Residence card (karta pobytu)

The validity period of a Residence card depends on its type:

• temporary Residence card (czasowego) is issued for up to 3 years;
• a permanent Residence card (stałego) is issued for 10 years

If your card has expired, remember that you will need to submit a new set of documents to renew it. Even if your situation has not changed and you are still working or studying in the same place as when you first applied, your card will not be automatically renewed.

According to Article 100 of the “On Foreigners” Act, in some cases, your application for a Polish residence permit may be rejected. This can happen for the following reasons:

• if false or inaccurate data is submitted, or if forged documents are presented;
• if visa regulations are violated or obligations related to expulsion are not fulfilled, including compensation for return to the home country;
• if the application is submitted during a period when the stay in Poland was illegal;
• if the applicant has outstanding criminal convictions or debt obligations;
• if there are suspicions that the applicant is involved in criminal activities or actions threatening the security of the state and its citizens.

If you are confident that your application was unfairly rejected, or if a minor error or misunderstanding led to the absence of any document, you have the option to file an appeal. You will have 14 days from the date of receiving the refusal to do so. The appeal will be reviewed within 30 days.
If you do not have other legal grounds for staying in Poland, you will have to leave the country.

We have reviewed all the methods available to us for checking the status of a residence card, but please note that they may vary depending on the region. One of the most convenient methods is online verification, but unfortunately, not all provinces offer this option. Some of the methods we have presented have been tested in practice.

Nevertheless, there is a standard procedure that works in most regions, although website design and the inquiry process may vary significantly. The main steps are as follows:

1. Go to the official website.
2. Select a search method: using a case number or without one.
   • If you know the number, you will immediately receive the necessary status information.
   • If the number is unknown, you will need to provide additional information, conduct a search, and select the appropriate case to obtain the information. If you are unable to find the number, please contact the registry office, and we will explain how to proceed in such a case. Please note that not all registry offices provide online verification services, so in some situations, you may be offered alternative ways to obtain the necessary information.

Several weeks after you receive the letter with a positive decision, the time will come to collect your card.

The notification from the voivode may specify the exact date and time when you need to appear at the Municipal office (Urząd). It is important not to miss this date and visit the institution at the specified time. If for some reason this is not possible, you will need to arrange a new visit with the Municipal office (Urząd) using the suggested contact methods.

Often the notification does not specify a particular date, but provides a certain timeframe within which you must appear (for example, by a specified date). In such cases, it is important to clarify whether advance appointment is required and how it is arranged. When making an appointment, if it is mandatory, carefully review the reception conditions — sometimes the document submission process and card collection may be separated by time during the working day.

If you are a foreigner coming to collect your card, you will need to confirm your identity. Usually the same foreign passport that was used when submitting documents is used for this purpose. However, difficulties may arise if you managed to replace your passport during the case review period. In such cases, it is important to notify the Municipal office (Urząd) as soon as possible so that updated information about your new passport is taken into account in the case. It is best if the case decision is made taking into account the new passport — this will avoid possible problems in the future.

In addition to the passport, other documents may be required depending on the situation. For example, if you are acting as a guardian, you need to provide confirmation of guardianship over a minor, whether it be a birth certificate or an official guardianship decision. If you are representing someone’s interests, you will need a power of attorney confirming this right. It should also be noted that in some cases, if the Municipal office (Urząd) requires it, you will need to present a payment order for card production, especially if it has not yet been provided electronically.