Originally Posted by
Pmendels
It looks like many of you know a lot about getting a Polish Passport. So I hope you can help me with my question. I'm a US citizen. I was born in Germany and have Polish born parents. I'm 70 years old and would love to travel abroad and live in different countries and not have to leave every 90 days. I think getting a Polish passport would solve that problem. Do you see any downside? A few questions. If I don't work anymore would I have to pay any Polish taxes? Would they tax my Social Security, Dividends and income from any rental property in the USA I receive? I know I would still have to pay USA taxes but would they double tax me in Poland? The other question would my wife be able to go with me on this adventure without going home every 90 days, she is American decent?
If you are a Polish citizen you can live in EU/EEA countries indefinitely, as long as you are self-sufficient. Technically you don't need a Polish passport to do this, but it is a lot easier if you have one. You could also get a Polish ID card which functions similarly to a passport within the EU.
In general, all your worldwide income is taxable in the country where you live, as well as the US (because the US taxes its citizens and its residents, but most countries only tax their residents, as well as income arising in that country).
So if you live in Poland, your worldwide income would be taxable in Poland, the details depend on whether there is any double taxation treaty between Poland and the US.
If you decide to live in Italy your worldwide income would be taxable in Italy and the US, but not in Poland, however any income arising in Poland may be taxable in Poland (as well as Italy and the US).
Generally double taxation treaties allow you to pay the usual tax in the country where the income arises, and if the country where you live has a higher tax rate for that income, you need to pay the difference to the country where you live.
Each country will have its own rules regarding tax residency. If you only spend a few months in a country as a one-off you are unlikely to be considered a tax resident, if you spend a few months on a yearly basis then it is possible that you are a tax resident.
If you decide to settle in Poland as a Polish citizen, your wife will need to go through the usual Polish immigration system to get a residence permit as your spouse; this appears to be obtainable in person in Poland, and requires a fee.
If you decide to settle in another EU/EEA country, your wife will need to get an EEA family permit to join you, this is free.
There is no facility for your wife to move around different countries in Europe with you whilst remaining within the Schengen Area for more than 90 days in a rolling 180 day period, but it would be possible for you to travel together alternating between e.g. the UK, Ireland and the Schengen Area every 3 months