Poland and the United Kingdom are both in Europe, but this move is not the paperwork-free hop you’d get moving between two EU countries. The UK left the EU and the EEA on 31 December 2020, so free movement of people ended, and household goods now cross a real customs border. This guide is for Polish residents relocating to the UK in 2026 — what has genuinely changed since Brexit, what hasn’t, and the real official steps on both sides.

Key takeaways

• You need immigration status before you travel. Free movement ended on 31 December 2020 — EU citizens now apply under the UK’s points-based immigration system (e.g. Skilled Worker visa) and must have confirmation of a successful application before entering the UK.
• Your household goods are not duty- and VAT-free automatically, but genuine home-movers can usually get full relief via Transfer of Residence (ToR1) — submit the ToR1 application and get approval before your goods are shipped.
• Report your departure to Poland’s population register if you’re leaving for more than 6 months — do it online via gov.pl; this triggers automatic de-registration from your meldunek address.
• Notify the Polish tax office (ZAP-3) when your address/residence changes so your tax records reflect your move — it can be filed through the e-Urząd Skarbowy portal.
• NFZ/EKUZ stops covering you once you actually live abroad — the EKUZ card is for temporary stays only, not permanent relocation.
• Register with an NHS GP for free, no immigration document or proof of address required — nhs.uk GP registration.
• Poland is currently on the UK’s list of countries whose licences can be exchanged without a test — check your eligibility and apply via DVLA’s foreign licence exchange service, since country lists and criteria can change.
• A Polish-issued EU pet passport is valid for bringing your dog or cat into Great Britain — see the official pet travel document rules.

1. What actually applies: immigration and customs after Brexit

Because the UK is fully outside the EU and the EEA, this corridor works differently from an EU-to-EU move:

People. Free movement between the EU and UK ended on 31 December 2020. Polish citizens moving to live or work in the UK now apply under the same points-based system as any other non-EU national — typically a Skilled Worker visa (job offer from a licensed sponsor, salary and English-language thresholds), a family visa, a student visa, or another eligible route. Crucially, you must apply and receive confirmation of a successful application before you travel — this is not a "register after arrival" system like an EU-to-EU move, and depending on your route you may also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge as part of your application. The EU Settlement Scheme (settled/pre-settled status) only applies to people who were already resident in the UK before the end of 2020 (with narrow later-application exceptions for specific family cases), so it is not relevant to a fresh 2026 move — see gov.uk on settled status for that older cohort’s rules.

Goods. There is no automatic duty-free/tax-free import of household goods, but genuine relocations qualify for Transfer of Residence (ToR) relief, which removes customs duty and import VAT on personal belongings. You (or your mover, on your behalf) complete the ToR1 form with an itemised inventory, proof of your previous residence abroad, and proof of your new UK address, and should get approval before the shipment arrives — the approval reference then goes on the customs import declaration. Full background is on gov.uk’s transfer of residence to Great Britain guidance. Note this is specifically for moves into Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales); Northern Ireland, which still follows EU customs rules for goods under the Windsor Framework, does not require ToR relief.

2. Leaving Poland: what to close out

• Report your departure abroad. If you’re leaving Poland for more than 6 months, file the online notification at gov.pl "Zgłoś wyjazd za granicę" (via Profil Zaufany or e-ID), no later than your departure day. This automatically de-registers you from your meldunek address — from your temporary-stay registration only if you intend to return, or from both your temporary and permanent registration if you’re relocating for good. Poland’s residence-registration obligation still exists in 2026 and hasn’t been abolished, but this single online step handles it.
• Update your tax records. Polish tax residency is a question of fact (center of vital interests, or 183+ days in Poland), not a form you file to "exit" — but you should still submit ZAP-3 (the standard address-update notification for individual taxpayers) so your tax office has your new address/country and so correspondence and any future tax-residency certificate requests go to the right place; file it through the e-Urząd Skarbowy portal.
• Stop relying on NFZ/EKUZ. EKUZ (EHIC) only covers temporary stays abroad and lapses once you no longer meet Polish public-insurance conditions; once you’re genuinely resident in the UK you need to enrol in the NHS instead (see Section 4). Details on cross-border healthcare rights for people working/living in EU/EFTA states or the UK are on the NFZ’s own guidance page.
• Deregister your car if you’re exporting it. If you’re taking your Polish-registered vehicle to the UK for good, you must notify your local starostwo/urząd of the permanent export and deregister the vehicle, handing back your dowód rejestracyjny and plates — the official process is described on gov.pl "Wyrejestruj pojazd" (the office itself can take up to a month to process the paperwork, so start this early). Keep the deregistration decision; you’ll need it for UK import paperwork.
• Your driving licence stays valid in Poland’s own records — nothing to close there; the exchange step (Section 4) happens on the UK side.

3. How your household goods actually move (freight-industry estimate)

This section describes realistic routing and timing based on typical European removals freight practice, not an official government source — treat the days as planning estimates, not guarantees.

Household-goods shipments from Poland to the UK almost always travel by road, since Poland has no land border with the UK. A loaded removals lorry typically runs west across Germany and the Netherlands or Belgium, then crosses the Channel either via the Eurotunnel (Folkestone–Calais, roughly 35 minutes) or a ferry (Dover–Calais or Dover–Dunkirk with DFDS/P&O, roughly 1.5–2 hours), before completing the final leg to the delivery address in England, Scotland or Wales. Depending on origin city in Poland and delivery address in the UK, door-to-door transit for a dedicated or part-load shipment is typically in the region of 5–10 working days, with shared/groupage loads sometimes taking 2–4 weeks depending on how quickly a full truck is consolidated. Because the shipment now crosses a genuine customs border, build in extra buffer time for the ToR1 approval and the customs entry itself — a mover experienced with UK imports will handle the declaration and NOVA/vehicle paperwork alongside the household-goods customs entry.

4. Arriving in the UK: registration, healthcare, tax, driving

Unlike an EU-to-EU move, your right to be in the UK must already be settled before you land — the tasks below are what you do after your visa/immigration status is confirmed and you’ve arrived.

• National Insurance number. You need an NI number to work and pay tax correctly. Apply online once you’re in the UK and have the right to work — gov.uk: apply for a National Insurance number. You can start work before it arrives if you can prove your right to work, but HMRC advise allowing up to 4 weeks for the number itself.
• NHS healthcare. Register with a local GP practice as soon as you have an address — it’s free and, per the NHS’s own registration guidance, you do not need ID, proof of address, or proof of immigration status to register (a practice may ask, but can’t refuse you for not having them). Registration is usually confirmed within about 5 working days, and the practice arranges your NHS number automatically if it’s your first UK registration.
• Council tax. Council tax is payable UK-wide except in Northern Ireland (which uses a separate rates system) — you must register with your local council when you move in. Gov.uk’s start paying Council Tax guidance covers England and Wales specifically; if you’re settling in Scotland, registration works the same way in practice — contact your local council directly — but sits under separate Scottish administration.
• Register to vote (if eligible). Being on the electoral register also helps with credit checks and bank account opening — gov.uk: register to vote. Eligibility depends on your immigration/citizenship status.
• Exchange your driving licence. Poland is currently on the UK’s list of countries whose licences can be swapped for a UK one without a test. Use gov.uk’s exchange a foreign driving licence tool to confirm your specific eligibility — it will tell you whether to apply online or by post using form D1. DVLA typically returns a UK photocard licence within a few weeks; in the meantime a valid Polish licence remains usable to drive in Great Britain.
• Import your car properly. Every vehicle brought into the UK permanently must be notified to HMRC within 14 days of arrival using the NOVA — Notification of Vehicle Arrivals — service; you cannot register the car with the DVLA (get UK plates and a V5C logbook) until you have a NOVA reference, so don’t delay this step.

5. Bringing a pet

Great Britain’s pet travel rules for dogs, cats and ferrets coming from an EU country like Poland are more forgiving than the reverse direction (UK-to-EU), which now needs an Animal Health Certificate. Coming into Great Britain, the official requirements are:

• Microchip your pet before the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccination, with a wait of at least 21 full days after the first (primary) vaccination before travel.
• Travel document: a pet passport issued in Poland (or another EU country) is a valid entry document — you do not need a separate Animal Health Certificate if you already have a genuine EU pet passport. Full detail is on gov.uk: which pet travel document you need.
• Tapeworm treatment for dogs, given by a vet no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before you arrive in Great Britain, recorded in the passport — see gov.uk: tapeworm treatment for dogs.

Check your ferry/tunnel operator’s own pet policy in advance, as not every crossing carries animals.

6. Money, banking and things people forget

• Open a UK bank account early — most providers want proof of UK address, which can be a chicken-and-egg problem before you’re settled; some accept a tenancy agreement or an employer letter in the meantime.
• Check what your specific visa route costs beyond the headline fee. The points-based system guidance confirms that applicants coming for more than 6 months are typically also liable for the Immigration Health Surcharge (with some visa routes, such as Health and Care visas, exempt) — confirm the current figure on your own visa route’s gov.uk page before you apply.
• Currency risk: converting PLN into GBP for a house deposit or first months’ rent is a real cost most people underestimate — compare a currency broker’s rate against your bank’s.
• Don’t let your Polish mobile/bank correspondence lapse — you’ll need Polish-side documents (tax certificates, pension records) for years after you leave, so keep an EU forwarding address or digital access via Profil Zaufany/mObywatel.
• Pension records: don’t assume UK and Polish pension contributions link up automatically — check directly with ZUS and the relevant UK authority for your specific work history rather than relying on assumptions.

How Flyto handles your Poland to the UK move

Flyto runs its own offices, warehouses, teams and vehicles across Northern, Central and Southern Europe, so the Poland-side collection, customs paperwork coordination and cross-border transport on this route are handled by people we employ directly. For the parts of the journey outside our own network — including the final UK delivery leg and specialist services like vehicle shipping — we work with a carefully vetted network of partner carriers and agents, so you get one point of contact even where multiple operators are involved.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa to move from Poland to the UK in 2026?
Yes. Free movement ended in 2020, so unless you already hold settled/pre-settled status from before then, you need to qualify and apply under the UK’s points-based system (such as a Skilled Worker visa) and get confirmation before travelling — see gov.uk’s points-based system guidance for EU citizens.

Will I pay customs duty on my furniture and belongings?
Not if you qualify for Transfer of Residence relief and get it approved before your goods arrive — apply using ToR1. Without ToR approval, normal import duty and VAT could apply, so don’t skip this step.

Can I keep using my EKUZ/EHIC card once I live in the UK?
No — EKUZ is only for temporary stays. Once you actually live in the UK you register with the NHS instead.

Does my Polish driving licence still work in the UK?
Yes, you can drive on it after you arrive. Poland is currently on the list of countries whose licences can be exchanged for a UK one without a driving test — use DVLA’s exchange service to confirm your eligibility and apply.

How long does it take to ship my car to the UK and register it there?
Transport time depends on your route and carrier, but once the vehicle is in the UK you must notify HMRC via NOVA within 14 days before DVLA will issue UK plates and a logbook.

Can I bring my dog without a new certificate every time?
A genuine EU pet passport issued in Poland is accepted for entry into Great Britain, alongside a valid rabies vaccination and (for dogs) in-window tapeworm treatment — see the official document requirements.

Sources

• gov.uk — The UK’s points-based immigration system: information for EU citizens
• gov.uk — Application for transfer of residence relief (ToR1)
• gov.uk — Transfer of residence to Great Britain
• gov.uk — Settled status for EU citizens and their families
• gov.uk — Apply for a National Insurance number
• gov.uk — Exchange a foreign driving licence
• gov.uk — Importing vehicles into the UK: telling HMRC (NOVA)
• gov.uk — Bring your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: which document you need
• gov.uk — Bring your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: tapeworm treatment for dogs
• gov.uk — Register to vote
• gov.uk — Start paying Council Tax
• NHS — Register with a GP surgery
• gov.pl — Zgłoś wyjazd za granicę (report departure abroad)
• gov.pl — Wyrejestruj pojazd (deregister a vehicle)
• e-Urząd Skarbowy — Polish Tax Administration’s e-services portal (file ZAP-3 here)
• pacjent.gov.pl — EKUZ (European Health Insurance Card)
• NFZ — Praca w państwach członkowskich UE/EFTA/Zjednoczonym Królestwie