Planning to stay in Poland for more than 3 months – for work, business, studies or with your family? You most likely need a residence card (karta pobytu). It confirms your legal stay and lets you live normally: work, rent a flat, open a bank account and travel within the Schengen area. Investya handles residence cases throughout Poland.
Which office handles your application?
You apply at the voivodeship office (urząd wojewódzki) for your place of stay – for example the Mazowieckie office in Warsaw, the Małopolska office in Kraków or the Dolnośląskie office in Wrocław. The procedure and the fees are the same nationwide; mainly the waiting time for an appointment and a decision differs. We help regardless of the city.
The process, step by step
- Complete the application online via MOS (the case-handling module) and print it.
- Assemble your documents: passport, biometric photos, proof of your purpose of stay, insurance, proof of address registration and proof of the stamp-duty payment.
- Book an appointment at the voivodeship office – slots can be some way out, so reserve early.
- At the appointment the office checks your documents, takes fingerprints and stamps your passport (the stamp legalises your stay while the case is pending).
- After a positive decision you pay for the card and collect it.
How much does it cost?
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Temporary residence permit | 340 PLN |
| Temporary residence and work permit (single) | 440 PLN |
| Issuing the residence card | 100 PLN |
The government fees are identical across Poland. On top of that come sworn translations of documents, and sometimes an apostille. We break down the full cost in our guide: How much a residence card costs – a sample budget.
How long does it take?
The statutory limit is up to 3 months for straightforward cases; realistically 3–6 months (depending on the office and how complete your documents are). That is why it is best to file at least 2 months before your current permit expires.
How Investya helps
We check your full document set before filing, complete the application, book the appointment and support you in dealings with the office – in any city in Poland. The most common cause of delay is missing paperwork – we catch it before it reaches the caseworker. See also our full work permits & legalization service.
Frequently asked questions
Yes – if you filed a complete application before your current permit expired. The stamp in your passport legalises your stay while the case is pending.
The voivodeship office (urząd wojewódzki) for your place of stay in Poland – for example the Mazowieckie office in Warsaw, the Małopolska office in Kraków or the Dolnośląskie office in Wrocław. We handle cases across the whole country.
No. You complete the form electronically via MOS (the case-handling module), but an in-person appointment is mandatory because of the fingerprints.
A temporary residence card is issued for a fixed period (usually up to 3 years) and tied to a specific purpose of stay. A permanent residence card is open-ended (the card itself is renewed every 10 years) and is available, among others, after a sufficiently long, uninterrupted legal stay.
Need a residence card in Poland?
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