PolandPermanent residence

EU long-term resident in Poland

A permanent residence status recognised in every EU country. It is granted to foreign nationals who have lived lawfully and continuously for the set period. It confers the right to work without a permit, unimpeded residence and a route to citizenship.

Visa term

The permit is open-ended. The residence card is valid for 5 years and must be replaced.

Processing time

The case is examined within up to 6 months.

Source: gov.pl — Zezwolenie na pobyt rezydenta długoterminowego UE

How to obtain EU long-term resident status

The programme is aimed at lawful migrants who want to secure their right of permanent residence in Poland and the EU. The status is granted open-ended; the residence card is valid for five years.

Requirements

Continuous residence of at least five years on lawful grounds
A stable monthly income: at least seven hundred and one zloty net for yourself and five hundred and twenty-eight zloty net for each dependant
Proof of income for the three preceding years
The right to use accommodation (a tenancy agreement, ownership or free use granted by close relatives)

Language and education

A certificate of Polish at level B1 from an accredited institution
Exception: children under sixteen are exempt from the requirement
Alternative: a diploma from a Polish secondary school or university taught in Polish
Proof of health insurance for the period of residence in Poland

Keeping the status

Absence from Poland of no more than six months in a row
Total time abroad over the five-year period of no more than ten months
With an EU Blue Card: up to twelve months at a time, up to eighteen months in total
Time spent studying in Poland does not count towards the required period of residence

When this programme will not suit you

You have lived in Poland for less than five years

Consider a one-year or three-year foreigner's permit (karta pobytu czasorazemnego)

Your income is below the required level and you cannot accumulate certificates for three years

Work in Poland for a few years to prove stable earnings

You are absent from the EU for more than one year in a row

The status will be lost; a fresh application will be needed after your return

You have no proof of accommodation (a tenancy or ownership)

Draw up a tenancy agreement or conclude an agreement on free use of accommodation

What it costs

Stamp duty on filing the applicationPaid when the application is filed through the MOS system	640 PLN
Charge for producing the residence cardPaid after a positive decision, before the card is issued	100 PLN
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	740 PLN

Paid separately

B1 language certificate — The cost depends on the institution; roughly one thousand to three thousand zloty
Translation of documents into Polish — Required for documents issued abroad; the cost depends on the translator
Photographs — Four photographs measuring forty-five by thirty-five millimetres

Documents to gather

The documents are gathered in the form laid down by the Office for Foreigners. Filing is done through the electronic MOS system (Moduł Obsługi Spraw), exclusively in electronic form from April two thousand and twenty-six.

The completed application for an EU long-term resident permit (through the MOS 2.0 system)
A valid passport with copies of every page bearing stamps and endorsements
Four colour photographs measuring forty-five by thirty-five millimetres
The receipt for payment of the stamp duty (seven hundred and forty zloty)
Proof of health insurance valid for the whole period of residence
Documents confirming continuous lawful residence in Poland for five years (register extracts, residence permit decisions, passport stamps)
Certificates of income for the last three years (certificates from employers, tax returns, bank statements)
Documents confirming the right to use accommodation (a tenancy agreement, a certificate of ownership, the owner's written consent)
A certificate of Polish at level B1 from an accredited examination centre
Documents on marriage and family composition, where applicable (translation into Polish, apostille)
A certificate from the authorities confirming the absence of a criminal record (where required)

How the process runs

The process involves several stages: from checking that you meet the requirements to collecting the physical residence card.

1
Checking that you meet the basic requirements
2-4 weeks
Make sure you meet every requirement: five years of residence, income, language, accommodation and health insurance. Gather the certificates that will prove each criterion.
2
Gathering and preparing the documents
3-6 weeks
Gather all the required documents in line with the checklist. If the documents are foreign, obtain apostilles and translations into Polish. Have four photographs taken to the required specification.
3
Registering in the MOS system and filing the application
1 day online
Create an account in the MOS 2.0 system at mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl, upload all the documents in electronic form and submit the application.
4
Paying the stamp duty
by the date chosen
After filing the application through MOS you receive a link for paying the stamp duty (seven hundred and forty zloty). The payment must be made before your visa or residence permit expires.
5
Attending for biometrics and an interview at the voivodeship office
20-30 days after filing
Once the documents have been checked, the voivodeship office will send you a notice to attend. Attend the appointment given for fingerprints, a photograph and confirmation of your identity. The interview may cover your residence history and income.
6
Examination of the application
up to three months under the law
The voivodeship office examines the application and documents. In practice the timeline often exceeds three months, especially where clarification is needed. You may receive a request for additional documents.
7
Receiving a positive decision
notification by post
After a positive decision (decyzja) you will receive a notification. That decision confirms your entitlement to EU long-term resident status.
8
Paying the card charge and collecting the card
10-14 days
Pay the charge for producing the residence card (one hundred zloty). Once the payment is confirmed, attend the voivodeship office to collect the physical residence card.

Timelines and rights

Work

The status confers the right to work in Poland without a work permit. The residence card carries the note «access to the labour market».

Who you can bring with you

Dependent family members may obtain the same status. The requirements for them are the same, but the applicant's income must be higher accordingly.

Spouse

May apply for the status at the same time as you or separately. A marriage document with a translation and apostille, a certificate of living together for five years, and independent proof of their own income or a document on financial dependence on you are required.

Children under eighteen

May obtain the status as dependants. Children under sixteen are exempt from the B1 language requirement. A birth certificate with an apostille and translation, a certificate of living together and proof of guardianship are required.

Adult children (eighteen and over) and other dependants

May be recognised as dependants if complete financial dependence is proved. Documentation of sources of income and expenditure, medical certificates where there is a disability, and written confirmation of the inability to support themselves are required.

Parents of the foreign national

The status is not granted automatically. They may obtain a separate residence permit if they meet the requirements, but not as family members of a long-term resident.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

Continuity: absences of no more than 6 months in a row and no more than 10 months in total over 5 years. Polish at no lower than B1 is compulsory; it does not apply to people under 16.

The residence permit (the status) is granted open-ended and does not require renewal. The residence card (the physical document), however, is valid for five years. Once the card expires it must be replaced through a simplified procedure at the voivodeship office: produce your passport, new photographs (four of them) and proof of health insurance, and pay one hundred zloty for the new card. The simplified renewal takes roughly a month to examine.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	EU long-term resident	Karta pobytu	Blue Card
Visa term	The permit is open-ended	Karta czasowego for 1-3 years, renewable; karta stałego is open-ended (the card is replaced every 10 years)	Up to 3 years (the term of employment plus 3 months), renewable
Work	The status confers the right to work in Poland without a work permit	On a card issued on employment grounds — with the named employer; permanent residence — full access	Yes, in the highly qualified occupation with the employer
Residence	Continuity: absences of no more than 6 months in a row and no more than 10 months in total over 5 years	For permanent residence: absences of no more than about 6 months in a row / 10 months over 5 years	Intention to stay for longer than 3 months

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

This is itself the permanent status — it is granted open-ended. Only the residence card has to be replaced: it is valid for 5 years.

Route to citizenship

After 3 years with this status you apply for recognition as a citizen. The voivode decides within 6 months, the fee is 1,000 zł, and a B1 certificate, a stable income and accommodation are required.

Frequently asked questions about EU long-term resident

Can I work in other EU countries with an EU long-term resident card from Poland?

Working in other EU countries is possible, but the conditions differ widely. EU Directive 2003/109/EC provides certain rights, but each country has its own rules. In the Netherlands, for example, a separate work permit is required (for the first twelve months), in Sweden an employment contract is enough, and in Germany you may work for up to ninety days a year. In addition, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Ireland do not apply this directive. Before moving for work, always check the requirements in the particular country.

For how long is the residence card issued?

The residence card (the physical document) is issued for five years. Once it expires it must be renewed through a simplified procedure: submit your passport and new photographs and pay one hundred zloty. The long-term resident status itself is open-ended.

How long can it take to receive a decision on the status?

Under the law the examination takes no more than three months. In practice, in most voivodeships the process takes between four and six months, especially where documents need clarification. It is advisable to track the status through the MOS system and to respond promptly to requests from the voivodeship office.

Do family members need a B1 language certificate?

The B1 language requirement applies to all adult family members. Exception: children under sixteen are exempt from the requirement. An alternative to the certificate is a diploma from a Polish secondary school or university.

How can I obtain Polish citizenship while holding EU long-term resident status?

After three years of continuous residence with EU long-term resident status you may apply for Polish citizenship. You must pass a language examination (level B1), pay a fee (roughly one thousand zloty) and undergo a character check. Examining an application for naturalizacja may take from six months to a year and a half.

What happens if I live outside Poland for longer than the permitted time?

If you are absent from the EU for more than twelve months in a row, or exceed the permitted limits of absence from Poland, your status may be lost. Where you are absent from Poland for more than six months at a time (within the allowance) or for more than ten months across the whole five-year period, the status may be revoked by the authority for foreigners.

Other ways to move to Poland

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Poland.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.