do so if there is no permit.
Effectively this means that in ..."
"...Secondly, should the court not be that diligent it might not check for a permit and your property will be successfully entered into the land registry. However at any time in the future this decision can be reversed if the courts’ error is discovered and this means the original purchase is nullified. Once again this would mean that legally the property now belongs to ..."
"...There are two ways around the permit system that are legal. The first is to apply for Polish nationality and this has proved so popular that there are now waiting times of several months on applications. Citizenship is open to anyone who has Polish ancestry and this could simply be a grandmother or great grandmother. Family ..."
"...The second way round the permit system only really applies to those who are looking to make large scale purchases, say 10 properties or more where the total value is at least one million dollars. In this regard there is good news as you will be regarded by the Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency ..."
"...Once you are confident that the permit system is not relevant to you or that you know how to handle it and finance is in place it is time to start the search in earnest. In doing so remember that there are large numbers of foreign buyers out there who are not as prepared as you ..."
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Chapter 12:
During the Puchase Process
"...into their own. They have had to undergo rigorous training and up to a year as an apprentice in order to acquire a licence that will allow them to sell property, so they are a mine of knowledge on interpreting all manner of documents from title deeds to planning permits and leases. They are the ones you will be taking to court should it be found that they misled you and they are the ones who must by law be insured against this eventuality.
..."
"...Unfortunately local government and bureaucracy go together all too often in Poland and when it comes to land and property local government has some wide ranging powers at its disposal including issuing building permits and change of use classifications for land or dividing areas into smaller plots.
..."
28.
"... knows someone.
As such tread with care and tact, especially in rural areas, if you do not want to come unstuck. One completely unrelated argument with a local shopkeeper and you may have just made an enemy of the niece of the aunt of a person who issues planning permits.
In all cases ..."
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Chapter 13:
After the Purchase
35.
"... electricity supplies cannot be established.
Finally a permit is needed for the exact project you wish to construct including the full technical specification and architects drawings. Computer generated images are also advantageous.
It should be noted that by law the local government ..."
37.
"... drawings. Computer generated images are also advantageous.
It should be noted that by law the local government has up to 12 months to decide on Change of Use applications and up to 12 months to consider a permit.
It is therefore a good idea to apply for both at once. It is possible ..."
38.
"... months to consider a permit.
It is therefore a good idea to apply for both at once. It is possible to receive a permit to build subject to successful classification of the land and so there is no concrete chronological order in which these steps need to be taken.
In dealing with local ..."
