Greetings,

I am an American living in Poland. I have been invited by a friend in Beijing to visit him in April. I very much wish to go, but there is a problem. I was issued a residency card from Poland but I have lost it recently. It is very difficult to replace this card in Poland. My new residency card will be issued at the end of April, but after I would be returning from China. As I apply for a visa in Warsaw, am I able to provide the document from the Polish government that says I am authorized to legally reside in Poland, or must it be the card itself? The document is in Polish and is the original -- not a copy. I also have my contract from the corporation I work for to supplement the other documentation. I would hate to make the 5-hour trip to Warsaw only to find out they will not issue me the visa without the card.

Thank you in advance for the information.
John