What the A1 certificate is
An A1 certificate is a document issued by the Polish social insurance authority, ZUS; it is also called a zaświadczenie A1. It confirms that an employer is paying contributions for the worker in Poland. Put plainly, it is proof of state insurance cover, and it holds good in Poland and across the European Union.
Important. A worker cannot obtain an A1 certificate themselves: it is issued to a Polish employer in respect of a named worker. We also strongly advise against buying or forging one. An inspection by the destination country's authorities identifies a forgery immediately, and it is the worker who carries the consequence.
The four documents needed first
Before an A1 can be applied for, the worker must hold four documents:
- A Polish work visa or a residence card.
- Registration of residence in Poland — a meldunek.
- A personal identification number — PESEL.
- A tax residence certificate — CFR-1.
Note. Registration with the Belgian LIMOSA system happens only once those documents exist. It cannot be done earlier.
What a meldunek is
A meldunek is registration of residence in Poland. It is needed to obtain the documents that follow it — in this case, to obtain a PESEL number.
What PESEL is
PESEL is the eleven-digit personal identification number of a resident of Poland. It is not a tax number: PESEL identifies a person in the state registers, and it is required when applying for the tax residence certificate (CFR-1).
What the tax residence certificate is
A tax residence certificate (CFR-1) confirms that a person has been in the Republic of Poland for more than 90 days and is paying tax there. It is issued so that the same income is not taxed twice.
Which work visa qualifies for an A1
The visa must be a Polish one. These qualify:
- a six-month visa;
- a seasonal visa;
- a one-year voivodeship visa;
- a residence card (karta pobytu).
To be clear. A Polish work visa is mandatory for an A1 certificate. Without one the document will not be issued.
What the EKUZ card is, and why it is worth having
The EKUZ card is the European Health Insurance Card (Europejska Karta Ubezpieczenia Zdrowotnego).
Travelling abroad calls for insurance. A worker paying contributions to ZUS can obtain an EKUZ card free of charge rather than paying for separate cover on each trip. The card is valid in European Union and EFTA countries and is issued within 3 to 5 working days. The Polish Ministry of Health recommends it to anyone travelling abroad.