Documents you will need: Polish health insurance (PKU is a good option), and NIP (Tax identification number) a lease or document showing your home address, and a paper proving you don't owe the Polish government any money. This document as well as the NIP number you will have to obtain at a separate bureau. There is a charge for your NIP number and of course health insurance. You will also need passport copies, as well as passport photos, along with several copies of the application form, and it's LONG, and must be filled in in Polish language, so unless you speak Polish yourself, have your employer do it for you. There also may be other documents you need. Check for the full list of what you will need at https://www.mazowieckie.pl/en. Once your papers are filed, the agents will stamp your passport with a stamp saying when your papers were filed. This stamp is your legal residency in the country and also your legal right to work while you are waiting for your papers to process.
It used to be that letters will be sent to you letting you know their decision (yes/no). Now, everything is done online. There is an email address you can write to now with your name, date of birth, and some other information and they will email you back with a log in to a computer system where you can go and check on your status. There you can find out if the answer is yes, no, or pending. This website does have an English option, thankfully!
Don't think it ends there, though. While you are waiting for your papers to process, don't be surprised if you receive letters on the way asking you for additional papers that your job may need to provide for you. All correspondence will be written in Polish. Make sure the school you or working for or the company that allows you to set up your business is ready and able to help you through this process and simply doesn't sit back and throw you to the wolves. You will need help.
I have been waiting now for my residency to come through for now 10 months (filed last November). It used to be that decisions were made within 3 months, but because of a new government in charge of the process as well as hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian asylum seekers now living in Poland needing to be processed, the wait time is now supposed to be up to a year. But as long as your passport is stamped you have legal right to stay and work until you receive a decision from the bureau. During this time, I have traveled within the Schengen Zone and returned to Poland without a problem, but leaving the Schengen Zone while your papers are in process isn't recommended, as the stamp in your passport is not equivalent to a multiple entry visa, and technically the customs agents are under no obligation to let you back in the country. I'll be leaving but I can simply return to Poland on a tourist status (my papers are still processing and I honestly don't know how long it will be!) after 3 months so I think I will be ok (fingers crossed!).
Phew! That was long, but I wanted to give ya'll a realistic view of what it is like for an American with no ties to Europe to live here legally. It's a bit frustrating, but the benefits and fun you will have in Poland far outweigh the bureaucratic headache. Poland is a safe country with fantastic cities, friendly, helpful people, fantastic restaurants and nightlife, fantastic museums, as well as a thriving startup culture; many countries are now choosing to invest in Poland. Most of the young people speak English very well if you are in the cities or in university towns, so you don't have to worry too much about language. I speak very very basic Polish and so far haven't encountered much of a problem in my every day life. Polish people generally will jump at the chance to have the opportunity to speak English with you as usually they want to practice and don't have many opportunities to do so. You will find a ton of work here as a teacher. Case in point: I went to a copy shop to copy some English materials for a student. The owner did my copying and while I was using the computer for more printouts, the owner of the shop came to me and tapped me on the shoulder with my copies in one hand and a phone in the other. "You... talk... my wife now!" O_O. Strange, I know, but timidly I took the phone and said hello, and it turns out that his wife owns an English school that she was desperately looking for native speakers for and wanted me to come in and start the next day. Apparently her husband saw the English materials I was copying and correctly assumed I was a teacher, and called his wife and told her about me! Unfortunately the school was too far out of the city for me to commute to since don't have a vehicle, but really it's almost that easy. I walked into a copy shop to make copies at and nearly walked out with a job. Hence, I conclude. Poland is a GREAT place to live and teach. Come here now!
Comments/corrections/similar experiences/thoughts? Leave me a comment below!
I do have specific schools, organizations etc that I do endorse for teachers who would like to teach in Poland, but prefer to discuss it with people who contact me personally rather than list everything in a blog post. Leave a comment below or hit me up on twitter @wanderingteach and I will be happy to get back to you.