Your right to stay is decided by the regional foreigners’ office
Citizens of countries outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland who want to stay in Poland apply for a temporary or permanent residence permit, the zezwolenie na pobyt, at the foreigners’ department of the voivodeship office (urząd wojewódzki). Most applications are now filed online, and the office later invites you in to give fingerprints and show your original passport. File before your current stay ends. Citizens of EU, EEA and Swiss countries register their stay instead.
How it works
Find the immigration office and the right application for your stay.
If you are not an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you usually need a residence permit to live in the country for more than a few months. The type of permit depends on why you are staying, such as work, study, family or protection, and each has its own conditions and documents. Apply for a renewal well before your current permit expires; in many countries, applying on time lets you stay while your application is processed. A first application, a renewal and collecting your card are usually separate steps.
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At a glance
Choose the office that covers your town
Immigration offices are fewer than town halls, and which one handles your case depends on where you live. Some branches also cover nearby towns. Each office has its own way of taking applications and calling applicants in.
Guides
Related services
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How a trusted profile works for people living in Poland, what to bring to a confirmation point and which kinds of office can confirm it.
Understand how tax registration works, when a NIP is needed and how to reach the tax office that covers your address.
Learn what the departure report is, how it affects permanent and temporary registration and who may file it, then find the office.
See when you need a new ID card, how an online start works and why a visit to the office is still required, then pick an office.
See how re-registering at a new address works, who can do it online and which office takes it, then find the counter in your city.
Other countries
Moving on, or comparing before you decide? See how this works elsewhere.
Most offices in Cologne, Hamburg, and Aachen
Most offices in Liège, Charleroi, and Brussels
Most offices in A Coruña, Alicante, and Almería
Where to next
Browse the offices for foreigners’ matters and see how each one handles online applications, summons and the in-person visit.
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