From this article, you will learn when you can obtain a permanent residence permit in Poland, how and where to submit your application, and what you should include with your application to make it complete. I invite you to read on!
When Liam first flew to Poland from Canada, he was convinced it would only be for a year. He was going to write his PhD thesis on Central European history, try pierogi, and return to Toronto. But life, as it often does, had other plans.
He fell in love—first with Krakow, then with Ania, who explained to him that “soon” in Poland can mean anything from five minutes to tomorrow 😊 After several years of studying, working, and improving his Polish, Liam decided to stay permanently. The only thing missing was a permanent residence permit.
Permanent residence in Poland – criteria
Liam quickly discovered that nothing happens “right away” in Poland—especially at the Office 😊 Before he could submit his application, he had to check whether he met the requirements.
In his case, as the husband of a Polish citizen, he could apply for permanent residence after three years of marriage and at least two years of legal residence in Poland. This is one of several possible grounds for applying for a permanent residence permit.
You can also apply for a permanent residence permit in Poland if, among other things:
- you are the child of a foreigner who has been granted a permanent residence permit or a long-term EU resident’s residence permit
- you are the child of a Polish citizen and remain under their parental authority
- you are of Polish origin or hold a Pole’s Card and intend to settle permanently in the territory of Poland
- you have been residing in Poland for a period of not less than 4 years on the basis of a temporary residence and work permit
Who submits an application for a permanent residence permit in Poland and where?
Liam submitted his application himself and in person at the Office, while he was still using his previously granted temporary residence permit. He did it correctly. Why?
Because an application for a permanent residence permit must be submitted in person, no later than on the last day of legal residence in Poland. Liam submitted his application while he was still in Poland on the basis of a temporary residence permit granted to him earlier. Another basis for legal residence in Poland may be a visa or the use of the so-called visa-free travel. Regardless of the basis for your stay, you should submit your application for a permanent residence permit while you are staying in Poland legally, even if it is the last day of your legal stay in Poland.
In the case of children, the application for a permanent residence permit is submitted by their parents. If the child is over 6 years of age, they should also be present at the Office when the application is submitted.
It may happen that you do not submit your application in person, but send it by post, for example. In such a situation, the Voivode will summon you to appear in person. If you fail to appear when summoned, the Voivode will leave your application unexamined. In practice, this means that the Voivode will simply not deal with your case and will not proceed with it.
Where should you go to submit your application for a permanent residence permit? You should go to the Voivodship Office competent for your place of residence in Poland. So, for example, if you live in Warsaw, go to the Mazowieckie Voivodship Office, and if you live in Krakow, go to the Małopolskie Voivodship Office.
What are the consequences of correctly submitting an application for a permanent residence permit in Poland?
If you submit an application for a permanent residence permit while you are legally residing in Poland (even if it is the last day of your legal stay in Poland) and the application is complete (i.e., it contains all the required elements) or – if it was not complete – you complete the missing elements within the time limit set by the Office, then something very important and positive for you will happen. In such a situation, the Voivode will place a stamp in your passport. This stamp will mean that you have correctly submitted your application for a permit. This, in turn, will mean that you can … attention😊 … legally stay in Poland from the date you submitted your application until the date of the final decision on your permit.
Yes, this is not a mistake. Polish regulations allow you to stay in Poland legally without a permit, provided that you have submitted your application for this permit correctly. This is good news. There is one thing, however – in this situation, you cannot leave Poland with a guarantee of return. The stamp in your passport, which you receive when you submit your application correctly, guarantees your legal stay in Poland. However, if you decide to leave Poland while waiting for your permit, the stamp alone will not be sufficient to enter Poland. You will be able to enter on other grounds (e.g., visa, visa-free travel), but if you do not have such grounds for entry, you may face refusal of entry into Poland.
Documents checklist for Poland permanent residence permit
In order for your application to be submitted effectively and for you to be able to stay in Poland legally while awaiting a decision, the application must not contain any formal deficiencies. In non-lawyer -speak, your application must simply be complete.
You should submit your application for a permanent residence permit on an official form. This form will be the same regardless of which Voivodship Office you submit your application to. Here is a link to the form: click here
Attach a current photograph and documents confirming the circumstances you state in the application to justify that you meet the conditions for obtaining a permit (e.g., if you are applying for a permit because you are the spouse of a Polish citizen, attach a document confirming this to the application, such as a marriage certificate).
Remember that the official language in Poland is … Polish 😊 This may seem obvious, but even in matters concerning foreigners, the procedure for obtaining a permit will be conducted in Polish. Therefore, the application for a permanent residence permit should be written in Polish, and all documents you wish to submit as evidence in the case should be in Polish. If they are not, have them translated into Polish by a sworn translator. Yes, a sworn translator. Unfortunately, not by online translation websites or AI. By a real person with the appropriate qualifications 😉A list of sworn translators for individual languages is available at this link : click here .If you have a document to be translated that you want to show at the Office, contact one of them.
How long does a polish permanent residence permit take to process?
According to the provisions of the Act on Foreigners, a permanent residence permit should be issued within 6 months from the date of personal submission of the application (or personal appearance after submitting the application). It is important that the application does not contain any formal deficiencies – otherwise, the Office will ask you to complete it, which may prolong the entire procedure.
This is how it looks in theory – in the regulations. Unfortunately, practice shows that proceedings for granting a permanent residence permit take much longer. Currently (until March 4, 2026), there are no effective legal measures to mobilize the Voivode to settle the case within the statutory time limit. The provisions of the Act on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict in that country have excluded the possibility of effectively submitting reminders for inaction/delay by the Voivode and complaints to the Voivodship Administrative Courts for all foreigners (not only Ukrainian citizens). Until now, these measures have often mobilized Voivodes and resulted in decisions being issued more quickly.
Currently, the Voivodship Offices explain the prolonged duration of proceedings by the insufficient number of employees who handle such applications. However, this is an organizational issue of the Office and should not have a negative impact on your case. Unfortunately, as long as the regulations excluding the possibility of filing complaints and reminders remain in force, there is no possibility of effective legal action to mobilize the Voivodes.
Refusal to grant a permanent residence permit in Poland
Polish administrative law distinguishes between two concepts: refusal to initiate proceedings and refusal to grant a permit. From a practical point of view – for you – both bring about the same result: situations in which you will not receive a permit. Remember that in each such situation, you can file a complaint or appeal and try to have the decision changed in your favor.
Refusal to initiate proceedings is a situation in which the Voivode refuses to conduct the entire procedure because he sees from the beginning that there are grounds that may disqualify you (remember – you can always appeal this!). These grounds include, for example, situations where: on the date of submitting the application, you are staying in Poland illegally or you are outside Poland.
On the other hand, refusal to grant a permit is an administrative decision issued after a full investigation. The voivode will refuse to grant a permanent residence permit, among other things, if:
- the foreigner does not meet the conditions necessary to obtain it (I described these conditions above, in the paragraph on criteria)
- the foreigner is entered in the register of foreigners whose stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland is undesirable
- it is required for reasons of national defense or security
- it is required in the interest of the Republic of Poland
- the basis for applying for a permit is marriage to a Polish citizen, and the marriage was concluded for appearance’s sake (yes, officials check this 😉)
- the foreigner is in delay with paying taxes
You can appeal against such a negative decision. The voivode will indicate in the justification for his negative decision why he did not grant you a permit. In your appeal you can, and even should, challenge this, preferably by presenting arguments that speak in your favor and are supported by evidence (e.g., documents).
Frequently asked questions :
What is the duration of the permanent residence permit in Poland
A permanent residence permit is granted for an indefinite period.
After obtaining a permanent residence permit, you will receive a residence card, i.e. a document that will confirm your identity during your stay in Poland and, together with your passport, will entitle you to cross the Polish border multiple times. The residence card will be valid for 10 years from the date of issue. After it expires, you will receive another one, also valid for 10 years.
What is the stamp duty for granting a permanent residence permit in Poland ?
The stamp duty for a permanent residence permit is currently PLN 640. If you use the support of a representative, you should additionally pay a fee for submitting a power of attorney document – PLN 17. You should pay the fees before submitting the application and attach confirmation of payment (e.g., bank transaction confirmation) to the application .
How long after permanent residency can I apply for polish citizenship?
You can apply for Polish citizenship if, among other things, you have been residing in Poland continuously for at least three years on the basis of a permanent residence permit.
If you have been married to a Polish citizen for at least three years, you can apply for Polish citizenship after only two years of obtaining a permanent residence permit.
In addition to holding a permanent residence permit for the appropriate period of time, you will need to meet other conditions, such as knowledge of the Polish language, a stable and regular source of income, and legal title to residential premises.
What is the appeal procedure for a decision refusing to grant a permanent residence permit in Poland?
You must submit your appeal against an unfavorable decision within 14 days of receiving it. The appeal should be submitted to the second-instance authority, i.e., the President of the Office for Foreigners, via the Voivode. In other words, you submit your appeal to the Voivode who issued your decision, and he forwards it to the President of the Office for Foreigners together with the case files.
Julia Dolińska
radca prawny
Photo by Lucas Albuquerque