FAMI

Lodz friendly to refugees from Ukraine

Total project value: 3,894,000.00 PLN

Amount of FAMI funding: 2,920,500.00 PLN

Beneficiary: Lodz Voivodship Office in Lodz

The overall objective of the project is:

• to support activities concerning the reception, provision of needs and integration of refugees from Ukraine, in particular those who fled after Russia’s armed assault on the country and crossed the border of the Republic of Poland as of February 24, 2022.

This objective will be implemented through the following specific objectives:

• providing counseling and assistance on legalization of residence, administrative and legal issues, applicable labor rights, integration counseling and assistance, health, psychological and social care, child care, and support in vocational activation through the establishment of information and counseling points in Lodz and Piotrków Trybunalski,
• facilitating access to necessary information for refugees from Ukraine through:
  • hotline and call center, which will positively affect the service of vulnerable persons, such as the disabled, elderly, pregnant women, single persons with minor children, etc.
  • Open Days:
• provide increased contact and integration with Polish society and direct assistance, involving the organization of language and integration classes combined with Polish language instruction for various age groups: children, adolescents, adults (including seniors). As part of the classes, participants will receive a hot meal and a package at the end of each semester.
• facilitate access to relevant information necessary for foreigners from the target groups and a form of contact with public administration, as well as excellent promotion of the Project, through the creation and maintenance of a website dedicated to refugees from Ukraine, where up-to-date information will be posted on possible forms of support, hours of operation of information and advisory points, dates of commencement of training, courses, integration classes, etc., places of assistance in dealing with everyday matters in other institutions and offices.

Administration for foreigners – faster and more efficient

Total project value: 1,332,780.00 PLN Amount of FAMI funding: 999,585.00 PLN Beneficiary: Lodz Voivodship Office in Lodz

Within the framework of the National Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund Program 2014-2020, the Lodz Voivodship Office in Lodz is implementing a project entitled ” Administration for Foreigner – faster and more efficiently “.
The project has been qualified for implementation in the amount of PLN 1,332,780.00. The support requested by the Governor of Lodz from FAMI funds will be 999,585.00 PLN, the level of funding – 75%. The implementation is planned in the period: 1.11.2017 r. – 31.10.2019 r.

The overarching goal of the project is to disseminate and increase the quality of services provided to foreigners from the area of third countries.

The project includes the establishment of: a hotline and call center, an application generator, as well as training for staff and information and promotion aimed at Foreigners from the area of third countries.

The project will establish a hotline for foreigners. Information on the procedure for legalization of residence in three languages: Polish, English and Ukrainian will be made available to foreigners by telephone at the indicated number. A foreigner who is not satisfied with the information provided by the recording will be able to choose the option of contacting the hotline employee directly. The call center will employ 5 people with knowledge of Polish, English or Ukrainian. The employees will provide detailed information on procedures and regulations related to legalization of residence and on the stage of verification and evaluation of the application.

The call center will be intended only for citizens of third countries (OPT).

In addition, a residence and labor legalization application generator will be made available to foreigners on the office’s website. The modern application will allow filling out applications on line. It will inform: how to correctly fill in the application and at the same time monitor the quality of its completion. The above will result in an increase in the number of correctly and legibly filled applications for legalization of stay and work, which will significantly reduce the time of customer service, and consequently waiting for the issuance of a decision.
In order to increase the potential of the staff professionally serving foreigners, 54 employees of the Department of Civil Affairs and Foreigners, fulfilling duties related to the service of foreigners, will take part in training courses: foreign languages, examination of the authenticity of documents, working with clients from a different cultural background, sign language. Due to frequent changes in legislation and high staff turnover, a team of leaders will be appointed to conduct internal training on the provisions of the Code of Administrative Procedure, the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Employment Promotion and Labor Market Institutions.

The above activities will allow the project to achieve its specific objectives:

• improving the standards of service for foreigners from third countries through the introduction of modern IT tools dedicated to foreigners, increasing the qualifications and skills of officials and reducing the time of customer service,
• facilitation of access of foreigners from third countries to the official through a hotline and call center, which will favorably affect the service of persons requiring special treatment, such as disabled persons, the elderly, pregnant women, single parents of minor children, etc..,
• the launch of an application generator that will facilitate the proper filling out (on line) of forms by foreigners from third countries, which will have a beneficial effect on reducing the time of direct service to foreigners from third countries, especially those requiring special treatment,
• dissemination of services related to legal migration through organized: conferences and Open Days, as well as information materials for foreigners from third countries.

Lodz without barriers for foreigners

Total project value: 1,948,680.00 PLN Amount of FAMI funding: pLN 1,461,510.00 Beneficiary: Lodz Voivodship Office in Lodz

Under the National Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund Program 2014-2020, the Lodz Voivodship Office in Lodz is implementing a project entitled ” Lodz without barriers for foreigners “.

The project has been qualified for implementation in the amount of PLN 1,948,680.00. The support requested by the Governor of Lodz from FAMI funds will amount to PLN 1,461,510.00, the level of funding – 75%. The implementation is planned in the period: 2.05.2017 r. – 31.12.2018 r.

The overarching goal of the project is to increase institutional accessibility and dissemination of services related to legal migration of third-country foreigners.

The project includes: modernization of the building of the Department of Civil Affairs and Foreigners in Lodz, 103 Piotrkowska St.; purchase of equipment, purchase of info kiosks, information and promotional activities aimed at the Final Beneficiaries, posters and leaflets will be made containing information necessary for foreigners from third countries.

In the first stage, on the first floor of the building, a service room for foreigners from third countries was created, together with a sanitary facility dedicated to foreigners (social room, toilet for the disabled, men’s and women’s toilets, room for families with children, Toddler’s Corner) and a security point (which is an integral part of the service room for foreigners from third countries, thus ensuring the safety of people staying in the large customer service room), with a total area of about 156 m2. An upgrade of the logical and electrical network has also been carried out. In addition, there will be a unified signage system – the so-called “customer service path”, which will distinguish the reception point for people with disabilities, parents with children and pregnant women, students, and other forms of legalization of residence and work permits.

In the second stage, renovation work will cover another 350 sqm of space, which includes office space used by employees performing tasks in the field of handling foreigners from third countries and a room for interviewing foreigners. The modernization will involve rearranging the space, painting, replacing floors, installing air conditioning, and soundproofing the interrogation room.

In addition to the strictly construction aspect, the project also includes a component of supplies necessary to professionally equip 9 service points and an information desk in the foreigners’ service room, the interrogation room and 31 workstations intended (according to the scope of activities) to carry out tasks related to legalization of stay and work of foreigners coming from the area of third countries. The purchased equipment will include office furniture (desks, cabinets, lockable shelving), telephones and IT equipment (computers, document scanners, fingerprint readers, printers) – in accordance with the project budget.

The above-mentioned activities will allow to realize the established specific objectives of the project:

• improving access of foreigners from third countries to the clerk at the customer service point by increasing the space allocated for direct service to foreigners, creating single, separated
• service points, which will provide each foreigner with comfort and protection of personal information, as well as appropriate signage, including a fast-track for student service,
• increasing the safety of third-country foreigners by conducting service in a single location on the first floor of the building, from which it is easy to evacuate (if necessary),
• improving service standards for third-country foreigners by upgrading the IT tools used by officials and reducing customer service time,
• dissemination of services related to legal migration through the purchase and provision of info kiosks to support the process of legalizing the stay of third-country foreigners,
• adaptation to the needs of the disabled by creating a specially adapted service area for wheelchair users and toilets, as well as to the needs of families with children by creating the possibility to use (while waiting to be received by an official or during service) a special room, adapted to changing a child and feeding, which, among other things, will have a positive impact on the service of persons requiring special treatment, such as disabled persons, the elderly, pregnant women, single parents of minor children, etc.

Lodz closer to the foreigner

Total project value: pLN 1,151,460.00 Amount of FAMI funding: pLN 863,595.00 Beneficiary: Lodz Voivodship Office in Lodz

As part of the National Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund Program 2014-2020, the Lodz Voivodship Office in Lodz is implementing a project entitled ” Lodz closer to the foreigner “.

The project ” Łódzkie closer to the foreigner” has been qualified for implementation in the amount of PLN 1,151,460.00. The support requested by the Governor of Lodz from FAMI funds will amount to 863,595.00 PLN, the level of funding – 75%. The implementation is planned in the period: 1.02.2018 r. – 31.01.2020 r.

The overarching goal of the project is to popularize instruments for legalization of residence and work for foreigners from the area of third countries.

The project provides for the establishment of points for legalization of residence of foreigners from the area of third countries in three field passport points of the Provincial Office, i.e. in Piotrków Trybunalski, Skierniewice and Sieradz.

Accordingly, an upgrade of the logical and electrical network will be carried out, OST 112 links will be installed and the Pobyt program will be connected at the three points of the Department of Civil Affairs and Foreigners in Piotrków Trybunalski, Skierniewice and Sieradz. This will enable the creation of nine customer service desks for foreigners, which will be equipped with the necessary furniture and IT equipment. Professional signage for the customer service path will be provided, making it easier for foreigners to deal with matters.
In order to prepare new office space dedicated to serving foreigners from the third-country area, office premises in Skierniewice and Sieradz will be renovated. On the other hand, in order to make it possible for the elderly, the disabled, pregnant women and parents with children to relax, an area will be set aside where, among other things, children’s play tables and tables and chairs will be located. Info kiosks will also be installed, giving foreigners access to application templates, current information on legal regulations in three languages: Polish, English and Ukrainian.

It is also planned to organize Open Days for foreigners from third countries, during which clients will be informed, among other things, about procedures and regulations on legalization of residence and work.

The above activities will allow the project to achieve its specific objectives:

• decentralization of legalization of stay, i.e. enabling foreigners from the area of third countries to deal with matters in three cities (field points of the Voivodship Office) of Lodz Voivodship, i.e. in Piotrków Trybunalski, in Skierniewice, in Sieradz, which, among other things, will positively affect the service of persons requiring special treatment, such as disabled persons, elderly persons, pregnant women, single persons raising minor children, etc,
• providing assistance in matters of legalization of residence by allowing foreigners to directly contact qualified officials, as well as receive necessary information in several languages,
• developing and improving the quality of services tailored to the needs of foreigners through the purchase of new computers and other IT tools used by officials, clear signage (multilingual), providing service in safe conditions (renovated rooms adapted to the needs of those requiring special treatment: the elderly, disabled, pregnant women and parents with children).

Lodz friendly to foreigners

Total project value: pLN 4,704,193.10 Amount of FAMI funding: pLN 3,528,144.82 Beneficiary: Lodz Voivodship Office in Lodz

As part of the National Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund Program 2014-2020, the Lodz Voivodship Office in Lodz is implementing a project titled “Lodz Friendly to Foreigners”.
The project has been qualified for implementation in the amount of PLN 4,704,193.10. The support requested by the Governor of Lodz from FAMI funds will amount to PLN 3,528,144.82, the level of funding – 75%. The implementation is planned in the period: 1.01.2020 r. – 30.06.2022 r.

The overarching goal of the project is to increase institutional accessibility and the dissemination and improvement of services related to legal migration of third-country foreigners.

The project includes: modernization of the building for the Department of Civil Affairs and Foreigners in Lodz at 25 Traugutta St. and 103 Piotrkowska St.; purchase of equipment, expansion of the customer service management system with the purchase of a queuing machine, expansion of the hotline, training for employees, and information and promotional activities aimed at the Final Beneficiaries.
In the modernized part of the building at 25 Traugutta Street in Lodz, a new 4-station customer service room will be created, as well as additional office space for workstations for employees carrying out tasks related to the service of foreigners.

In addition, another foreigner service room with 8 workstations will be created on the first floor of the building, at 103 Piotrkowska Street in Lodz.

In addition to the strictly construction aspect, the project also includes a component of supplies necessary to professionally equip 12 foreigner service points and workstations intended (according to the scope of activities) to carry out tasks related to legalization of stay and work of foreigners coming from the area of third countries. The purchased equipment will include office furniture (desks, cabinets, lockable shelves), telephones and IT equipment (computers, document scanners, fingerprint readers, printers) – in accordance with the project budget. At the same time, the hotline will also be expanded by 9 positions for Customer Service Points in Piotrków Trybunalski, Sieradz and Skierniewice, and open days and conferences for foreigners and their employers will be organized as part of information and promotion activities.

The above activities will allow the project to achieve its specific objectives:

• improving access of foreigners from the area of third countries to the official
  at customer service points by increasing the space and number of posts designated for serving foreigners, equipped with modern systems for booking visits,
• improving the standards of service to foreigners by adapting the infrastructure to the needs of disabled persons and families with children (elimination of architectural barriers, preparation of a toddler’s corner and a room adapted for a mother with a child), creation of single, separated service points, which will provide comfort to foreigners and protection of personal data. In addition, as a result of training courses for employees, they will improve their professional qualifications, which will result in raising the standards of service for foreigners from the area of third countries, and will affect the efficiency of service and the positive image of the government administration carrying out tasks in the field of legalization of the stay and work of foreigners,
• increase the safety of foreigners during visits to the office by conducting direct customer service in an adapted building, meeting all sanitary, fire protection, and occupational safety and health standards,
• disseminating services and knowledge related to legalization of stay among foreigners by creating a hotline for clients and activities related to it – organizing open days and conferences to support the process of legalization of stay of foreigners.

Lodz supports integration of foreigners

Project No. 5/8-2017/OG-FAMI titled “Lodzkie supports integration of foreigners”
Specific objective – integration/legal migration.
Project co-financed by the National Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund Program.
Project implementation period April 1, 2019. – october 31, 2022.

About the project

We would like to kindly inform you that the Governor of Lodz on December 7, 2018 entered into a financial agreement with the European Projects Service Center of the Ministry of Interior and Administration for financing from the funds of the National Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and the state budget of the Project “Lodz supports integration of foreigners”
Project implementation period: april 1, 2019. – october 31, 2022.
Total budget of the project: pLN 3,214,667.00 including the contribution from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund is PLN 2,411,000.00.
Project beneficiaries:

1. foreigners who do not have citizenship of any of the EU countries, while belonging to at least one of the following groups:
   1. persons enjoying refugee status or the status of a person in need of subsidiary protection within the meaning of Directive 2011/95/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on standards for the qualification of third-country nationals or stateless persons as beneficiaries of international protection, the uniform status of refugees or persons eligible for subsidiary protection, and the content of the protection granted (Official Journal of the EU L 337 of 20.12.2011, p. 9);
   2. foreigners who are not citizens of the European Union (EU), residing in the territory of the Republic of Poland (RP) legally, in accordance with the provisions of the Act of December 12, 2013 on foreigners (jt. OJ of 2018, item 2094, as amended) on the basis of:
      1. the visa referred to in Article 60, paragraph 1, items. 4-6, 9-13, 17, 18a-21, 23-25;
      2. temporary residence permit, permanent residence (Article 195, except paragraph 1, item 6a), however, this exclusion does not apply to persons who have received a residence permit for humanitarian reasons;
      3. a residence permit for a long-term EU resident (Article 211);
      4. a document confirming the possession of a permit for tolerated stay called “permit for tolerated stay” (Article 226(5));
      5. a residence permit for humanitarian reasons.
   3. children of the above-mentioned persons (who are not EU citizens) born in the territory of the Republic of Poland. Other children are subject to the conditions of items 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8, respectively
   4. foreigners who have applied for a residence permit for a specified period of time under the abolition procedure, and currently residing on the territory of the Republic of Poland on the basis of a stamp, who:
      1. have applied for a temporary residence permit (Article 108(1)(2));
      2. have applied for a permanent residence permit (Art. 206(1)(2));
      3. have applied for a long-term EU resident permit;
      4. have applied for the extension of a Schengen or national visa (Article 87(1)(1)), where the justification is in accordance with one of the following purposes indicated in Article 60(1)(4)-(6), (9)-(13), (17), (18a)-(21), (23)-(25);
      5. have applied for an extension of their visa-free stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland (Article 300(4)).
   5. foreigners who are staying in the territory of the Republic of Poland under the visa-free regime.
   6. foreigners who are not EU citizens, residing on the territory of the Republic of Poland, who are in the process of obtaining a permit for legal residence in Poland. Support for these persons is limited to assistance in obtaining legal residence.
   7. spouses, ascendants and descendants of persons belonging to the groups listed in points 2-5 and 8, to the extent that is necessary for the effective implementation of activities, including those who are citizens of Poland or other EU countries.
   8. Non-EU citizens legally residing in the territory of the Republic of Poland who have applied for:
      1. (a) granting a temporary residence permit to a foreigner (Art. 108);
      2. (b) to grant a permanent residence permit to a foreigner (Art. 206);
      3. (c) to grant a foreigner a residence permit for a long-term resident of the European Union (Art. 223);
      4. (d) extension of a Schengen or national visa (Article 87), where the justification is in accordance with one of the following purposes indicated in Article 60, paragraph 1, items 4-6, 9-13, 17, 18a-21, 23-25;
      5. (e) to extend the period of stay under the visa-free regime in the territory of the Republic of Poland (Article 300) and have obtained a stamp in the travel document confirming the application for a permit.
         
         Note: Foreigners who have submitted the above-mentioned application, but have not obtained a stamp imprint in their travel document may only benefit from support limited to assistance in obtaining legal residence in Poland. They can benefit from full support from the moment they obtain a stamp imprint in their travel document.
   9. Foreigners who are not EU citizens, residing in the territory of the Republic of Poland legally, in accordance with the provisions of the Act of July 14, 2006 on the entry into, residence in and exit from the territory of the Republic of Poland of citizens of the European Union member states and members of their families (Dz.U. 2006 No. 144 item 1043):
      1. (a) on the basis of the right of residence for more than 3 months (Article 18) or the right of permanent residence (Article 43).
   10. From January 1, 2021, citizens of the United Kingdom legally residing in the territory of Poland.
2. employees of social assistance and district labor offices,
3. teachers.

Project activities

1. launching and running information and advisory points for foreigners, where assistance will be available in dealing with matters related to legalization of residence, assistance of a psychologist, lawyer, career counselor and assistance of a cultural mentor,
2. polish language courses for foreigners on at least 2 levels of instruction,
3. adaptation courses for foreigners covering issues concerning Polish culture, traditions, holidays, cuisine, living conditions, social structure and rules of social coexistence.
4. integration classes for children, which will be attended by foreign children and their Polish peers,
5. trainings for employees of social assistance and district labor offices on handling foreigners, intercultural differences, assistance for victims of human trafficking,
6. specialized training for teachers in teaching Polish as a foreign language and working with multicultural classes.

The above activities of the project will be implemented by contractors.
Participation in the project is free of charge!

Project coordinators :
Beata Sowińska tel. 42 664 20 31
Sebastian Rakowski tel. 42 664 20 69

Lodz Voivodship Office in Lodz
Department of Health, Family and Social Policy
90-502 Lodz, 87 Żeromskiego Street.