Temporary residence permit in Poland. We fully support obtaining a residence permit and consult on legalisation in Poland
Get a residence permit in Gdansk, Wroclaw, Poznan, Krakow, Warsaw and other cities in Poland.
SIIAMI law and accounting company specialises in comprehensive assistance in obtaining a temporary residence permit in Poland. If you want to live, work, do business and study legally, we will help you go through the whole process of obtaining a residence permit in Poland.
Why should you go through the process with us?
We have many years of experience
Our team consists of lawyers with extensive experience in migration law. Thanks to our knowledge and practical skills we have an excellent understanding of our clients’ needs and efficiently solve even the most complex cases. You can be sure that your documents is in the hands of professionals.
Completing and checking documents
We take care of the preparation and verification of the necessary documents for submission to the government authority. This helps to avoid formal mistakes and maximise the speed of your application. Our attention to detail ensures that all documents will comply with current legal regulations.
A professional keeps track of the progress of your application
Each client is assigned a professional who monitors the status of your application and is available for consultation. This ensures that every step of the process is monitored and you receive up-to-date information on the progress of your application and support if you have any questions.
Received more than 1,100 positive decisions for our clients
Our effectiveness is confirmed by the figures: we have received more than 1100 positive decisios for our clients. This proves that our assistance brings the desired results and increases the chances of successfully obtaining a card.
Process for obtaining a residence card
You need to choose the basis that entitles you to a residence permit.
It is necessary to prepare documents confirming your purpose of obtaining a residence permit. It is very important to collect a complete package of documents for submission, and in the process of consideration of the case promptly provide the actual data to the inspector.
You can submit your application and documents only when you are legally staying in Poland (you have a valid visa, residence permit or other basis confirming your legal stay). You can do it in person by making an appointment at the Office for Foreigners in the voivodeship where you live or by post or through a public office. The method of submission depends on your voivodeship.
If you submit your documents in person you will need to submit your biometric data – fingerprints. If you submit your application at the authorities or by post, you will have to wait until you are called by the authorities to submit your fingerprints.
You have to wait for the decision on granting a residence card. During this time, the police may come to your place of residence to verify that you really live in Poland. If necessary, the inspector who is in control of your case will request additional documents – you will need to submit them promptly to the Department for Foreigners.
If the decision is positive, you will receive your residence permit and after some time you will be able to pick up your residence card.
How we can help you apply for a residence card
Personal application support in Gdansk and Warsaw
A comprehensive service where we advise you on the best way to submit your application, help you fill in the documents and check that they are correct. Then we personally assist you when you visit the authority and constantly monitor the progress of your application, being in contact with you at all stages until the decision is handed down, and you receive your it.
The service includes:
Specialist consultations
Checking the documents before applying and completing the application
Personal accompaniment of the client to the submission of documents to the state authority
Communication with representatives of the department of foreigners
Monitoring the progress of the application
1000PLN net + VAT 23%
Full online application support throughout Poland
A comprehensive service in which we consult remotely on the best choice of basis and method of application, assist in completing and verifying all documents. Once the application is submitted, we monitor the progress of the case and provide information support throughout the legalisation process.
The service includes:
Specialist consultations
Checking the documents before applying and completing the application
Advice on the best way to apply
Communication with representatives of the department of foreigners
Monitoring the progress of the application
1700PLN net + VAT 23%
Specialist consultation
During the consultation,our legalisation specialist will answer your questions on obtaining a temporary residence permit, individually analyse your case and check the accuracy of your documents.
The service includes:
one hour specialist consultation
Important information :
If you purchase a consultation and then decide to use the full package online or offline, the cost of the consultation will be reduced from the cost of the selected package.
300PLN nett + VAT 23%
Bringing the application to a decision
A package of services dedicated to foreigners who have already applied for a residence permit but need legal support to successfully complete the case.
The service includes:
one-hour primary consultation
verification of submitted documents
communication with the authorities
case monitoring
from 600PLN nett + VAT 23%
On what basis you can get a residence permit
Work
One of the most common ways of obtaining a residence permit in Poland is to get an employment contract with a Polish company. However, the residence card is issued with a connection to the employer: if the foreigner changes the job, then will have to promptly notify the authority and submit a contract of employment with another company.
Running a business
Foreigners who have a business in Poland in the form of a sole proprietorship or a company can obtain a temporary residence card on the basis of their business activities. The applicant must prove that the business brings value to the Polish economy: it is profitable or creates jobs.
Education
Foreign students entering to study in Poland have the right to obtain a residence permit for the period of study. To do this, you need to submit a certificate from the university and prove the availability of income. Also, eligible for a residence permit is entry to a policealna szkoła – an educational institution where adults can receive free education in one of the popular professions on the labour market in Poland.
For family units
Foreign nationals can apply for a temporary residence permit if their close family member is legally living in Poland. The condition for obtaining the permit is documentary proof of family ties and availability of livelihood.
The difference between temporary and permanent residence permits and the EU residence card
| Temporary residence card and Blue card | Permanent residence card | EU residence card | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basis for issuing | Issued for a specific purpose (for work, study, business or family unity). Each permit requires certain conditions to be met. For example: an employment contract. | It can be obtained if the foreigner has Polish roots, has been married to a Polish citizen for at least three years and has been legally residing in the country for a certain period, or has international or additional protection or a Polish card. | You need to have 5 years of full-time residence in Poland, be out of the country for no more than 10 months in total and no more than 6 months at a time, have three years of continuous income in Poland and know Polish (at least B1). |
| Rights and opportunities | A residence permit on some bases gives limited rights: additional work permits are required, there is no possibility to register a sole proprietorship, etc. | It is possible to choose an employer without limits, register a sole proprietorship and after a few years apply for citizenship | Free access to the labour market, opportunities to open a sole proprietorship, after three years you can apply for Polish citizenship. |
| How to prolong the card | Upon expiry of the permit, it is necessary to submit a new package of documents and go through the procedure of obtaining a residence permit again. | Valid indefinitely, but you will have to renew the plastic card every 10 years. | It is issued indefinitely, but the card itself must be renewed every five years. |
| Validity period | The permit is issued for a minimum of three months and a maximum of three years. | You can stay in Poland for an unlimited period of time. | It is possible to live in Poland for an unlimited period of time. |
What documents are required to apply for a residence permit
To apply for a residence permit in Poland in 2025, you need to fill in an application form and collect a package of documents confirming the purpose of your stay in Poland.
The completed form can be obtained from a government office or downloaded from the website. The application is submitted in person, through a representative or by post (depending on the voivodship) to the relevant regional office.
In addition to the original document, you must submit copies of each page of the document that contains personal data, stamps and visas. The passport or travel document of the foreigner will have to be presented at the time of personal application and fingerprinting.
Photos must be current (no older than 6 months), 35×45 mm in size and meet passport requirements (light-coloured background, no headgear or dark glasses).
The fee for applying for a residence permit depends on the basis and usually ranges from 340 to 440 PLN. Proof of payment is attached to the application for residence permit
Their list depends on the basis you have chosen to apply for a residence permit. Such documents can be a labour contract, a tenancy agreement, a marriage certificate, proof of obtaining a PESEL number, etc.
Frequently asked questions
What is a residence permit in Poland?
It is a document that confirms the identity and gives the right to stay legally in Poland for a long period of time. On the basis of the foreigner’s application and the submitted documents, the voivode issues a decision, after which a plastic card is issued.
How to apply for a residence permit in Poland?
If a foreigner stays in Poland for more than three months, he/she needs to obtain a residence card.
A temporary residence permit in Poland can only be issued (or extended) within the country – this is handled by the foreigners’ departments in each of the voivodships.
We have prepared a simple algorithm on how to apply for a residence permit in Poland and obtain a residence card:
- Determine the basis that entitles you to obtain a residence permit.
- Prepare a package of documents confirming your purpose of obtaining a residence permit.
- Make an appointment for a visit to the Department for Foreigners in the voivodship where you live. Sometimes this can be done online – information about it is available on the voivodeship’s website.
- Go to the voivodship at the specified time and submit the documents. Important point: you can do this only while you are legally staying in Poland. If there are no available appointment slots for the required dates, the documents can be sent by post or submitted through the authorities.
- When submitting documents in person, you will have to submit biometric data – fingerprints. They will be placed on a plastic card.
- You will then have to wait for a decision. During this time, the police may visit your place of residence to make sure that you really live in Poland.
- If necessary, the inspector who is in charge of your case will request additional documents – they will have to be promptly submitted to the Department for Foreigners.
- If the decision to issue a residence permit is positive, you will be informed when you can come to the authorities to collect your residence permit.
What gives a residence permit in Poland?
If a foreigner has a residence permit, he or she can:
- legally reside on the territory of Poland;
- move freely within the EU countries, as well as Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein (but without employment and for a period not exceeding 90 days per six months).
After five years of residence under a temporary residence permit, foreign nationals can already apply for the status of long-term resident of the EU (permanent residence permit) and subsequently for citizenship of the Republic of Poland.
How fast is it possible to obtain a residence permit?
The timeframes for processing documents are determined by the Code of Administrative Proceedings and the Law on Foreigners, but now, due to the large flow of Ukrainian refugees, the timeframes are officially allowed to be waived.
The waiting time for a decision on issuing a residence card depends on the voivodeship – somewhere it is 4-6 months, and somewhere – more than a year. Some voivodships provide an opportunity to follow the process of consideration of your case through a personal cabinet on the website of the voivodship.
Also, the time it takes to process a case is influenced by the basis for issuing a residence permit, the workload of inspectors, the promptness of additional documents submitted by the applicant, etc.
If your visa expires and the decision to issue a residence permit is still pending, you should not worry: a stamp in your passport on acceptance of documents (or a receipt of documents sent by post, a receipt of documents from the Chancellery) issued by an employee of the Voivodeship gives you the right to stay legally on the territory of Poland until the end of the process of consideration of your documents.
However, in this case you will not be able to travel to other EU countries – you need to have a valid Schengen or national visa. With such a stamp, you can leave Poland – and wait for the issuance of residence permit outside the EU. But you will only be able to go back if you have a new visa in your passport.
Can a get negative decision on granting a residence permit?
Yes, and there are many reasons for this:
- submitting an incomplete set of documents and ignoring the inspector’s requirements to submit additional papers;
- refusal to submit fingerprints;
- the foreigner was in the country illegally at the time of applying for residence permit;
- specifying incorrect personal data and false information;
- taxes have not been paid in full;
- – documents have been modified or falsified;
- the applicant must undergo compulsory medical treatment;
- the foreigner has been refused entry to other Schengen countries;
- the foreigner is assessed by intelligence services as potentially dangerous to society and the state.
If the refusal to provide a residence permit is still received, you can appeal within 14 days to the Head of the Office for Foreigners of your voivodeship. However, in this case, it is better to get the support of lawyers who have a thorough understanding of Migration law, so that you have at least a minimal chance of having your case reviewed.
You need a residence permit in Poland. How can SIIAMI help in this matter?
We help our clients through all the steps of applying for a residence permit:
- We provide detailed advice on how to apply for a residence permit in Poland.
- We choose the best application strategy (‘basis’) so that you get a residence permit for the longest possible period of time.
- We advise on non-obvious points (e.g. how to make a residence card without specifying your address).
- A lawyer checks the package of documents before submitting it to the Uząd.
- During the obligatory visits for fingerprinting and card issuance you are accompanied by a company employee (in Gdansk, Warsaw and Krakow, in all other cities – online accompaniment).
Thus, you only need to submit the necessary initial documents and visit the Uząd in person 2-3 times. SIIAMI’s experienced lawyers will do the rest for you.