According to Polish law, every citizen of the Republic of Poland who completed 18 years, he is obliged to have a valid identity card. This document is necessary to confirm identity and citizenship and to exercise public rights.
Act dated 6 August 2010 on personal evidence requires the citizen to:
- exchange of identity cards before its expiry,
- report the loss, destruction or damage of proof for its annulment and issue of a new document.
According to Article 79(1) the abovementioned law is punishable by a restriction of freedom or a penalty of fine. Maximum fine is 5,000 PLN. It is worth noting that evasion should have the value of being guilty, and therefore should result from knowingly refraining from actions to obtain an identity card.
A person who does not comply with the obligation to have such a document as a result of failure to submit the required application, together with documents, for reasons which are independent of himself, which are not predictable or preventable, such as illness, shall not be exempted from the obligation to have an identity card.
Having an invalid identity card brings not only legal consequences, but also practical consequences that can affect everyday life, the handling of official, financial and other matters. Without valid ID, we will not be able to update our data in institutions and registers, such as the Central Register of Insured Persons, the Social Insurance Institution, the National Revenue Office or other databases.
ID is valid by 10 years, for persons who have completed 12. year of life. For persons below 12. the age is valid 5-the summer period of validity of the identity card.
The application for a new identity card shall be lodged at the latest on 30 days before the date of expiry at any municipality office. The process of making a new identity card lasts until 30 days and is free of charge. The receipt of proof requires personal appearance at the office and prohibits the existing document. The application can also be submitted online via the ePUAP platform. This option requires a trusted profile, a qualified electronic signature certificate or a personal signature certificate.
It is worth remembering the need to exchange your ID card for a new one and not delay it until the last minute, which will avoid not only legal but also practical consequences.