Residence permit for citizens of third countries
Citizens from countries other than: the European Union members, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
Residence permit is a document that entitles a foreigner to:
- reside in Poland legally,
- work in Poland - if additional work permit is not required,
- travel within the Schengen countries for the period not exceeding 90 days within each 180-day period. (You can use this calculator to count the 90 days period). You should check if it is allowed to work in another Schengen country on the basis of the Polish residence permit; it may be required to obtain a work permit or residence permit in that other country prior to employment.
Residence permits are issued by Voivodeship Offices (pl. Urząd Wojewódzki), competent for the region of your place of residence in Poland. It is highly recommended to submit the application form for the residence permit in person during a pre-arranged appointment. In case there is not enough time to do that, it is possible to send the documents by post, but this prolongs the procedure (even by 3 months!).
The application for the residence permit can be submitted at any time within your legal stay in Poland, at latest on its last day (e.g. on the last day of your visa validity). Please also read about special solutions for foreigners during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is recommended to apply a few months before the end of your legal stay due to currently prolonged procedures, lasting at least 4 months. Also please remember that in order to have your residence permit issued without additional delays, it is crucial to submit ALL the required documents at one visit.
The application form should be filled in in Polish and any documents in foreign languages (such as your MA or PhD diploma, marriage/birth certificate) have to be translated into Polish by a certified translator.
The residence permit is issued in a form of a plastic card which the foreigners should carry at all times in case of control.
There are different types of residence permits, depending on the conditions of the stay in Poland. Foreigners conducting scientific research, can actually choose between threee types of permits: (1) temporary residence permit for the purpose of conducting scientific research, (2) EU Blue Card or (3) temporary residence and work permit. When taking the decision, you should take into consideration the required documents and some benefits that certain permits may offer e.g. for family members.
Note that if your stay in Poland is not based on employment (without work contract) but on a scientific scholarship/fellowship agreement (for instance NAWA scholarships), you should apply for the residence permit for conducting research.
This permit type is foreseen for scientists/researchers coming to Poland to conduct scientific research. A minimum requirement for the foreigner is to hold a professional title equivalent to Master in Poland which authorises to apply for a doctoral degree. Before applying for this type of residence permit, please make sure that the Polish institution-employer has been acreddited by the Ministry of Interior and Administration (MSWiA) for the purpose of employing foreigners. Here is a list of the approved Polish institutions (only in Polish).
The permit is issued for a minimum stay of 3 months up to 3 years, usually for the same time as the work contract or fellowship period. Afterwards you should apply for a new permit.
The work contract/fellowship agreement signed between the scientist and the employing institution has to include the following elements:
- the title or purpose of scientific research or development activities or their scope,
- a committment of the researcher to participate in scientific research or development activities,
- a committment of the research institution to ensure appropriate conditions for the research and development activities,
- start and end date or an estimated duration of scientific research or development activities,
- remuneration* of the researcher and other employment conditions,
- information on intended scientific research or development activities to be performed in other European Union countries.
An example agreement is used by the Polish Agency for Academic Exchange.
In addition, the research institution needs to provide the researcher with a written statement saying that, in the event that a researcher remains illegally in Poland, the research organisation is responsible for reimbursing the costs related to the stay and return incurred by the Polish authorities. The financial responsibility of the research organisation will end at the latest six months after the termination of the agreement.
Apart from the agreement and the statement the following documents are required:
- 2 copies of the application form plus annex (taken from the Voivodship Office website),
- 4 recent
colour photographs, 45x35 mm, - 2 copies of a valid travel document (passport - all the pages, except for empty pages),
- a document confirming a stable and regular source of income* - unless mentioned in the work contract,
- documents confirming having health insurance, including confirmation of last 3 months' payments (ZUS RCA),
- apartment rental agreement with the amount of monthly rent and bills such as gas, water, electricity,
- fee payment confirmation (PLN 340):
Fee: PLN 340 when you submit the application and then PLN 50 when you collect the residence card.
* The amount of funds, after deducting the costs of acommodation (fixed charges such as apartment lease, electricity, water, gas bills etc.) has to be higher than PLN 528 monthly for each family member or PLN 701 monthly for persons living in Poland alone.
Benefits:
- family members of the holder of this type of residence permit can work in Poland without a work permit, based on their family reunification residence card;
- holders of this type of residence permit and their family members can go to other European Union countries for a so called "short-term mobility of researchers" (up to 180 days) or "long-term mobility" (above 180 days) within the validity date of the residence permit. You should check detailed rules with the country where you intend to go.
- researchers holding this permit whose job contracts end can stay in Poland for additional 9 months in order to look for another job or to set up their own business. In order to do that, they need to apply for a residence permit for scientists looking for work or planning to establish economic activity.
Information at the Office for Foreigners website
This is a temporary residence permit for the purpose of highly qualified employment. It is issued for stays of minimum 3 months and for a period 3 months beyond the work contract, but for maximum of 3 years. If you want to stay longer, you should apply for a new permit.
The minimum requirements are:
- completed higher education (minimum Masters title),
- employment contract in Poland has to be signed for at least 12 months (calculating from the date of the permit decision so considering the procedure, in fact the contract should be a few months longer),
- monthly salary cannot be lower than 150% of average salary in Poland from the year prior to signing the work contract. (the average salary is announed each year by the Polish Statistical Office). According to this, for contracts signed in 2021 the salary should be at least PLN 7751,21 gross monthly. For contracts signed in 2020 the monthly salary should be minimum PLN 7377,26 gross.
The following documents are required:
- 2 copies of the application form for the residence permit plus annexes (taken from the Voivodship Office website),
- 4 recent
colour photographs, 45x35 mm, - 2 copies of valid travel document (passport), all the pages with stamps or information,
- employment contract as above,
- a document confirming higher education (e.g. university diploma), translated into Polish by a sworn translator,
- health insurance confirmation, including proof of last months' payments (ZUS RCA),
- apartment rental agreement with the amount of monthly rent and bills such as gas, water, electricity,
- fee payment confirmation (PLN 440):
Fees: PLN 440 paid when submitting the application; PLN 50 for issuing the card.
Benefits:
- the EU Blue Card is issued for a period exceeding the work contract duration by 3 months (but max 3 years) while other residence permits are issued for the same duration as the work contract;
- family members of the Blue Card holders can work in Poland without the
work permit based on their family reunification residence card.
Information at the Office for Foreigners website
This type of residence permit is issued for various types of jobs. It is issued for stays of minimum 3 months and for a maximum period of 3 years (usually for the same duration as the work contract). If you want to stay longer, you need to apply for a new permit.
You need to submit the following documents:
- 2 copies of the application form for a temporary residence permit plus annex (taken from the Voivodship Office website),
- 4 recent
colour photographs, 45x35 mm, - 2 copies of a valid travel document (passport) - all pages with information or stamps,
- employment contract, including information about salary's amount*,
- documents confirming health insurance, including proof of last 3 months' payments (ZUS RCA),
- apartment rental agreement with the amount of monthly rent and bills such as gas, water, electricity,
- certificate of having no tax obligations (issued by a relevant tax office),
- personal income tax form (PIT) submitted to the tax office for the previous year plus confirmation called UPO,
- fee payment confirmation (PLN 440):
Fee: PLN 440 when you submit the application and then PLN 50 when you collect the residence card.
* The amount of funds, after deducting the costs of acommodation (fixed charges such as apartment lease, electricity, water, gas bills etc.) has to be higher than PLN 528 monthly for each family member or PLN 701 monthly for persons living in Poland alone.
This residence permit is not related with any additional benefits.
More information at the Office for Foreigners website
This permit is gives the right of residence for an indefinite period and can be requested by a foreigner only on certain conditions described below. There are two forms of residence for an indefinite period:
- EU long-term residence
permit is issued for non-European nationals who have stayed in Poland continuously and legally for at least five years directly prior to applying for this permit, and who have health insurance and a stable source of income in Poland. The "continuous stay"means: 1) in case of holders oftermporary permit for residence and work - that there are no absences longer than 6 months each and their total duration cannot exceed 10 months within the 5 years. 2) Incase of the EU Blue Cardholders each absence cannot exceed 12 months and 18 months in total within the 5 years. The long-term permit is issued for an indefinite period of time.
permanent residence permit is only issued in certain situations mainly: to spouses and children of Polish citizens, persons of Polish descent, holders of the Pole’s Card, persons covered by international protection, tolerated stay, refugees, asylum seekers.
The fee in case of both permits is PLN 640, plus PLN 50 for issuing the residence card. More information on both permits is available at Office for Foreigners website.
Residence permit for students/PhD candidates:
PhD students should apply for a residence permit for the purpose of studies. The first residence permit is issued for 15 months. Subsequent permits can be issued for a period exceeding the study programme by 3 months, but up to 3 years, with a possibility of applying for further permits.
The following documents are required:
- 2 copies of the application form (taken from the Voivodship Office website),
- 4 recent colour photographs, 45x35 mm,
- 2 copies of valid travel document (passport - all pages, except for empty pages),
- confirmation from the university/institute of admission to/continuation of a doctoral school / study programme,
- proof of payment of the tuition fee; if study is free-of-charge, a document confirmation should be provided,
- health insurance confirmation (ZUS or NFZ agreement), including proof of last 3 months' payments (ZUS RCA or DRA),
- apartment rental agreement with the amount of monthly rent and bills such as gas, water, electricity,
- fee payment confirmation (PLN 340),
- evidence of sufficient funds to cover the costs of stay in Poland and the return journey to the home country (bank account information or scholarship agreement):
The amount of monthly funds, after deducting the costs of residence (fixed charges such as apartment lease, electricity, water, gas bills etc.), held by the foreigner have to be higher than PLN 528 for each family member or PLN 701 for persons living in Poland alone.
In case of applying for your first residence permit, you need to have sufficient funds for the first 15 months of the stay.
Fees: PLN 340 when submitting the application; PLN 50 when collecting the residence card.
Benefits:
Full-time students, doctoral candidates in doctoral schools as well as alumni of those are allowed to work in Poland without work permit.
More information at Office for Foreigners website
For family members:
According to the Polish law, the term 'family member' includes a spouse or a child (aged under 18) who accompany the foreigner in Poland.
In the application form for the residence permit the family member should either tick the box 1) "stay with a foreigner" or 2) "other cirtumstances" - depending on the spouse's/parent's (scientist's) residence permit.
Therefore, number 1) should be ticked if the spouse-scientist is applying for or has already obtained:
- a temporary residence permit for the purpose of conducting scientific research,
- a temporary residence permit for the purpose of long-term mobility of a scientist,
- the EU Blue Card (for highly skilled employees),
- a temporary residence permit of a scientist who has finished his research activity and is seeking employment or plans to set up his own business in Poland,
- permanent residence permit or a residence permit for EU long-term resident,
- or if the foreigner has been residing in Poland for at least 2 years on the basis of temporary residence permits issued for at least 1 year each.
In such a case the residence permit that will be issued to a family member will give her/him the right to work without work permit.
The "other circumstances" box should be ticked by a family member if the foreigner-scientist (spouse/parent) is applying for or has received the temporary work and residence permit or the permit as a student/doctoral candidate. This permit does not give the right to work in Poland without the work permit.
In order to obtain a residence permit for the family member, you need to prove that their stay in Poland is secured. The required documents include:
- 2 copies of the application form for the residence permit,
- spouse's/parent's employment contract to confirm sufficient
regular income to cover the costs of the stay in Poland (minimum PLN 528 net per person in family, excluding the accommodation costs), - health insurance document, including proof of last 3 months' payments (ZUS RCA),
- documents confirming family relationships (marriage certificate, birth certificate) translated into Polish by a certified translator,
- apartment rental agreement with the amount of monthly rent and bills such as gas, water, electricity (all family members have to be mentioned by names),
- 4 recent
colour photographs, 45x35 mm, - 2 copies of
valid travel document (passport - all pages except for empty ones), for children up to 13 years old - 1 copy, - fee payment confirmation (PLN 340):
Fee: PLN 340 when you submit the application and then PLN 50 when you collect the residence card.
The permit is issued for the same period as the spouse's/parent's permit, maximum for 3 years, with a possibility to apply for a new permit to continue the stay.
More information at the Office for Foreigners website
Note: residence permits are issued for given employers, thus if you change employer or terminate your work earlier than stated in the contract, you are obliged to notify the Voivideship Office within 15 days. Employers have the same obligation. Also if you change your address or phone number, you need to inform the Office as these data is used for communicating important information - sending requests for additional documents and permit decisions.
If your visa or previous residence permit has expired and you are waiting for the new residence permit, you are not authorised to cross borders within the European Union Schengen area. You are only allowed to go to your home country but in order to come back to Poland, you will need to get another visa (except for visa-free movement) in a Polish embassy or consulate located in your home country.
See also: practical tips when applying for residence permit
Moving within the EU
As mentioned above, having a Polish visa or residence permit allows for travelling within the European Schengen countries for periods up to 90 days (within each 180 days). Additional possibility to travel within the EU for longer periods is available for scientists (and their families) and students. This is so called 'intra-EU mobility rule' which allows to carry out a part of research or study abroad for periods exceeding 3 months.
Note that the countries that do not apply this rule are the UK, Ireland and Denmark.
A basic condition to use the intra-EU mobility is to hold a long-term visa or a residence card with the annotation "researcher" / "student" issued by another EU country. The mobility can be taken up within the validity period of the visa/residence card.
In case of researchers and their family members, there are 2 types of intra-EU mobility:
- Short-term mobility: a stay not exceeding 180 days (in a period of 360 days) in another Member State of the European Union. The researcher does not need to apply in Poland for a residence permit in order to do so; only a notification procedure is applicable. More about researcher's mobility and the mobility of a researcher's family member
- Long-term mobility: a stay of more than 180 days in another Member State of the European Union. The researcher has to apply for a separate residence permit - the residence permit for the purpose of long-term mobility.
In case of students/PhD students the EU mobility rule allows for stays of up to 360 days in another EU Member State. More about student mobility to Poland