You've set up a Sp. z o.o. in Poland, you're the president of the board – and you've just discovered that owning a company doesn't give you the right to live here. To live in Poland legally and run the company on the ground, you need a residence permit for a board member.
There's one catch that surprises almost everyone: the office doesn't just assess you. Above all, it assesses your company.
Does a board member need a permit at all?
A non-EU national who sits on the board of a Polish company and stays in Poland for more than 6 months in any 12-month period needs a legal basis both to stay and to perform that function. Shorter, occasional trips for board meetings usually don't require a work permit – but you still need a visa or visa-free entry.
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens don't need a residence permit – for stays longer than 3 months they register their residence as EU citizens.
No permit yet and still planning the company? See whether you can open a Sp. z o.o. without a residence card.
Residence permit for a board member: two routes
In practice, board members use one of two legal bases. Which one fits depends on your shareholding, your role on the board and where your income comes from.
| Residence to run a business | Residence and work (single permit) | |
|---|---|---|
| Usually for | A shareholder managing their own company | A board member paid for performing the function |
| Company economic test | Yes | Yes |
| Decision fee | 340 PLN | 440 PLN |
| Residence card | 100 PLN | 100 PLN |
| Maximum validity | Up to 3 years | Up to 3 years |
It's the first thing we check in every case. Choosing the wrong route means a refusal and a lost fee. More about the document itself on our residence card in Poland page.
The economic test – what your company has to show
The office checks whether the company is a real business that benefits the economy, not just an entry in the KRS register. The condition is met if the company satisfies one of three criteria:
- Revenue or income in the tax year before the application of at least 12 times the average monthly salary in the voivodeship where you live
- At least 2 employees – Polish citizens, or foreigners who don't need a work permit – on indefinite, full-time contracts for at least a year before the application
- Funds or steps that will let the company meet these conditions in future – for example investment, technology transfer, innovation or job creation
Average salaries by voivodeship are published by Statistics Poland (GUS). Twelve times that figure is usually a six-digit amount, so check the current data for your region.
A new company with no revenue? You need evidence, not promises
A young company usually can't meet the first two criteria, so the application rests on the third. The office wants to see that the plan is real and funded:
- a business plan with concrete numbers and a timeline
- bank statements showing capital set aside for growth
- client contracts, orders or letters of intent
- a lease for an office or premises
- a hiring plan with dates
- invoices for investments – equipment, software, fit-out
Your own conditions: income, insurance, address
Beyond the company test, you have to show that:
- you have a stable and regular source of income sufficient to support yourself and your family
- you have health insurance
- you have somewhere to live (see address registration in Poland)
This is where the question of how you pay yourself comes back. A dividend once a year is weak evidence of regularity. Board appointment pay or an employment contract is strong. All the options are compared in how to pay yourself from a Polish Sp. z o.o.
Documents – checklist
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Application | Completed online in MOS |
| Passport | Valid, with copies of all pages |
| Photo | Digital, attached in MOS |
| KRS extract | Confirms your board function |
| Articles of association and appointment resolution | The basis of your function |
| Financial statements and CIT-8 for the previous year | For the revenue or income criterion |
| Employment contracts and employees' ZUS declarations | For the employment criterion |
| Business plan, contracts, bank statements | For a new company |
| Proof of your own income | Remuneration resolution, contract, certificate |
| Company certificates of no arrears | From ZUS and the tax office – how to get them |
| Health insurance | ZUS or a private policy |
| Legal title to accommodation | Lease or proof of ownership |
| Foreign documents | With a sworn translation |
How the procedure works
Step 1 – Choose the route and check the economic test. Before you file anything.
Step 2 – Apply online in MOS and pay the decision fee.
Step 3 – Visit the voivodeship office for your place of residence: document verification and fingerprints.
Step 4 – Proceedings. The office may ask for additional documents – reply within the deadline it sets.
Step 5 – Decision, the 100 PLN card fee, and collecting your card.
Processing time depends on the voivodeship and realistically runs to several months. If you file while your stay is legal and without formal gaps, your stay remains legal until the proceedings end. Don't leave it to the last few days – we break down the real cost of the whole procedure in our article on residence card costs.
Common mistakes
- Choosing the wrong route – business instead of work, or the other way round. It ends in refusal and a lost fee
- A new company with no evidence – plans stated without a business plan, capital or contracts
- Staff on civil-law or part-time contracts – they don't count towards the employment criterion
- No regular personal income – only a once-a-year dividend
- Company arrears with ZUS or the tax office
- Not notifying the voivode within 15 days after leaving the board
More refusal reasons are covered in why residence permit applications get refused.
Frequently asked questions
Does registering a company give me the right to live in Poland? No. The company is a basis for an application, not a right of residence. You need a residence permit or a visa on the right legal basis.
My company is new and has no revenue. Do I stand a chance? Yes, if you show funds or steps that will let you meet the conditions in future – a business plan with numbers, capital in the account, client contracts and a hiring plan.
Do I have to live in Poland to be a board member? No. You can manage the company from abroad. A residence permit is needed when you stay in Poland for more than 6 months in any 12-month period.
What happens if I step down from the board? The purpose of your stay no longer exists. You must notify the voivode within 15 days, and the permit can be revoked.
Can my family join me? Yes, once the family reunification conditions are met – including the required length of your own stay in Poland.
How much does a residence permit for a board member cost? The decision fee is 340 PLN on the business route or 440 PLN on the work route, plus 100 PLN for the card. Add sworn translations of any foreign documents.
For a board member's residence permit, the office looks at your company's numbers. We'll check the economic test and choose the right route before you pay the fee – and set up the company if you don't have one yet: +48 733 713 133 or hello@investya.pl.
Check whether your company qualifies
Book a free consultation – we'll assess the economic test and pick the right route.
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