I went to pick up my residence card today. I went to the foreigners-office, took a number, no one was waiting (probably because no one's stupid enough to actually get registered if they move inside of the EU) so I could go in right away. The same two ladies that were working there last time were there and they told me that because I had originally registered in Poland in 2008 and back then you still had to pay for it, I'd have to pay the adminstration of the province where I first got registered 1PLN (~0,25€).
I have an online banking app on my phone so I offered to transfer it right there and then, but nooo they need a proof of payment to add to the documents. So I had to go back to the ground floor, where they have a bank-like thing, pay 1PLN + 2,50PLN provision (=still less than 1€), take the proof of payment, get another number and go back to their office on the 2nd floor.
I had to convince the bank lady for about 5 minutes, before she agreed to let me pay. ("Why? Residence Cards for EU citizens are free. Are you sure you want to pay to that province's adminstration? You realize that you have to pay provision?...")
I went back and I asked them if you always have to pay twice, because I'm pretty sure I payed the 1PLN back then. I distinctly remember waiting in a line for like an hour (remember: to pay 0,25€) and thinking it was sort of ridiculous.
"No, but there's no proof of your payment with the documents, so unfortunately..."
In the end I paid PLN 1 + 1 + 2,50 = 4,50 (~1,10€) to get my residence card, when it has been free for a few years already. I would be furious if it had been expensive, but now I think it's sort of funny. It almost seems like the payment is specifically just to annoy people. I bet booking the money cost more than I gave them.
I got my residence card (which looks sort of anti-climatic), went to the library (where I almost lost my phone and didn't really get anything done *sigh*) and the my district's office to finalize the registration.
They didn't want to accept my documents at first, because I only had a copy of the document stating that my boyfriend's mum is the rightful owner of the place where I want to get registered. They told me to come back with the owner tomorrow and I was getting desperate... but because I'm a nice person, and I had already showed her the original last month, she let it slide. (She then called somewhere and knocked over her phone
) I'm officially registered in Poland now!!! I can pick up my national identification number PESEL next week. Wohoo!
snow_girl: That's what keeps me wondering. Like they actually make an effort to make things more difficult. The officals waiting, serving me twice (effectively working longer) and booking the money must cost more than I paid.
I told my boyfriend's dad when I come home today and he was like
"Why did you falsely assume that it would be easy? Haven't you lived here for long enough to know better!?"