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?

  1. Fill out the application for a residence permit for a long-term resident of the EU.
  2. 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.
  3. Print the application form and sign it.
  4. 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.

 

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.

PAY ONLINE

Documents required to be granted the residence permit:

  1. Confirming that you had a stable and regular income during the 3 years immediately preceding the application and that you currently have such income:
  • Monthly reports for the insured person in ZUS RMUa (ZUS contribution payment confirmations) for the 3-year period before the application from all employers for whom you have worked/are currently working.
  • PIT-11 declarations for the 3-year period before the application from all employers for whom you have worked/are currently working.
  • PIT-37 tax statements from the 3 years preceding the application, along with confirmation of document submission to the Tax Office or a tax office certificate confirming the income settlement, including the amounts of revenue, income, social and health insurance contributions, and the tax due. Personally submitted tax statements should bear the stamp of the respective Tax Office, while electronically submitted ones should include the document number in box 3 and be accompanied by the UPO (Official Certificate of Receipt).
  • Employment contracts/commission agreements based on which you have worked/are working in the territory of Poland for the 3 years before the application until the present, along with any annexes to these contracts, work certificates/statements of the termination of employment, and documents legalizing employment, such as statements of entrusted work to foreigners, work permits, or permits for temporary residence and work. Employment contracts should be signed by the employer and yourself.
  • Current certificate from the employer with information on whether you are still employed and the current employment conditions, including your position, salary amount, type of contract, and working hours.
  • If you run a business/economic activity or a partnership/company or are part of a partnership, provide documents confirming the current income generated from the business/partnership.
  • You may also provide other documents confirming the income obtained, which will be individually assessed.
If the assessment of a stable and regular source of income includes the earnings of a family member residing in Poland who is obligated to support the applicant, please provide corresponding documents.
  1.  A  health insurance,
  2.  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?

Read our guide

Check if and how your stay in Poland will be included in the 5-year period required for a long-term resident

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

Did you find it useful?

Application check-list

Updated: 26-09-2024

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FAQ

How many years of stable and regular income obtained in the territory of Poland should be demonstrated in order to obtain a long-term resident's EU residence permit?

  • You must demonstrate that you have a stable regular income for the three years immediately preceding your application, or two years, if you are in Poland on the basis of a Blue Card.

  • Remember that as of the date of issuing the decision on the long-term resident's...

read the whole answer...

Are savings a stable and regular source of income?

No. A stable and regular source of income is one that repeats at regular intervals, e.g. remuneration for work.

Will income from work that was not legal be taken into account in the calculation of income for the last 3 years? My employer paid taxes and social security contributions.

No. This income will not be taken into account even if it has been taxed and the employer has paid health insurance contributions. During the examination of your application we will check whether you have worked legally for the last 3 years.

In what situations will the application for a long-term resident's EU residence permit not be examined?

If you are in Poland:

illegally, or

  • for the purposes of study, vocational training or study, or
  • in connection with obtaining a residence permit for humanitarian reasons, a permit for tolerated stay, asylum or temporary protection, or in connection with applying for...
read the whole answer...

If I have applied for a long-term resident's residence in the EU and have a stamp in my passport and my work permit has expired, I do not change my employer - can I work?

Yes, you can.