Are you a foreigner living in Poland and planning to submit a residence application? Wondering where to start? Or perhaps you are an employer wanting to support your foreign employee in this process?
At first glance, it all seems simple – the applicable Act on Foreigners in Poland clearly defines the procedure for obtaining a residence card and lists a number of requirements that must be met for the application to be successful – meaning, to receive a positive decision and have the residence card issued.
Unfortunately, when you look into the matter more closely, it turns out to be a bit more complicated.
What influences this? First and foremost, the requirement to submit the application according to local jurisdiction. In simpler terms – the documents must be sent to the voivodeship office in the region where the foreigner resides. Therefore, a resident of Kraków cannot apply for a residence card in Warsaw.
Here, another complication arises because, to paraphrase a well-known saying, “every office has its own customs.” We know how much you value your time, so below we will take a closer look at selected voivodeships and their “customs.” What is worth knowing, and how can you best prepare to submit your residence application?
Visit our website and check out the guides that will help you with many issues. Register to gain full access to all materials that will guide you step-by-step through the entire process: https://kartapobytu.pl/en/qa/.
Residence Card Kraków – Procedure
We will start with the Małopolskie Voivodeship and present the most important information on how to book an appointment, how long the procedure takes, and what the process of collecting a residence card in Kraków looks like. You can arrange an appointment to submit your application via email. At present, the waiting time for an appointment can be as long as about six months, depending on the number of cases currently being processed. Since the wait time is long, plan this step well in advance. During the appointment, you must present a complete set of documents and provide your fingerprints. If the application contains no formal deficiencies, the procedure will begin, which lasts about 8–9 months. If the residence decision is positive, after around six weeks the residence card will be ready for collection. The collection appointment can be booked via the website of the Foreigners’ Affairs Department of the Małopolskie Voivodeship Office in Kraków.
Residence Card Warsaw – How to Obtain the Document?
The procedure for obtaining a residence card in Warsaw looks slightly different. The most important difference is the requirement to complete the application in both the inPOL portal, dedicated to foreigners residing in the Mazowieckie Voivodeship, and the nationwide Case Management Module (MOS). The next step is to book an appointment via the aforementioned inPOL portal.
Booking sessions are launched, among other times, in the morning hours, but it is worth regularly checking the calendar of available dates. Unfortunately, sometimes the process of “hunting” for an appointment can be time-consuming – there are a lot of applicants! Therefore, as in the case of applying in Kraków, it is worth planning this step well in advance.
Have you received an appointment at the office in Warsaw and are wondering what’s next? Upon arrival, you will be able to submit your application along with the required documents, and the official will take your fingerprints. Your documents will then be forwarded to an inspector who will review your case. The procedure usually takes between 6 and 9 months. Once it is completed, the office will automatically schedule an appointment for you to collect both your residence decision and your residence card.
It is worth noting that the inPOL portal also allows you to view the current status of your case. You can monitor what stage your procedure is at.
Residence Card Wrocław – How to Submit an Application in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship?
If you live in Wrocław or the surrounding area, you should submit your application at the Lower Silesian Voivodeship Office. This office, like the one in Warsaw, has a dedicated portal for foreigners residing in the voivodeship called “Przybysz.” You need to complete your application through this portal. However, the application must also be prepared in the Case Management Module (MOS).
On the “Przybysz” portal, you can also track the status of your case. By using the website wizyta.duw.pl, you can send a request to schedule an appointment during which you will submit all required documents and provide your fingerprints. Usually, the appointment is scheduled within 3 to 4 months.
Proceedings at the Lower Silesian Voivodeship Office take from several months up to about a year. Have you received a positive decision? Now it’s smooth sailing – you can book your card pickup appointment on the website kartypobytu.duw.pl. The card will be ready in approximately three to four months.
Residence Card Gdańsk – Procedure in the Pomeranian Voivodeship (as of August 7, 2025)
Foreigners living in the Pomeranian Voivodeship can submit their residence card application either through the submission office or by mail. The appointment takes place at the Foreigners’ Affairs Department of the Pomeranian Voivodeship Office in Gdańsk or at the Branch Office in Słupsk of the Department of Civil and Foreigners’ Affairs. Within 4–5 months, you will receive a summons to schedule a personal appointment at the office to provide any missing documents and submit your fingerprints. Along with the notification about the required appointment, you will also receive a login and password for the portal klient.gdansk.uw.gov.pl. This is where you can monitor the status of your case.
Remember! The day the office receives the documents sent by mail or the day you submit them in person at the office’s registry will also be considered the day your application is filed. Therefore, during your visit, a stamp confirming this fact with the date your documents were received by the office will be placed in your passport.
If you have submitted all the required documents during the scheduled appointment, you will be able to collect your residence card in about 9–10 months.
Residence Card Lublin – Obtaining a Residence Card in the Lublin Voivodeship
Foreigners can book appointments at the Lublin Voivodeship Office via the calendar available on the website webqms.lublin.uw.gov.pl. Once you have scheduled your appointment, just like in the Małopolskie, Lower Silesian, Pomeranian, and Mazowieckie voivodeships, you can go to the office with a complete set of documents and submit your residence application. After receiving a positive decision, you will also collect your residence card by booking an appointment through the calendar.
Residence Card Katowice – For Residents of the Silesian Voivodeship
If you live in Upper Silesia, the competent office to handle your application will be the Silesian Voivodeship Office. This is where you should submit your application, completing it through the Case Management Module (MOS) mentioned earlier in this article. You can schedule an appointment via a dedicated hotline or submit your documents in person at the office’s registry.
Obtaining a residence card in Katowice may pose some challenges for foreigners — due to the daily limit on phone bookings, securing an appointment by phone is not an easy task. Therefore, remember that you can also send your documents by mail or submit them in person at the office’s submission desk, where an official will accept your application and assign a case number to your file.
Unfortunately, the procedure for obtaining a residence card in Katowice can take up to about two years. Foreigners living in the Silesian Voivodeship need to be patient. The Silesian Voivodeship Office does not provide a portal to check the status of your case, but you can contact the office’s hotline or schedule an appointment at the information point, where an official will check the status of your procedure and inform you about ongoing actions.
You will receive the decision granting your residence permit by mail at the address you provided in your application. When your residence card is ready, the office will send you an SMS notifying you that you can schedule an appointment to collect it. You will be able to book the appointment through the reservation calendar on the office’s website.
What Else Should You Know?
No matter which city you plan to obtain your residence card in, it’s important to remember a few key points. First, the waiting time for the completion of the residence procedure is always approximate. It depends on your individual situation, the evidence you provide, the type of application, and even the inspector handling your case, who may ask you to submit additional documents during the process.
Also keep in mind that the portals we discussed—such as inPOL, MOS, or “Przybysz”—do not allow you to submit your application fully online. You will fill out and prepare the application through these portals, but then you need to print it and submit a paper version at the office.
Another important point is the timing of your application. If your visa or current residence card is about to expire, don’t wait for an appointment date to be assigned. Submit your application by mail or deliver the documents directly to the registry or submission desk of the voivodeship office.
Getting a Residence Card – How to Approach It?
We’ve discussed several ways to submit a residence application in selected voivodeships—now it’s time for a summary. You’ve probably already noticed that each office has its own preferences and solutions for foreigners. The large number of ongoing cases at these offices forces them to seek ways to improve the efficiency of serving foreigners living in Poland.
In this article, we focused on the differences in how documents are submitted to offices in various cities, the waiting times for obtaining a residence card, and the different systems that assist with filling out applications and monitoring case status. But what about the list of required documents? That also varies depending on the voivodeship — it’s a separate topic that deserves its own detailed discussion.
Remember, you don’t have to know everything! If you’re a foreigner living in Poland, you can entrust us with obtaining your residence card. If you’re an employer, we can support your foreign employees in obtaining temporary or permanent residence permits.
We will take care of preparing the documents, booking your appointment at the office, and checking which documents are required in your voivodeship. You can count on our assistance when submitting the application and when collecting your much-awaited residence card.
Check out our services and get in touch with us today!
