For Foreigners, Poland

The terror of getting a Polish residence card (Karta Pobytu)

I’ve been avoiding writing this post because I have such a bad taste in my mouth about it. Getting a Polish residence card is, by far, the most unpleasant thing about living in Poland. I’d like to give my advice to those who may feel in over their heads. It’s daunting, but a few tricks can help the process of getting a karta pobytu go more smoothly.

I’m on my 3rd karta pobytu and I dread the thought of having to do it again. Which funnily enough I have to do one more time even though I’m married to a Pole. I have my current one for about 2.5 more years and I can’t get permanent residence until we’ve been married at least 3 years. So that’s cool. (edit: I now have permanent residence and will be obtaining citizenship soon. Read my post on How to apply for Polish citizenship.

So you’ve decided to live long term in Poland? You might be wondering how to get a Polish residence card. Here’s a few tips to help you maintain your sanity:

  1. Find a job or another reason good enough to get you a residence permit. First, you’ll need to find a job if you’re not married to a Pole, a student in Poland, or a refugee seeking asylum. That’s the problem, you need to find someone who wants to hire you, but you can’t work until you have the residence card. That’s why you need to find work as soon as possible so you can get the ball rolling. If you plan to open your own business and work that way, it’s also not reason enough to get a residence card. You have to prove that your business actually offers something (re: paid taxes) to the Polish economy before they’ll give you that. So first you need a company to sponsor you and then maybe after a couple years you can get the card because of your company. Depending on your reasons, you may get it for 6 months up to 3 years.
  2. Start as soon as possible. The process can take a few months depending on how quickly you’re able to collect the necessary docs and how diligent you are. The sooner you get started on that, the better. Each time I’ve done it, it took about 3 months from start to finish. If you’re telling yourself, “ok but there are no foreigners here so it ought to be quick”. To you, I suggest going to the Urząd Wojewodźki, Wydział Spraw Cudzoziemców (Cudzoziemców being a very hard word…obviously) on any given day. It’s full of Ukrainians, Spaniards, Turks, Koreans, Russians, and probably me. I’m there a few times a month for one thing or another. EDIT: Find out how it works at your Urząd Wojewódzki. I went to mine recently and you have to have a reservation and the earliest you can make one is in three months. So that means if you live in Sląsk, you’ll be over your 90-day limit by the time you can even apply for your residence permit. This is because of the huge influx of foreigners in Poland nowadays.
  3. Take a Polish speaking person with you. Irony of ironies, absurdity of absurdities, the people who work in the Office of Foreign Affairs usually don’t speak English. Even if they do, they probably won’t offer up that info. Go figure. In that case, you have to go take someone with you. Also, it’s a pretty important thing so even if you’re like me and can do things by yourself, sometimes it’s hard to understand because you don’t know the names of documents, etc. This way, it’s safer. I’ve seen some humiliating situations involving people who don’t speak Polish at all and I wouldn’t want to be that person. Pani urzędnik says something to the poor, sad soul in Polish. He shrugs, looking uncomfortable, not understanding a word. She says the same thing again, in Polish of course. Poor, sad soul shrugs again, despairing. He now understands how this works and that he’ll get nothing done today. After about 2-3 minutes of this, the woman finally says something in English, at her extreme reluctance, and it’s not half bad. Satisfied that she’s humiliated the guy and knows she could have said some that from the very beginning. Doesn’t care.
  4. If you think it could be necessary, take it with you. The idea is to have more documents than you need. You have to prove many things like you don’t owe taxes or that you have enough money to live. You never know what they might require to it’s better to have it than go back again and again…. and again. Make sure to write everything down the first time or get one of those handy books that they have with everything translated into English. That thing will be like the bible for you. I’ve discovered a number of life changing proverbs in it.
  5. Go early. If you don’t want to wait in long lines, I suggest going as early as possible or reserving a spot online. Reservations are a must. I assure you. I only discovered it this year and I feel like a fool! It’s gold. You can reserve a spot every 30 minutes and you never have to wait in line. Without a reservation, just go at 7:30 when they open. The one time you go there at 10, you’ll regret it. They don’t pick up the phone regularly so even if you have one little question, you’ll have to go there and ask. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone, waited over an hour and had to leave because the wait was too long or gone and received information that could have easily been given via phone. I hope you like wasting time.
  6. Keep calm. Fortunately, as long as you turn in everything they need, you’ll get the card. Even if it seems impossible, the civil servants are rude and you’re at your wits end, they’re not going to refuse you. It’s just part of your induction into the Dark Side.

If you’re like me, it’s also a good idea to take someone with a cool head. Whenever someone is rude or tells me I need just one more document, I immediately get bitchface. This is not wise since these people hold your future in their hands. The whole thing is so damn unpleasant that it’s hard to warp my facial expressions into something nice-ish. Just grit your teeth and bare it and eventually all will be good…until it expires 🙂 Best of luck to you!

Necessary documents for a Polish residence permit:

  • application
  • photos – you can get those taken at the office but it’s cheaper elsewhere. I’d recommend Passport Photo Online. Take and choose your picture at home and they’ll send you the printed photos by mail or you can print them yourself. No need to leave the house!
  • proof of payment – about 400 zł + 50 zł for the card
  • copies of your passport
  • translated birth certificate
  • lease proving you have a place to live
  • confirmation of residence from city hall (potwierdzenie zameldowanie)
  • work permit – takes a couple months to receive from Urząd Wojewódzki
  • example work contract or intention to hire from your potential employer stating how much you will earn and for how long

Possible necessary documents:

  • current status of your bank account – (seriously, you have to show you have money to live)
  • proof of health insurance
  • company documents
  • past invoices from your company
  • proof that you don’t owe taxes (zaświadczenie o niezaleganiu)
EDIT: This post was written a few years ago. Things change ALL the time at the Urząd and each one is different. If you have any super specific questions, I’d recommend consulting the lovely people on one of the Facebook expat groups, e.g., Expats in Warsaw, Wrocław Expats or Kraków Expats. Of course, feel free to drop me a line here too.
Powodzenia to you all!
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89 Comments

  • Reply Weronika 31 January 2016 at 12:52

    That is so correct! I hated that and we fought a lot over karta pobytu with my boyfriend! And I don’t know what’s those ladies’ problem but they are extremaly unpleasant. I live in Lodz and people at offices are rude, serious and do not speak English as well. I remember when my boyfriend went there by himself, someone there told him “I’m in Poland, I’m going to speak Polish to you”, which made me so embarrassed and angry. And now you’re telling me, he will have to keep doing it, even after we get married… bad news 🙁

    • Reply Leah Southers 31 January 2016 at 18:03

      Weronika — yeah sorry 🙁 gotta wait three years after marriage and then get interviewed to make sure you’re *really* married. After 5 years living in Poland you can get permanent residence anyway so maybe that will be an easier solution for you guys. don’t fret! Where’s he from?

    • Reply Aleks 15 February 2023 at 14:14

      I’m not sure in which country you have lived before but why if you come to Poland do people expect the govt employees to speak English when no other European country offers you English?

      Why do people here have to adjust to foreigners demands? If you go to a govt office in Germany, or France nobody speaks English nor would they ever offer it to you. Even if you speak German or French but with accent you get treated horribly. Same in many places in the UK.

      Yet, here people come and demand that govt employees speak English?

      And same applies for the service, have you ever been to any govt office in Germany, France, UK or even the US? People working there are usually people who didn’t make it in the private sector. They are rude and unpleasant but comparing those places with the govt agencies here it’s pretty easy to get things done here.

      There are some Urzad which are worse than others but with just a little bit of effort you can get most things done fairly easily.

      People complaining on this side must have never set foot into a govt office in their country otherwise they wouldn’t complain that much.

      People come here and they nonstop complain about the govt, then why do people come here?

      Also, for me foreigners demanding that locals adjust to their needs is very rude.

      If you go into a govt office and except people to speak English right away, of cause you will get a negative response, the same as in every other country.

      Can I go to the US and demand the TSA to speak Polish with me?

  • Reply Paweł 31 January 2016 at 12:56

    Hi Leah!

    This is so true, our Polish bureaucracy is a horror. May cheer You a little bit to know that it is as terrible to native Poles, no matter where You live. I find it hard to believe that in U.S. civil servants are actually to serve You and they do this with smile on their faces – but everyone who have been to America confirms that.

    On the other hand – American immigration rules are, to my understanding, far worse. I plan to visit USA in May and last wednesday I have been granted a visa. I think it is humiliating to be the only country in the EU which is not in the visa waiver program.

    But the worst is that even after I spend a lot of money on visa, flight, hotel/RV etc – I may be disliked by the officer on the airport, denied entry to U.S. and sent back home with nearest flight.

    • Reply Leah Southers 31 January 2016 at 18:01

      Paweł – yeah I know what you mean about the visa thing. It is pretty tragic. However, I think that the idea that they could send you back just cause they don’t like you is a myth. Maybe if you acted like a fool on the plane or in the airport, yes, but otherwise? No one I’ve known has ever had any problems at the airport, so I think you’ll be fine 🙂 Don’t worry too much!

      • Reply c64 10 February 2016 at 04:00

        Well, I’ve heard about two cases when Polish bands going to US to play a concert for Polish community had to cancel because one of the musicians was denied entry for unknown reason.

        • Reply Leah Southers 10 February 2016 at 06:12

          yeah? that’s pretty shocking and pretty stupid. But maybe it’s different now? I don’t hear very often about people getting denied visas these days. At least no one I know but I’m sure it happens.

        • Reply Maciej 11 February 2016 at 14:24

          probably he get drunk on the plane or he was rude to immigration officer acting as rock super start 🙁
          if you keep calm, have all the papers like visa and invitation, plus you know where you will be staying in US and … you have a plane ticket back to home, no one will sent you back home !

        • Reply Chris from Kielbasa Stories 13 February 2016 at 06:31

          I have just got my second permanent residence card in which I waited 7 hours to be called. The lady proceeded to berate me for not indicating that I had not changed my first name (because people often do that, right?). When I came to pick up my card with my expired card, she didn’t want to give me my card because I didn’t have my passport with me, even though she had just checked my fingerprints against my previous sample. Finally she ordered me to re-do the whole process as they had lost my zameldowanie and had printed my card without an address.

          PS Those musicians were refused entrance because they were entering on a tourist visit not a business/work visa.

          • Leah Southers 17 February 2016 at 02:16

            Hey Chris,

            Yeah the lack of passport thing is always a problem – as if another ID with your face on it isn’t enough. I’ll never get that. But OMG what? You had to re-do the process? I had that situation last time I applied for a work permit for one of my employees – the lady told me the application wasn’t signed and therefore I have to start over again. Isn’t it their job to make sure the stupid thing is signed? Also, can’t I just sign it and they can proceed? No.

  • Reply Agnieszka 31 January 2016 at 14:58

    Unfortunately bureaucracy in Poland is one of the worst things here. People try to avoid Urzędy as much as they can, but still having tons of documents and other unnecessary papers makes you go there pretty often. I don’t know if it’s true, but sometimes I get the impression that in Poland you can talk in English (maybe broken one, but still) with anyone but the officials ;D

    • Reply Leah Southers 31 January 2016 at 18:04

      Agnieszka – hah it is strange, isn’t it? I have to say though, I’ve found that the people who work at City Hall are extremely nice and I’ve never had any problems there. It’s rather Urząd Wojewódzki that’s the problem.

  • Reply Lilianna 1 February 2016 at 08:42

    I agree, civil servants in Poland are rude wherever you go. It’s as if they all took a personality test that disqualified all those who were too nice 😉 on the other hand, going to the US wasn’t a peach either! The first time I went, I had to have my fingerprints scanned when getting a visa, had to answer tons of personal questions trying to prove as best as I could that no, I was not planning to leave Poland for good (yes, I too had to prove I had enough money to support myself while in the US, that I had strong ties to Poland, I owned property etc). And at the airport the immigration officer asked me so many questions! He even paraphrased the same question a few times to see if my answer would be the same every time. As my American friends once said having heard all of this, it’s easier for Mexicans to get to the US than Poles. Luckily, next visits were always smoother, the stamp that I was there and came back home is a real life saver 🙂

    • Reply Leah Southers 2 February 2016 at 07:10

      Hey Lilianna – yeah I have to have my fingerprints taken when I get my karta pobytu as well. they have to know who you are in case you get into trouble 🙂 that I kinda understand. but all the questions? come on. it’s a little bit ridiculous. but feel comfort in knowing that at the airport in the USA, they also ask me where I’ve been, what I’ve been doing, etc etc. so I guess it’s just standard. Not just you 🙂

  • Reply Nancy Southers 1 February 2016 at 22:36

    Government situations are difficult here in the USA as well…for some reason they seem to relish in the power. 🙂 Just keep on smiling!! BTW…love your pic on your new Karta Pobytu!

    • Reply Leah Southers 2 February 2016 at 07:09

      yeah it turned out pretty good this time… unlike all the other times 🙂

      • Reply c64 10 February 2016 at 04:16

        Hey, but weren’t the other times three-quarter shots? I always liked the fact the document photos in Poland were three-quarter unlike in other countries because it could turn good or bad. The frontals for me can only turn either bad or mugshot.

        • Reply Leah Southers 10 February 2016 at 06:14

          Oh I know what you’re talking about. Nope they’re always face forward for my karta pobytu but like my driver’s license has a 3/4 shot, like you said. I don’t understand those rules but maybe for international things it needs to be like a mugshot 🙂

      • Reply Rgrg 28 October 2020 at 07:01

        I applied as student few month ago ,but I changed my university now and I need confirmation of my study,but I can’t do right now this document while do not start study,but I have document ,that I have paid!is it enough,that I have paid

        • Reply Leah Morawiec 28 October 2020 at 10:57

          Hi there! Well, you can always try with the confirmation of payment and ask the university to perhaps write you some kind of declaration that you will start once the lessons begin. That’s what I would recommend.

  • Reply hollydolly 2 February 2016 at 15:52

    Nice EDC (especially the Łowicz dolly keyring)

  • Reply Kadewu 7 February 2016 at 00:42

    Well, how sadly true. But years of having to live with Polish bureacracy made me immune to its Belgian counterpart.

    • Reply Leah Southers 7 February 2016 at 09:25

      so it’s not that bad in Belgium?

      • Reply Kadewu 7 February 2016 at 16:33

        It is tiresome and time-consuming, plus every minucipality has its own rules. But I take it easy because I spent 36 years in Poland and I know it could be worse :-).

        • Reply Leah Southers 9 February 2016 at 15:47

          haha good point. Stay calm and remember what it’s like in Poland 🙂

  • Reply Lucas 9 February 2016 at 14:27

    I just got link to your blog from reddit and I liked it very much. You’re one of the few Americans that decide to live here and one of even fewer that share your thoughts about Poland. Keep it going 🙂
    And about our Urzędy – it’s not worth the time to talk about it, we all hate them!

    • Reply Leah Southers 9 February 2016 at 15:49

      Hey Lucas! I have to be honest though, Urząd Miasta in Gliwice is kinda awesome. I never have problems there.

  • Reply PG 9 February 2016 at 19:20

    If it’s possible just move to another country, I lived in Poland for 25 years and there is no hope for it at all.

  • Reply Jacek 10 February 2016 at 01:59

    Well at least you do not have to answer questions like ” Have you ever been involved in prostitution?” and the like – which you can find on US visa application.

    • Reply Leah Southers 10 February 2016 at 06:10

      Yeah the US visa application has some hilarious questions. I have a copy of them somewhere to use in my lessons

    • Reply Papuga z Ameryki 18 February 2016 at 21:50

      🙂

  • Reply Rin 22 February 2016 at 20:39

    Thank you SO much for this. I’m also an American, but I am engaged to a Pole and we wanted to wait until my job + residence permit was settled before we applied for marriage, as I heard THAT is a crazy difficult procedure too. I’m so happy to have found your blog!

    • Reply Leah Southers 23 February 2016 at 04:07

      Rin,

      I’m so glad it helped you!! I know how daunting it can be. If you have any questions, feel free to message me: leahsouthers@gmail.com

  • Reply Monika 20 March 2016 at 21:12

    “urzędnik” often speaks English, but they are not allowed to do so, because official language in Poland is .. surprise surprise… Polish 🙂

  • Reply Monika 7 April 2016 at 12:11

    Geeeez I thought obtaining a Moroccan residency permit wasa pain in the ass. And I am a Pole saying that 😛

    I see Poland and Morocco and quite alike hahaahha

  • Reply Socrates 31 May 2016 at 08:56

    Perfect! Been there twice
    Question for you; since you are married to a Pole, same as me… do you have to go through the whole process, same documents, sames pain? the only “benefit” of the marriage fact, is that you will be not have to get a new working permit should you change job/company?
    Cheers and thanks Mate!

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 11 June 2016 at 16:57

      Honestly I think there’s no real benefit except that it’s easier to get a loan and you can get permanent residence after 3 years of marriage without any problems :/ Sad, huh?

  • Reply Anna 19 June 2016 at 14:05

    Hello. Me and my fiance are planning on getting two of those karta pobytu soon, and after your story it became quite scary. Could you please give a link where we can reserve a spot online. I’ve been searching through all the Lodz urząd website, but couldn’t find anything about reserving. Thanks in advance.

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 19 June 2016 at 15:06

      Hi Anna,

      Unfortunately I don’t think the website for Urząd Wojewódzki in Lódź has the option to make reservations. I looked it over but its different than the Katowice site which I use :/ Maybe it’s not an option there. If you have any other questions, please let me know!

  • Reply Mariana 5 September 2016 at 19:47

    Ugh, this is everyone’s least favorite part. The Urzedy and Biurokracja in Poland is something to avoid like a plague. (for foreigners and Polish folks alike). But on the other hand it is like that everywhere. I am going through the Green Card process now here in NYC and let me tell you, it sounds a lot like what you have been going through.

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 5 September 2016 at 19:48

      oh gosh I can’t even begin to understand what that’s like. Out of curiosity, could you please tell me something about the process? I’m very curious how to get started with it and what is required of you. My students ask me often and I have no idea! Any info would be greatly appreciated 🙂

  • Reply sue 15 September 2016 at 23:26

    I plan to retire in Poland, but after reading all the comments on the difficulty of dealing with the Polish bureaucracy, I am beginning to have doubts. I am a Polish-American and have visited Poland many times. Thought it would be a great place to retire. I have recently purchased land to build a small house. However having heard all the horror stories of trying to obtain residency I have my doubts. What type of documents do they want? I have all my financial papers, passport, health insurance, etc. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 16 September 2016 at 10:57

      Hi Sue,

      Well honestly I’m not sure how it works when someone buys property and wants to live on it. Generally, you have to have some good reason to live here which usually is either 1. work 2. marriage 3. university. I don’t think “I want to” is a good enough reason for them. But perhaps if you own property it’s possible. In your case, I’m really not sure how it would work :/ For you when you retire, I guess they need info that you have health insurance, evidence that you don’t owe taxes, evidence that you own a house… not sure what else. The best thing to do would be to go there and try to work everything out in person. That’s the only way to know exactly what you need.

  • Reply Miu 4 October 2016 at 14:53

    Hi Leah,

    I completely understand what you’ve been through. I just got my decision from Polish immigration which took over 6 months!! Anyways, do you happen to remember how long did it take you to actually receive karta pobytu? Did it take a month after receiving your positive decision?

    Best regards,
    Miu

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 5 October 2016 at 12:06

      Oh bless you! 6 months is incredible. I’ve always only waited 3 months but I have a theory that here in Silesia the Urząd is quite efficient. I think it takes just a couple weeks to get your card. You have to go pay for it and wait maybe a week? Shouldn’t take long!!

  • Reply Dennis 28 October 2016 at 18:03

    First of all let me start by saying I like the blogs and also other peoples comments. 🙂

    I moved to Warsaw on October 1st and luckily I could work for the same company as I did in the Netherlands. Within the company there are a lot of people relocating all over the world so they have good relocation packages. 🙂

    On October 27th I applied for an EU stay registration at Mazowiecki Urząd Wojewódzki in Warsaw, so I can work and live here and which will take up to a month. Thanks to the company there was someone local who prepared all the paperwork and made an appointment. I had to handover my passport and sign a few forms. Within 10 minutes I was outside again (literally!). If I read the other posts, I think I need to be happy to have it this way. Most probably it is also only this time the company helps me out, but next year I will be on my own…..
    I’m not sure what all needs to be done as it is sometimes a bit overwhelming due to all the bureaucratic paperwork, but I try to take it one step at the time (krok po kroku).

    On October 28th I went to customs to declare my car, which I took from the Netherlands. That was chaos already, at least in my opinion. You don’t pick a number, people are coming through all the time and to pay the fee you have to go to the post office and get back to the customs office again…. Maybe it is easier to purchase a payment machine? But OK. The people work kind of slow, but at least were nice and tried to help out wherever they could.

    After every blog I read I realize the way to go is getting longer and longer…

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 28 October 2016 at 18:56

      Hey Dennis – sounds like you got pretty lucky with having someone help you with everything! I’m a little jealous. But don’t worry – you’ll figure it out when you have to and if you need help then you’ll find someone to help you. People are very kind to foreigners in Poland so it’ll be fine. Also, if you need help, feel free to ask 🙂

      • Reply Dennis de Bruijn 29 October 2016 at 12:20

        Thank you Leah! 🙂

  • Reply Mirka 2 January 2017 at 11:43

    Unfortunately it is not only Poland where people in the offices do not speak English. I have lived in different countries over the past years and had the same experience in Austria, Slovakia and Turkey – no English, long lines of people waiting, etc. Moreover, requirements to apply for the permit to stay and fees were also different – somewhere it was more expensive, somewhere foreigners had to go through unpleasant medical examination. But I see it is getting more complicated in some cities in Poland due to increased number of foreigners arriving to this country.

  • Reply Katie 18 January 2017 at 16:06

    Hi there,

    I am in the process of getting my karta pobytu (I too married a Pole) and was curious if once you have the temporary residency, are you able to travel outside of Poland? We’ve been trying to ask as many questions as possible but are having a hard time getting answers…

    Thank you!!

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 19 January 2017 at 16:13

      Hi Katie – yes absolutely you can travel freely. I’ll email you so you can ask me whatever other questions you have 🙂

  • Reply Luthy 26 February 2017 at 11:19

    This is really a terror!!Im waiting for my karta pubytu since july/2016 when i applied to reniew it again. Only last week i had the visit from the police from the border.Ive tried to call several times and I couldnt speak with the person how is leading my case. I called the general number and the lady said that she cant speak english, I was able to speak feel words and said what I want, she transfered the call and one good soul was able to speak in English and after all was trying to convice me that the number that i had from the responsible from my case was wrong.I said no,my husband spoke with him last december,after all she said yes he is in a new office now. And has a new number. I have a work trip to do and i dont know what do do.

  • Reply Luthy 26 February 2017 at 11:20

    This is really a terror!!Im waiting for my karta pubytu since july/2016 when i applied to reniew it again. Only last week i had the visit from the police from the border.Ive tried to call several times and I couldnt speak with the person who is leading my case. I called the general number and the lady said that she cant speak english, I was able to speak feel words and said what I want, she transfered the call and one good soul was able to speak in English and after all was trying to convice me that the number that i had from the responsible from my case was wrong.I said no,my husband spoke with him last december,after all she said yes he is in a new office now. And has a new number. I have a work trip to do and i dont know what do do.

  • Reply Luthy 26 February 2017 at 11:36

    I dont understand why this.We need to fill up lots of papers…bring lots of documents..and pay 300 zlots plus copies.
    I was living in Dublin and I was able to have my visa in couple of days.I just feel that Poland is far far away from the Modern World.

    Im based in Gdynia/Gdansk

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 19 March 2017 at 18:22

      It’s probably a pretty normal procedure unfortunately. Nowadays it’s much more difficult because it’s hard to get an appointment with the influx of immigrants…

  • Reply GoHa Samo H 19 March 2017 at 16:30

    I, native Pole, cringe whenever I hear word “Urząd”. The only one which appears to be nicely menaged and without grim officials is probably Urząd Skarbowy.

  • Reply Keegan 27 June 2017 at 17:43

    Hi Leah, thanks so much for this. You mention it as being a terror but at least you’ve given me hope that it’s possible. One thing I’m struggling to get a clear answer on, is how can I book an appointment to apply for my temporary residence permit in the Masovian Voivodeship? Do you know how one might be able to book an appointment online? Thanks again!

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 25 July 2017 at 18:14

      Hi Keegan! Of course it’s possible. I’ve done it 3 times and I’m going tomorrow for the 4th – this time long-term thank god. Unfortunately you can’t make an appointment in the Masovian voivoideship – don’t ask me why. My friend was there today from 9-3 just sitting and waiting for his turn :/

  • Reply Guillermo 18 August 2017 at 00:41

    Hi!, thanks for your time and the info. Btw, I’m married with a polish woman and my Karta Pobytu will expire first time this 24 october, so… I think I should start the “procedure”. Did you know what papers should I take to the Uzad Miasta?
    Regards from Krakow

  • Reply Leah Morawiec 25 August 2017 at 16:00

    Hi Guillermo – all the documents you may need are outlined in this post. Check the bottom. Of course they may ask for more depending on your individual situation but it’s best to go there as soon as possible. You’re supposed to start the process 3 months before your current residence permit ends, as it usually takes at least 3 months to process. So go asap!

  • Reply Jason 26 October 2017 at 15:54

    Three months sounds really nice. I’ve been waiting 6 months now in Wrocław. My wife has been waiting even longer, 8 months, and she’s contacted several bureaus. She receives a letter with a promise that it will be completed in two-weeks and then nothing more. She has a lawyer handling it and he can do nothing but shrug. It’s an extremely miserable situation dealing with these people.

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 6 December 2017 at 09:45

      Hey Jason – yeah I’ve heard that recently it’s really bad in Wrocław. I have an employee who has been waiting about 10 months and they said it could take up to 2 years??? It’s strange because in Katowice they have to give you an answer by three months. Maybe it would be better to apply elsewhere?

  • Reply Sam 29 December 2017 at 14:08

    Hi, Thank you very much for your valuable information. I’m almost in the same situation right now, I completed my degree studies in Poland and want to extend the stay here in Poland.
    I found an employer they are ready to hire me in a permanent position in the company. I already have submitted my application months ago at Urzad and right now they informed me I need a sponsor or an employer to give me a positive decision (Not enough my bank balance and statement).
    I would like to know if I request the potential employer to give me an offer letter, or what exactly I need obtain from this employer so that this Urząd Wojewódzki won’t tell me again to bring other paper from employer.
    Thanks.

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 4 January 2018 at 21:40

      Hi Sam – hmm I wish I could tell you what exactly they need but they’re the only ones who can tell you. My suggestion to you is just to go there and have them write down for you exactly what you need. I’m guessing it’s some kind of certificate that says that they plan to hire you and how much they will pay you. You could try that and see if it works but it’ll save you more time in the long run just to go there and get answers :/

  • Reply Joshua Schneider 13 February 2018 at 07:34

    Hi. I very much appreciate all of the information you have on your blog! I had a question, I am a EU citizen who is in Poland on a temporary resident permit for study purposes. I am also married to a Pole (for 6 years now!), if I want to take advantage of being able to apply for permanent residence after three years of living here do I need to have a temporary residence permit based upon my marriage or is just the fact that I am a temporary resident (for study purposes) enough. Thanks,

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 19 February 2018 at 20:28

      Hey Josh – you should apply for permanent residence based on your marriage! You have to have been living here for 5 years if you’d like to apply based on being a resident. I don’t think it makes a difference whether or not you’ve had residence before in the case that you apply based on your marriage. Does that make sense/help? If not, please let me know!

  • Reply Lena 5 March 2018 at 11:25

    what’s the website to make appointment online?

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 7 March 2018 at 10:00

      Actually… I can’t find it anymore. They changed the website and it looks like they don’t have it anymore?

  • Reply Amy 27 July 2018 at 12:18

    My brother bought residence card from shivaidcardscom and he’s very satisfied. Looks like a real and works perfect!

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 30 July 2018 at 14:40

      Is this for real?

  • Reply Ronald Ti 29 September 2018 at 13:26

    Dear Leah

    I have to disagree…in the sense that, yes, folk at Biuri Spraw Cucdz do not speak English but….why should they? Do they also need to speak Ukrainian, Hindi, or Spanish? If you go to any public office in the USA or Australia, people are not expected to speak Polish. And, at least in Australia, if you do not speak English Australians tend to be rude and quite vicious. You do not get that attitude in Poland I find.Are you s-u-r-e this is not an Anglocentric expectation…?

    I seem to have had a very different experience. Staff at the office in Krakow have 99% been polite and helpful. And this is not just because my wife is Polish. I think it really has a lot to do with me coming forward and speaking in Polish first. Poles are invariably delighted, yes , absolutely my speech is packed full of grammatical mistakes, but an attempt nevertheless. I’ve actually left all my interviews laughing and the interviewer too, and not just because I’m a fool…

    By the way, whilst I am here, speaking Polish reminds me of active service in Iraq and Afghanistan. It reminds me of the IED and mine awareness course you have to do before you deploy in-country. You only need to speak more than one single word of Polish and….BOOOOOOOOOOMMM…you have stepped on yet another grammatical mine ( tense wrong-gender wrong-case wrong-ending wrong-wrong word-every f***king thing wrong ) that blows your Polish study to the absolute shit!

    Like Macdonalds-I’m Loving It

    Cheers

    Ron

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 5 October 2018 at 21:15

      Honestly I think they should speak at least one other language. Maybe they could hire people who also speak other popular languages like Urdu/Hindi/ Ukrainian to accommodate those people, why not? They need to communicate with the people they are serving. That’s why speaking English at least would be helpful as probably a good number of their clients speak English. I speak Polish as well but they’re still not polite… not that I expect them to be though. It’s enough for me that I’m able to just get something done without having issues. As for Polish being filled with landmines… couldn’t agree more!! 🙂

  • Reply Ron Ti 17 October 2018 at 10:52

    On reflection my post is a little tooo sunny

    I haven’t been here as long as you and don’t speak well. My ability is pretty basic, say, slightly below that of my next door neighbour Wojtek (single, male, 3 years old)

    On the whole, the karta pobytu process is pretty bad….sorry to sound so positive , sunny, and Australian. Mea culpa. Should have been more Polish about it: how terrible it is, how slow, how bad the weather is, nothing works…the pressure is affecting me, the wind is affecting my mood, I have a headache, I want to emigrate…etc etc etc

  • Reply Don Waits 12 February 2019 at 11:35

    “I’ve been avoiding writing this post because I have such a bad taste in my mouth about it. Getting a Polish residence card is, by far, the most unpleasant thing about living in Poland.”

    So true! Every time I even hear the words Karta Pobytu or urząd wojewódzki it brings up bad emotions. I’ve been here over 4 years and the KP process is an absolute unpleasant disaster EVERY TIME!

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 12 February 2019 at 17:51

      Don – don’t worry as next time you can apply for permanent residence! The best feeling ever knowing you don’t have to apply ever again!!

  • Reply DM 21 May 2019 at 21:17

    Honestly,reading all the posts I feel people think immigration is there right.I am an American and just renewed by permanent card for the second time in Poland with no problems in 1 month and before also.All you need is proper documents etc.Now why should or would an employee has to speak a foreign language in his own country???? Seriously guys wake up,immigration is not a right its a privilege just like a drivers license.
    If some guys dont like that why they dont just move on to some another country?and these people want to change the Polish system according to there convenience,SERIOUSLY!

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 5 July 2019 at 07:47

      Well nowadays you need more than the proper docs – you need luck and about 2 years! It’s craziness.

  • Reply Gareth 29 December 2019 at 04:06

    Hi Leah,
    Did you mean that if a non-EU person that is married to a Polish citizen for more than 3 years, this non-EU citizen can apply for Permanent Resident Card in Poland directly without needing Temporary Residence Card first? What if the couple never lived in Poland? Finally, does the police come back on an agreed upon time to check on the legitimacy of marriage related to the KP application if the non-Polish spouse is not available at home on the first visit by the police?

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 5 February 2020 at 10:39

      Hi Gareth –

      Hm I think they actually might need a temporary card first. I’m quite certain that’s what my employee did. And then finally got to apply for a permanent residence card. About your second question – I actually have no idea because I don’t have my permanent residence based on marriage :/ I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful in that regard!

  • Reply Williamwer 28 January 2020 at 10:35

    Siemano, może ktoś polecić kolagen z tołpygi?Potrzebuję takiego do smarowania na ciało, ze względów sportowych.

  • Reply Pawel 23 June 2020 at 08:14

    Hey Leah,
    Do you know if it’s possible to apply for Karta pobytu outside Poland via a consulate? It would be nice to have it all dealt with before moving there. I do not have a job lined up but my spouse is a Polish citizen.

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 24 June 2020 at 09:06

      Hey Paweł – Honestly, I’m not sure. I never had success contacting the Polish embassy in America so I really don’t know, but I’ve heard from people you can get work permits, I’m just not sure about the karta pobytu part.

  • Reply Maryam Ismayilova 20 November 2020 at 16:56

    It is really hard to get it. In poland it means you shouldn’t love someone else from another country, because it will cause lots of problem. I’m in my 2nd year, still they didn’t give me case number. It is bullsht. Everytime they are just having excuses about they have lots of cases. Even though i sent many reminding letters and asking about my case no any response.

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 20 November 2020 at 21:35

      That is TERRIBLE! Two years?! How is it possible? Which voivodeship are you in??

  • Reply D. Y. 10 November 2021 at 23:53

    Totally agree with you.. I have been waiting for the damn card for a year now. I have a Polish boyfriend and I live here for 2 years. All my documents were complete and everything is done and here I am after 1 year. We asked them and they said they still didn’t make the decision.. Is this a joke? They are so slow and so rude. Also when I was there, all papers were in Polish, everything is written in Polish, everyone speaks Polish. Cmon guys, this is a place where foreigners come. This makes zero sense. Polish system sucks..

    • Reply Leah Morawiec 14 November 2021 at 13:21

      That’s total insanity. I’m so sorry you’ve had to wait for so long. So frustrating!

  • Reply Mos 4 February 2022 at 09:09

    2022, still the same terrible experience

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