kisd@ifj.edu.pl (+48) 12 662 8344
Menu

Legalization of Stay in Poland

Residence legalization is a procedure that allows foreigners to legally reside in Poland. The method of legalizing their stay in Poland depends on the foreigner’s origin.

I Citizens of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein – Residence Registration

EU citizens can reside in Poland for up to 3 months with an identity document. For stays longer than 3 months, every EU citizen is required to register their stay.

To register your stay, you must make an appointment with the office. The application is submitted in person at the voivodeship office responsible for your place of residence. The residence registration procedure for EU citizens is free of charge. The application must be completed in Polish. The required attachments must be attached to the application, including copies of documents – the originals should be brought for inspection. Documents written in a foreign language must be submitted with a sworn translation into Polish.

CONTACT:

Foreigners’ Affairs Department Małopolska, Voivodeship Office in Kraków Unit of Organizations, Registry, and EU Citizens, ul. Przy Rondzie 6, 2nd floor, room 213, e-mail: ue@muw.pl

The obligation to legalize stay is not the same as the obligation to register temporarily.

More information:

II Non-EU Citizens – Residence Permit + Residence Card

Legalizing the stay of a foreigner from a non-EU country involves obtaining a residence permit (temporary or permanent) and a residence card (in the form of a plastic document).

The residence card entitles the foreigner to:

  • legally stay in Poland,
  • travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days (within a 180-day period) and cross the Polish border without the need for an entry visa (e.g., when traveling to the country of origin).

Temporary residence permits do not automatically renew. To extend their stay, the doctoral student should apply for another temporary residence permit and residence card.

When traveling to other Schengen countries, it is still necessary to familiarize yourself with the regulations of the given destination country.

An application for a residence permit can be submitted at any time during the legal stay in Poland, no later than on the last day of the stay (e.g., on the last day of the visa’s validity period) to the voivodeship office responsible for the place of residence.

Very important! The procedures take several months (from three months upwards), so waiting until the last few days is not recommended. After the visa expires and before receiving the residence card, the foreigner cannot travel within the Schengen Area or re-enter Poland after a stay outside the EU, for example, in their country of origin. The foreigner can travel to their country of origin, but to return to Poland, they must obtain a new visa.

1. To apply for a residence permit, you must first schedule an appointment with the office: through the office’s electronic system or otherwise, if the office so indicates.

2. The documents required to initiate the procedure are: the application (and attachments), a copy of the passport (with the pages printed), four biometric photos, proof of payment, a certificate from a doctoral school, proof of health insurance coverage and payment, documents confirming sufficient financial resources, and a statement regarding housing costs. After submitting the application, the foreigner will be summoned to the office to, among other things, present original documents and provide fingerprints. The fastest way to process your application efficiently is to prepare a complete set of documents. Filling in any missing documents will extend the processing time.

Please note! Your application must be accompanied by a current certificate from the doctoral school confirming your continued education in the current year and your eligibility for a doctoral scholarship. To obtain the required certificates, please send a message to the doctoral school office at: kisd@ifj.edu.pl.

The list of required documents for a residence permit, along with the current version of the application and attachments, is available on the websites of the regional offices.

3. When preparing your application, you can use the nationwide system of the Office for Foreigners (MOS) – Case Management Module. Before completing the application, please read the instructions. After completing the application in the system, you must still print, sign, and submit it to the office along with the attachments.

4. CONTACT: Małopolska Voivodeship Office in Krakow:

Department of Foreigners Małopolska
Voivodeship Office in Krakow
ul. Przy Rondzie 6, 31-547 Kraków
email: sc@malopolska.uw.gov.pl

Note: When submitting documents, a stamp is placed in the foreigner’s passport, which only serves as confirmation of submission. It does not entitle them to cross borders.

Useful links:

A temporary residence permit for the purpose of higher education is intended, among others, for foreigners studying at a doctoral school. Students and graduates of full-time studies, as well as doctoral students and graduates of doctoral studies/doctoral schools, may perform any job in Poland without the need to obtain a work permit. Please note that a foreigner cannot take up employment on the basis of, among other things, a tourist visa or a visa to visit family or friends.