How to get a Residence Card in Poland?

If you are legally in Poland and have good reasons to stay here for a longer period of time, you can apply for a Residence Card. This is a document that allows you to live, work or study in Poland without the need for a visa.

There are several types of this document:

• Temporary Residence Card (Karta czasowego pobytu)— issued for a limited period of time (for example, for the duration of work or study).
• Permanent Residence Card (Karta stałego pobytu)— without a validity period. It can be obtained, for example, by the husband or wife of a Polish citizen (after 3 years of marriage), people with Polish roots or those who have a Pole’s Card.
• Long-term EU resident cardKarta rezydenta dłogónimego UE) – suitable for those who have already lived in Poland for more than 5 years in a row and legally.

What do you need to do?

First – collect all the documents. Which ones – depends on your situation. For example, if you came to Poland to work, you will apply for a temporary card.

Once the documents are collected, you need to submit them to the local Office for Foreigners (Urząd ds. Cudzoziemców) in your voivodeship. Submission is possible by prior appointment on the website or by mail. Each voivodeship has its own website and rules.

You can find more information about the residence card and get help in the section