When Protection Enables Independence

Ana (*fictional name) is an Argentinian national, who lives in Poland with her Polish husband and their two children. In October 2025, she approached ELIL’s project in Warsaw looking for legal assistance. 

In 2023, the family moved from Canada to Poland. After the move, since she had not yet learned Polish, Ana depended on her husband for legal and financial information in the new country. He assured her that the process to legalise her stay in Poland was underway, and that she didn’t need to do anything. In reality, there were missing documents from her file, so the process had been on hold since May 2023. 

Ana was experiencing psychological abuse from her husband. He insisted she remain at home with the children, and prevented her from working, integrating or learning Polish. As conflicts escalated, he began threatening her with arrest, deportation, and separation from her children, using her unresolved migration status to control her.

Fearing for her future, Ana discreetly sought legal advice, eventually coming into contact with ELIL’s team in Warsaw. ELIL’s lawyers assured her that although her stay in Poland was irregular, she was not at risk of deportation since her husband and children all had Polish citizenship. However, without a valid residence permit, she couldn’t work, and was financially dependent on her husband.

After an in-depth legal analysis and consultations with partner organisations, ELIL recommended immediate steps to regularise her stay, document the psychological violence, and secure her right to remain in Poland independently and care for her children if the relationship ended. During the consultation, ELIL lawyers assisted her in preparing a new residence card application and provided a clear plan for further action.

Shortly after, Ana submitted the complete application for her residence permit. ELIL’s support helped her understand her legal situation, reduce fear and uncertainty, and take the first steps toward regaining safety and autonomy.

 *Personal details have been changed to protect the anonymity of the applicant.