Residence permit for a long-term resident of the EU

When should I apply?

You should apply after you have been in Poland for at least 5 years.
You should apply for a residence permit in person before your current legal status expires (i.e. before your visa or residence card expires).

The application for a Residence permit for a long-term resident of the EU should be submitted in person, not later than on the last day of legal stay in the territory of Poland.

Not every stay is included in the 5-year period. Find out more.

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 complete the application form.

Where should I apply?

You may apply in person at the Department for Foreigners in Poznań or one of the office's delegations: Book your visit

If you cannot apply in person before your current legal status expires, please send your application by post to meet the deadline.

What counts is the date of postage at the post office.

If you apply by post, your next step is to visit the office in person to give your fingerprints.

During your visit, you may also file other documents that are required to get a stamp in your passport.

Learn how to give your fingerprints

What documents do I need?

Documents needed to obtain a stamp in a passport (so-called formal requirements):

  • Application form - filled in 1 copy as per instruction. (Download the form)
  • 4 photographs

  • A photocopy of a valid travel document (the original for inspection), in a particularly justified case, when a foreigner does not have a valid travel document and he or she is not able to obtain one, he or she may present another document confirming his/her identity.

  • Evidence of legal title to the premises.

You will need also an original of  the stamp duty payment to start the proceedings.

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Documents required to be granted the residence permit:

  • stable and regular income, e.g. tax settlements from the last 3 years immediately preceding the submission of the application. If you are working - a current contract confirming the execution of work and contracts concluded within 3 years immediately preceding the submission of the application. If you run an economic activity or a partnership/company - documents confirming current income earned from the conducted company / employment contract, if on its basis you perform your function as a member of the management board. You can also submit other documents confirming your income and we will check them individually.
  • health insurance,
  • documents confirming your knowledge of Polish language.
During the proceedings, you may be asked to present additional documents, e.g. a proof of your uninterrupted stay in Poland or other documents than those indicated above which show that you have a stable and regular income. Unfortunately, we cannot provide an exact list of documents required before the application is submitted. These documents depend on the type of work you perform and your employment history, so when your application is being examined, we might ask you for additional documentation confirming that the conditions for granting the permit are met. 

All documents need to be submitted in original/certified copy

What should I know?

Can I work?

After obtaining a residence permit for a long-term resident of the EU, you may work in Poland without a work permit. The residence card contains the annotation "access to the labour market".

I have received my decison - how to get my residence card now?

The residence card is issued after obtaining a positive decision on granting the permit. Read how to get a residence card

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FAQ

How long is the long-term resident's residence permit issued for?

The permit is indefinite. The decision does not state the expiry date of the permit, but the residence card is issued for 5 years. Within 5 years, you apply for a new residence card.

What is the difference between a permanent residence permit and a long-term resident's residence permit?

There are different grounds on which you can get them:

  • a permanent residence permit is issued to foreigners, who have family ties with Poland (Polish origin, Polish spouse, the Pole’s Card);
  • a long-term resident's residence permit is issued to foreigners, who are in Poland...
read the whole answer...

I studied in Poland for 5 years. Can I apply for a long-term resident card? How is my study stay counted with regard to the resident's permit?

You do not meet the basic condition of a 5-year stay in Poland, because the stay associated with studies is counted only in half. Therefore, if you submit an application, we will refuse to grant you a long-term resident's residence permit.

What documents should be attached to the application for a long-term resident's EU residence permit?

Check the procedure details on our website HERE

 

What period of stay in Poland is included in the period necessary to grant a long-term resident's EU residence permit?

The period of stay in Poland is inclusive:

  • the entire period of stay under the visa-free regime,
  • the entire period of stay based on a visa (with some exceptions),
  • the whole period of stay on the territory of Poland based on a temporary residence and work permit,...
read the whole answer...