Rules
Residence in Poland for foreigners: how to stay legally and what to do at each stage
Legalising your stay in Poland is not one document but a ladder: a temporary residence permit, for citizens of Ukraine the UKR status and the CUKR card, then permanent residence or EU long-term resident status and, finally, citizenship. This page maps the whole ladder: which grounds exist, what each step costs and how long it takes in 2026, how an application goes through MOS, and what to do while you wait, after a refusal, when you change jobs and when your card runs out. Each section leads to a detailed page with the articles of the statutes.
Checked against Poland: residence, property and daily life for people already living there
Jurisdictions Poland
Contents
- Residence in Poland in 2026: the essentials in one minute
- Ways to legalise your stay in Poland: from a temporary permit to citizenship
- How to apply for a residence card in Poland: MOS, documents and processing time
- Legalisation of stay in Poland for citizens of Ukraine in 2026
- Refusal, an expiring card or a lost job: what to do and by when
- Living in Poland as a foreigner after legalisation
- All pages on residence in Poland
- Frequently asked questions about residence in Poland
- Where to start with legalising your stay in Poland
Residence in Poland comes down to one question: "on what basis am I here, and what happens next?" That basis can be temporary, permanent or, eventually, citizenship, and each step has its own conditions, deadlines and traps. Most problems do not come from the complexity of the law but from a missed date: the last day of your lawful stay, the 14 days to appeal, the 15 working days to report the loss of a job.
This page is a map. Each section answers the main question briefly and points to a detailed page with references to the statutes and to our sources page.
Residence in Poland in 2026: the essentials in one minute
- Temporary residence permit (*zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy*) — a residence card (*karta pobytu*) for the duration of the purpose of your stay, no longer than 3 years; the application goes in no later than the last day of your lawful stay and, since 27 April 2026, only through MOS, the Office for Foreigners' online case system.
- Fees — 340 zł for the permit, 440 zł for a work-based permit and the EU Blue Card, plus 100 zł for the card; for applications filed from 5 March 2026 the fee is not refunded after a refusal.
- Deadlines at the voivode (*wojewoda*) are suspended until 4 March 2027 — for all foreigners.
- Citizens of Ukraine — UKR status, a CUKR card for 3 years if the application is filed by 4 March 2027, or an ordinary permit on one of five grounds.
- Permanently — a permanent residence permit on specific grounds or EU long-term resident status after 5 years, 640 zł each.
- Citizenship — recognition as a Polish citizen by the voivode, the basic period being 3 years on a permanent residence permit or EU long-term resident status, fee 1000 zł.
- Refusal — 14 days to appeal; after a final refusal, 30 days to leave.
Ways to legalise your stay in Poland: from a temporary permit to citizenship
| Step | What it is | Main condition | In detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary residence | A residence card based on work, business, study, marriage, family or other grounds | The purpose of your stay and its conditions | Karta pobytu |
| UKR status and CUKR card | For citizens of Ukraine | UKR status on 4 June 2025 and 365 days of continuous stay | — |
| Permanent residence | A permit with no end date, card valid for 10 years | Specific grounds: Polish descent, the Pole's Card (*Karta Polaka*), marriage and others | Permanent residence |
| EU long-term resident | A permit with no end date, card valid for 5 years | 5 years, income, insurance, B1, housing | EU long-term resident |
| Citizenship | Recognition by the voivode or a grant by the President | 3 years on a permanent permit or EU long-term resident status | Polish citizenship |
Not sure which ground fits your case? Describe your situation.
How to apply for a residence card in Poland: MOS, documents and processing time
- Filing — electronically only, through MOS, signed with a trusted profile (*profil zaufany*) or a qualified electronic signature; after that you attend in person for fingerprints with your original passport.
- At filing you must attach the application, a photo, a scan of every page of your passport and, for a work-based permit, annex no. 1 (*załącznik nr 1*) from your employer.
- Other documents — on the voivode's summons, with a deadline of no less than 14 days; they must be valid on the day the decision is issued.
- Processing time — 60 days under the statute, but until 4 March 2027 deadlines at the voivode are suspended.
- Case status is checked with the voivode for your place of stay; there is no single service, and MOS does not show the status once the application is filed — how to check your case status.
The grounds, conditions and fees for each type of card are in the detailed page on the karta pobytu.
Legalisation of stay in Poland for citizens of Ukraine in 2026
If you are a citizen of Ukraine, your route has options that do not apply to anyone else.
| Question | Answer | In detail |
|---|---|---|
| Can I stay on UKR status? | Yes, while it is valid; documents of Ukrainian citizens that were due to expire from 24 February 2022 onwards are extended by statute to 4 March 2027 | — |
| What is the CUKR card? | A permit for 3 years, issued once, applied for by 4 March 2027 | — |
| Can I get an ordinary residence card with UKR status? | Yes, but only on five grounds: work, the EU Blue Card, business, marriage to a Polish citizen, family reunification | Karta pobytu |
| Can I run a business? | With UKR status and a CUKR card, yes, including a sole proprietorship (JDG) | Business in Poland |
Refusal, an expiring card or a lost job: what to do and by when
| Situation | Deadline | In detail |
|---|---|---|
| The voivode refuses | 14 days to appeal, filed through the voivode | — |
| The refusal becomes final | 30 days to leave | — |
| Return decision (*decyzja o zobowiązaniu do powrotu*) | 7 days to appeal | — |
| You lose your job while on a work-based card | 15 working days to notify the voivode; 30 days without the permit being withdrawn — once | — |
| You change employer | An amendment of the permit, on paper, 220 zł | — |
| Your card is running out | Application for the next permit — no later than the last day | Karta pobytu |
The main rule: your stay remains lawful while the case is pending only if the application was filed on time and has no uncorrected defects. An application filed while you are staying unlawfully is a ground for refusal.
Living in Poland as a foreigner after legalisation
Legalisation is not the last document. After it come the matters that also depend on your status:
| Matter | In detail |
|---|---|
| Address registration (*zameldowanie*, "meldunek") — no later than the 4th day for citizens of non-EU countries | — |
| PESEL number — automatically on address registration, or on application | PESEL in Poland |
| Income tax, reliefs for people under 26 and for holders of the Pole's Card, refunds | Taxes in Poland for foreigners |
| Exchanging a driving licence — 6 months from the day your stay began | — |
| Buying a flat, a house or land, and the MSWiA permit | — |
| Mortgage: down payment, loan currency, family loan | — |
| Your own company, a sole proprietorship (JDG) or a limited company (sp. z o.o.) | Business in Poland |
| Working through a business incubator | — |
All pages on residence in Poland
| Topic | Where it is covered |
|---|---|
| Types of card, grounds, conditions, fees | Karta pobytu in Poland |
| Documents and filing through MOS | This page, the section on applying |
| Case status and waiting | How to check your case status |
| Renewal and the next card | This page, the table on refusals and deadlines |
| Changing employer and losing a job | This page, the table on refusals and deadlines |
| Refusal and appeal | This page, the table on refusals and deadlines |
| Urgent situations and removal | This page, the table on refusals and deadlines |
| Citizens of Ukraine | This page, the section for citizens of Ukraine |
| Permanent residence and EU long-term resident | Permanent residence in Poland |
| Citizenship | Polish citizenship |
| PESEL | PESEL in Poland |
| Your own company | Business in Poland |
This page is updated as new detailed pages appear.
Frequently asked questions about residence in Poland
How can a foreigner legalise their stay in Poland?
Through a temporary residence permit on one of the grounds — work, business, study, marriage, family and others — and, for citizens of Ukraine, also through UKR status and the CUKR card. After that come permanent residence or EU long-term resident status, and citizenship.
When should I apply for a residence card?
No later than the last day of your lawful stay. An application filed while you are staying unlawfully is a ground for refusal.
How do I apply for a residence card in 2026?
Since 27 April 2026, electronically only, through MOS; then you attend for fingerprints with your original passport and hand in documents when the voivode summons you.
How much does legalisation of stay in Poland cost?
The stamp duty (*opłata skarbowa*) for a temporary residence permit is 340 zł, for a work-based permit and the EU Blue Card 440 zł, plus 100 zł for the card; permanent residence and EU long-term resident status cost 640 zł each; recognition as a Polish citizen costs 1000 zł.
How long does a residence card decision take?
Under the statute, 60 days; but until 4 March 2027 deadlines at the voivode are suspended for all foreigners, and a complaint about delay has no basis during that period.
How do I check whether I am in Poland legally?
Look at the basis of your stay: a visa, visa-free travel, a residence card, UKR status or an application filed on time. The status of a case is checked with the voivode for your place of stay.
What happens if my residence card is refused?
You have 14 days to appeal. Until the decision is final, your stay is lawful. After a final refusal you have 30 days to leave, and a new application filed within that period is not considered.
What are the rules for citizens of Ukraine in 2026?
UKR status and the documents extended by statute to 4 March 2027, a CUKR card applied for by the same date, or an ordinary permit on five grounds.
After how many years can I get permanent residence in Poland?
EU long-term resident status — after 5 years of lawful, continuous stay, with income, B1, insurance and housing. A permanent residence permit on specific grounds may require no period of stay at all.
Where to start with legalising your stay in Poland
The right first step is to count the dates: when your current basis of stay ends, whether you can file in time, and what happens if a refusal arrives or your job changes.
Our partner in Poland, a consultancy that handles residence cases, chooses the ground, prepares the documents and the MOS application, answers the voivode's summonses, writes appeals and handles permanent residence and citizenship cases. Describe your situation in the form below: your citizenship, the basis on which you are in Poland, until what date, and what has happened.
We pass your case to one advisory firm in Poland
Describe the case — your stay, a property purchase, a company of your own or a bank account — and within a few hours we pass it to one consultancy in Poland that handles foreigners' cases. That is our timing, not theirs: when the firm replies is the firm's to decide. The introduction is free to you and happens only with your consent; the firm's own services are paid on its terms. The page above is research, not advice: it does not know your deadlines or your documents.
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