Office for Foreigners

We would like to remind you that the last documents issued to European Union citizens and their family members based on the templates in force before August 2, 2021, which remained valid under the transitional provisions of the Act of December 10, 2020, amending the Act on the entry into, stay in, and departure from the territory of the Republic of Poland of citizens of European Union Member States and their family members and certain other acts, will expire on August 3, 2026.

Please, be informed about the consequences of an unauthorised person signing a residence permit application on the MOS portal.

We would like to inform you of the obligation to pay the stamp duty and the fee for issuing a residence card, and to attach proof of these payments to applications submitted via the MOS system.

We would like to inform you that the MOS system (Moduł Obsługi Spraw), which enables the electronic submission of applications referred to in Art. 225a sec. 1 of the Act on Foreigners-namely applications for temporary residence, permanent residence, and long-term EU resident status-was launched on April 27, 2026.

Starting from 5 March 2026, the Head of the Office for Foreigners no longer issues the certificates of temporary protection. The certificates issued before 5 March 2026 shall remain valid by 4 March 2027, unless a foreigner being the holder of this certificate, received PESEL number with UKR status or there are grounds to invalidate this certificate.

A temporary restriction on the right to submit an application for international protection at the state border with the Republic of Belarus has been in force since March 27, 2025. At the request of the Prime Minister, the Sejm approved the extension of this restriction for another 60 days.

Starting October 20, applications for international protection in Warsaw can be submitted at the Border Guard headquarters at 4 Wynalazek Street. All activities related to the issuance or replacement of residence cards, as well as the implementation of alternative measures to detention, will also be carried out at this address.

The temporary protection mechanism, implemented by the EU Council's decision in March 2022 initially for one year, was extended again until March 4, 2027. As a result, the validity of the certificates of temporary protection issued so far, will also be extended alike.

Following information reaching the Office for Foreigners concerning unfair practices used by intermediaries in proceedings for granting international protection, we would like to remind you that the procedure is completely free of charge. The appointment of an attorney in the case does not guarantee granting of international protection and has no impact on the duration of the proceedings.

United Kingdom nationals and their families who are beneficiaries of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement can continue to apply for a residence permit containing an endorsement referring to the Withdrawal Agreement (if they have not already done so). Having such a document is beneficial as it will exempt from future Entry/Exit System (EES) registration when crossing external borders and from the need to obtain an ETIAS travel permit in relation to short-term travel to EU/Schengen countries.