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Karta pobytu · Residence permits

Temporary residence in Poland: your 3-year ticket to staying legally

Your karta pobytu: up to 3 years to live and work in Poland on a temporary residence permit. A specialist explains which ground fits you and guides you to the decision.

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Decision time

249 daysqueue growing

Permit Barometerdata as of September 28, 2026

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What is a karta pobytu (temporary residence permit)?

A temporary residence permit (zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy) is the main legal document that allows non-EU citizens to live in Poland for a specified period, usually 1 to 3 years. It also often includes work authorization, which means you don’t need a separate work permit.

Once granted, you receive a karta pobytu (residence card), which is your ID in Poland.

Who applies
You, the applicant
Processing time
Depends on the office: see today’s figure above
Validity
Up to 3 years
Where it is filed
MOS online portal

How we help with temporary residence

Monika Bzdyk of Krakspire at a wooden table, chin resting on her hand

We start with the ground: which one fits your situation, what the office will ask for and what conditions attach to the permit. Then we prepare the application with you, arrange sworn translations, file together in the MOS portal and explain each letter from the office until the decision and the card.

  • Advice on the right ground and what it means for your permit
  • A precise document checklist for your situation
  • Sworn translations arranged with the application
  • Filing together in the MOS portal, from your own account
  • The office’s letters explained and answered, until you collect the card

Which grounds qualify you for a karta pobytu?

Polish immigration law lists many separate grounds for a temporary residence permit. The ground determines what documents you need, how the application is assessed, and what conditions attach to the permit. Here’s what each one covers.

Work-based grounds

Employment (jednolite zezwolenie)

The most common ground. Combines a work and residence permit in a single application. Your employer doesn’t need a separate work permit because it’s built into the residence permit. Issued for the duration of the employment contract, up to 3 years.

Highly qualified work (EU Blue Card)

For professionals with a university degree or equivalent experience earning above the salary threshold: 150% of the previous year’s average national wage announced by GUS, 13,355.34 PLN gross per month for 2026. Comes with advantages: easier family reunification, the option to move to other EU countries after 12 months, and more flexibility to change jobs.

Posted worker (pracownik delegowany)

For employees of foreign companies posted to work in Poland temporarily. The employer is based abroad and sends the worker to Poland for a specific project or assignment. Different documentation requirements than a standard employment permit.

Intra-corporate transfer (ICT)

For managers, specialists, or trainee employees transferred from a non-EU branch to a Polish branch of the same company (or group). Specific rules on minimum qualifications and the relationship between the sending and receiving entities.

Seasonal work

For work in agriculture, forestry, tourism, food processing, and other seasonal sectors. Valid for up to 9 months in a calendar year. The employer must obtain a seasonal work permit from the local labour office before the worker applies for residence.

Business activity (działalność gospodarcza)

For foreigners running a business in Poland, typically a sp. z o.o. (limited liability company). The business must generate sufficient income or create jobs. The voivodeship office assesses the economic benefit to the region.

Study & research

Studies (studia)

Full-time students at a Polish university or higher education institution. The first permit for first-year students is issued for 15 months (2 years in some EU mobility programmes). A renewal covers the rest of your studies plus 3 months, up to 3 years at a time. You’ll need confirmation of enrollment and proof of funds to cover living costs.

Research (badania naukowe)

For researchers conducting scientific work at an approved research institution in Poland. Requires a hosting agreement with the institution. The permit duration matches the research project.

Vocational training (staż)

For foreigners doing a traineeship or vocational training in Poland. Requires a training agreement with the hosting organisation. Limited duration: typically up to 6 months, extendable to 12 in some cases.

Voluntary service (wolontariat)

For volunteers participating in organised programmes coordinated by a recognised organisation. The programme must be approved, and the organisation must provide accommodation and living costs.

Family grounds

Family reunification

For the spouse and minor children of a foreigner who holds, among others, a permanent or EU long-term resident permit or a Blue Card in Poland, or has lived here for at least 2 years on consecutive temporary permits. The sponsor (the family member in Poland) must meet income, insurance and accommodation requirements.

Family member of a Polish citizen

If you’re married to a Polish citizen, you can apply for a residence permit on this basis. Simpler requirements than standard family reunification, no income threshold for the Polish spouse.

Family member of an EU citizen

Non-EU family members of EU/EEA citizens exercising free movement rights in Poland. Different procedure: you apply for a residence card for a family member of an EU citizen, which has its own requirements and timeline.

Other grounds

Polish Card holder (Karta Polaka)

If you hold a Karta Polaka (Polish Card confirming your connection to Polish culture and heritage), you do not need a temporary residence permit first: you can apply for permanent residence directly, without meeting the standard income or purpose-of-stay requirements. This is one of the simpler grounds.

Long-term EU resident in another member state

If you hold a long-term EU resident permit from another EU country and want to move to Poland, you can apply for a temporary residence permit here. You’ll need to show a purpose of stay (work, business, study, etc.) and sufficient funds.

Victim of trafficking

Victims of human trafficking who are in Poland, cooperate with the authorities and have cut contact with the suspects can receive a temporary residence permit for at least 6 months. Several of the usual refusal grounds do not apply, and the permit can be withdrawn once the cooperation or the proceedings end.

Humanitarian circumstances

When circumstances in your home country or your personal situation make it impossible to return, you may qualify for a residence permit on humanitarian grounds. Assessed on a case-by-case basis by the voivodeship office.

Other circumstances (inne okoliczności)

A catch-all category for situations that don’t fit the grounds above. This can include people who need to remain in Poland to complete legal proceedings, individuals with strong personal ties to the country, or other circumstances the voivodeship considers justified.

Where and how to apply

Poland has transitioned temporary residence permit applications to the MOS Portal (Moduł Obsługi Spraw). You can submit your application and supporting documents online, though you still need to visit the voivodeship office in person for fingerprinting.

In Krakow, the competent office is the Małopolski Urząd Wojewódzki. Once your application is accepted, you receive confirmation that legalises your stay while you wait for a decision.

How long does it take?

The Act sets a 60-day term for the decision, counted from a complete application, but it does not run until 4 March 2027 (article 100d of the Act on assistance to citizens of Ukraine). Decision times depend on the voivodeship office. The Permit Barometer at the top of this page shows the current average for each office, and many people wait longer than the average. Wait times also vary by the type of permit you apply for.

We follow your application and ask the office where it stands when it stalls.

Costs

Application fee: 440 or 340 PLN (paid when submitting)

Karta pobytu: 100 PLN (paid after a positive decision)

We quote our service fee in writing after the first consultation; government fees are separate.

How it works

01

Let’s talk

You tell us your situation and plans. We explain your options and the route that fits you.

02

A clear plan

The route, the documents and a realistic timeline, in writing, before anything starts.

03

We file together in MOS

You submit from your account with us beside you. Fingerprints follow at the voivodeship office.

04

We stay with you to the decision

The office writes in Polish. We explain each letter and reply inside its deadline. You know where you stand.

What clients say

“We had a really good and smooth process with Krakspire. I highly recommend them for your residence process!”
Anabelle O.

Google Review

“Had to go through several integration cases while migrating, from basic papers for apartment rental and document translation to obtaining a work permit, and Krakspire was the one to help. Always friendly, helpful, and going a bit beyond what’s needed.”
Tesssmen

Google Review

“By far the best assistance company for resident permits. They are proactive: you don’t need to chase them. The pricing is decent and they help with situations where it’s not clear how to proceed. They got my application processed in two months with a decision for permanent residence.”
Anjaneai S.

Google Review

Need a temporary residence permit?
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Karta pobytu (temporary residence): frequently asked questions

The Act sets a 60-day term, but it does not run until 4 March 2027. In practice, decision times depend on the voivodeship office. The Permit Barometer at the top of this page shows the current average for each office, and many people wait longer than the average. We follow your application and ask the office where it stands when it stalls.

In many cases, yes. After submitting a complete application, you receive confirmation that legalises your stay. If you had valid work authorisation before applying, you can usually continue working. We’ll confirm your specific situation.

Karta pobytu is the Polish residence card: the physical document you receive after your temporary or permanent residence permit is granted. It’s your ID in Poland and proves your legal right to stay.

Through a temporary residence permit. First you find the ground that fits your situation, such as employment, studies or family. You then submit the application and supporting documents in the MOS portal from your own account, and visit the voivodeship office in person for fingerprints. Once the application is accepted, you receive confirmation that legalises your stay while you wait for a decision. After a positive decision, you receive your karta pobytu. We advise which ground fits and go through each step with you.

The government fee is 440 or 340 PLN for the application and 100 PLN for the karta pobytu after a positive decision. We quote our service fee in writing after the first consultation; government fees are separate.

Poland has transitioned to the MOS Portal for residence permit applications. Applications and documents can be submitted online, though you still need to visit the voivodeship office for fingerprinting. We prepare the application with you, file it together in the portal and plan the fingerprint visit.

It varies by the basis for your stay, but typically: valid passport, passport-sized photos, proof of accommodation, health insurance, proof of income or employment, and potentially additional documents. We prepare a precise checklist for your situation.

It depends on your visa status. If you have a valid visa or the confirmation from your application, you may be able to travel. Leaving the Schengen area can complicate things. Check with us before you travel while the application is pending; we will tell you what your status allows.

Related services

Work Permit

Family Reunification

Permanent Residence