Internship

If you are planning to stay in Poland for a period longer than 3 months and your main purpose to stay in Poland is to serve an internship at the internship organizer, authorised by the minister competent for internal affairs, you should apply for temporary residence permit for an intern. Do have a look at the latest valid list of the authorised internship organizers that is announced in the official journal of the minister competent for internal affairs.

Internship means that you will perform tasks for the purpose of acquiring knowledge, practical skills and professional experience, but you will not perform work. Internship should be adequate to the field and level of the completed or ongoing studies.

The temporary residence permit for an intern can be granted for the period necessary for execution of the contract, which is the basis for your internship, but no longer than 6 months. Subsequent permit can be granted only once and for the period necessary for execution of the contract regarding internship, but no longer than 6 months.

You should apply for a residence permit in person before your current legal status expires (i.e. before your visa or residence card expires).

If you apply to extend your stay in Poland before the expiry date of your legal status, you can legally remain in Poland while your application is pending. Make sure you have submitted an error-free application. Your passport must be valid at this time.

Before you apply, read our tips on how to fill in an application form.

1. Visit the website mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl and create an account.
2. Review the information and the list of common mistakes.
3. Fill out the application for a temporary residence permit.
4. Include your email address in the application. Once your application is registered by the Office, you’ll receive an access code to track the status of your case.
5. Print the application form and sign it.
6. Send the printed form along with the required attachments via postal service to the Department for Foreigners in Poznań or one of our regional offices.

Submit the application no later than the last day of your legal stay in Poland. If you send the application via Poczta Polska, the date of submission will be the date it is posted at the post office.

The next step will be an in-person appointment to submit your fingerprints. During the visit, you will also complete other documents required to obtain a stamp in your passport.

Learn how to submit fingerprints.
Learn how to track the status of your case.

Documents required to obtain a stamp in your passport (i.e. formal requirements)

• Application form - fill in the on-line application or fill in the application in accordance with the instructions in 1 copy (application to be downloaded).
• 4 photographs, 
• A photocopy of a valid travel document (the original for inspection), in a particularly justified case, when you do not have any valid travel document and you are not able to obtain one, you may present another document confirming your identity.
• If you apply for the temporary residence permit for an intern or a volunteer, you should submit the “Annex No 3” (download it here) together with the application form,

Confirmation of the payment of stamp duty will be requires to start your proceedings.

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Documents necessary to be granted a temporary residence permit for an intern:

• Confirmation of graduating from university within 2 years directly prior to submitting the application for temporary residence permit for an intern (e.g. diploma certifying completion of university) or a document confirming ongoing studies at the university located outside of the European Union,

• Written contract concluded between you and the internship organizer, 

• Written declaration of an internship organizer of coverage the costs of issuing and implementing the decision on obliging the foreigner to return,

• Health insurance,

• Confirmation of having sufficient funds to cover the costs of your stay in Poland and return ticket to the country of origin for the period of the internship (after deducting the housing costs),

• house costing declaration.

• a document that confirms that you have guaranteed residence in Poland (residence provided)

• confirmation of completing a course in Polish or another language in which the internship takes place

Read our guide

Temporary residence permit for an intern or a volunteer does not give you the right to perform work without obtaining an additional work permit.

Please remember that you are obliged to inform the appropriate province Governor that granted your temporary residence permit if the reasons for giving it no longer apply. You must do so within 15 business days. 
If your residence permit was granted by the Head of the Office for Foreigners (the second instance authority), this information should be sent to the province Governor, the first instance authority examining your application.
If you do not fulfill this obligation, you might be refused a subsequent residence permit, if your application for the subsequent temporary residence permit was made before the end of a year before the expiration date of the previous residence permit or by the day in which the decision to withdraw the temporary residence permit has become final.

The residence card is issued after you have received your decision with your permit. Read how to receive residence card.