Permanent residence in Poland – what does it matter?
Having permanent residence proves that a person is a legal resident of Poland. Thanks to this document, a foreigner can stay freely in the country without any restrictions. Permanent residence also does not require additional verification procedures regarding the right to stay in Poland.
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Temporary residence card: Who is entitled to it?
A temporary residence card may be issued in the following situations:
For minor children:
- A child born to a Polish citizen and under his care.
- A child of a foreigner with a permanent residence permit or a long-term EU resident who:
- Was born after the foreign parent obtained permission.
- Was born at a time when the parent had a valid temporary residence permit or was staying in Poland on the basis of a humanitarian permit permitted or related to the admission of refugees.
For spouses of Polish citizens:
- Provided they have been married for at least 3 years before applying.
- The applicant must have lived in Poland for at least 2 years before submitting the application.
- They have a temporary residence permit due to marriage to a Polish citizen or on the basis of refugee status, additional protection or humanitarian protection.
For people of Polish origin:
- Planning a permanent stay in Poland.
- Having at least one parent or grandparent of Polish origin.
For Pole’s Card holders:
- Planning a permanent stay in Poland.
Who can additionally obtain a permanent residence card in Poland?
In addition to standard qualifications, a permanent residence card can also be granted to people in special situations, such as:
- Victims of human trafficking who have had a temporary residence permit for at least one year before submitting their application, have cooperated with law enforcement authorities in criminal cases related to human trafficking and who feel intense fear of returning to their home country.
- Long-term residents, i.e. foreigners who have stayed in Poland for at least 5 years as refugees, protected persons or for other humanitarian reasons.
- Long-term foreigners, i.e. those who have continuously resided in Poland for 10 years on the basis of their residence card.
- Refugees who have been granted asylum status.
For minors, an application for permanent residence is usually submitted by a court-appointed parent or guardian. Children aged 6 and over must be present in person when submitting the application, although those under 6 are not required to take fingerprints. The card for minors under 13 years of age is collected by their legal guardian.
The permanent residence card is issued for an indefinite period, and the card itself is valid for 10 years. Additionally, holders of such a card have a note on their card providing access to the labor market, which means that they do not require additional work permits.
What are the fees for applying for a permanent residence card?
License – PLN 640. Payment confirmation must be attached.
To collect your residence card, you only need PLN 100.
Poland Card holders are also exempt from stamp duty.
What are the conditions for permanent residence?
If you intend to settle in Poland for a longer period of time, you must apply for a residence permit. It is very important to do it as soon as possible, preferably on the last day of your legal stay in the country. The residence card will be issued only after your fingerprints are registered. If you are a minor foreigner, one of your parents or legal guardians can submit the application for a residence permit on your behalf. Children aged 6 or over must be present when submitting the application. Remember that all documents must be submitted in Polish, original or sworn translation.
2 copies of the application; for foreign children up to 13 years of age – only one copy
valid travel document (2 copies); in the case of a foreigner under 13 years of age – 1 copy
Documents required to apply
4 fresh (from the last 6 months), undamaged, colorful (uniform background) photos, dimensions 35 x 45 mm, which should be placed in a specially designated place
if necessary, confirmation of tax repayment
confirmation of uninterrupted stay in Poland.
Documents confirming the circumstances stated in the application:
When submitting applications for a child, if parents:
- have a permanent residence permit or are long-term EU residents,
- they gave birth to this child after obtaining a permanent residence permit or long-term EU resident status,
- have legal custody over him,
then you should present:
- Documents confirming kinship recognized in Poland.
- Documentation confirming that the parents have the appropriate residence permit required by law.
What documents are needed depending on the case:
- A document confirming kinship that is recognized in Poland.
- Marriage certificate of parents or certificate of granting Polish citizenship to the child (if born before the parents got married).
- A copy of the ID card of the authorized person.
- a current copy of the marriage certificate;
for children owned jointly – a copy of the birth certificate; - documents confirming running a joint household, including: bills in a joint name, joint living expenses, evidence of a joint bank account or authorization to use the spouse’s bank account, various joint photos and letters from different periods of life, etc., or other evidence proving family life in the declared place of residence.
- The documents show that the departure from Poland during the period under review was due to conditions (Art. 1. 195, Art. 4 of the Act of 12/12/2013 on foreigners).
- Documentation showing cooperation with law enforcement authorities in criminal cases in accordance with § 189a § 1 of the Penal Code and a justified fear of returning to the country of origin.
- Evidence of fulfillment of tax obligations.
- They have stayed in Poland for at least five years without interruption due to refugee status, protection or humanitarian reasons, until the moment of submitting the application.
- Necessary documents confirming five years of uninterrupted stay in Poland.
- Decisions on granting refugee status, protection or on humanitarian grounds.
- Documents confirming the granting of asylum.
- Original documents confirming Polish roots by one of the parents, grandparents or two great-grandparents.
- Original documents confirming kinship with Polish citizens.
- A copy of the Pole’s current card and the original for inspection.
- Documentation expressing your intention to settle permanently in Poland, for example:
- Proof of possible previous stay on the territory of the Republic of Poland.
- Documents confirming the planned permanent residence in Poland, such as a lease agreement or ownership of a residential premises in the territory of the Republic of Poland.
- Documents confirming employment in Poland or running a business.
- Documents confirming family membership as evidence of planned permanent residence in Poland.
- Certificate of education and relationship.
Where can I submit an application for a permanent residence permit?
Full applications can only be submitted via the inPOL portal for foreigners. To confirm that copies of documents are consistent with the originals, they must be certified by a notary or an official visiting the office in person. Sealing a passport is possible only during a regularly scheduled visit, provided that the required attachments and fingerprints are presented, and if there are no doubts as to the legality of the foreigner’s stay in Poland. Such an application must be submitted no later than on the day of your last legal stay in Poland.
The permanent residence card is issued in accordance with Article 210 of the Polish Law on Foreigners within 6 months from the date of one of the following events:
- The foreigner submits the application in person or appears in person at the voivodeship office after submitting the application, unless this does not apply to the foreigner.
- The applicant completed or submitted the application for a permanent residence permit without breaching any formalities.
- The foreigner has submitted the required documents referred to in Article 203 (2:2) or within the deadline set by the voivode in accordance with Article 203 (2a).
However, please remember that these deadlines are counted from the date of the last mentioned event.