Legal stay in Poland

Your stay in Poland is legal untill 30.09.2025 r. - if you are a citizen of Ukraine or the spouse of a citizen of Ukraine and have the citizenship of another country, and you came to Poland from Ukraine from 24.02.2022 and you want to stay in Poland

Children who were born in Poland also have legal stay in Poland if the mother is a citizen of Ukraine or the wife of a Ukrainian citizen, and who came to Poland from Ukraine from 24.02.2022 and wants to stay in Poland. The child's stay is considered to be legal during the period of the mother's legal stay.

Your stay in Poland is legal untill 30.09.2025 r. if:

• you are a citizen of Ukraine and you have a Pole's Card and you left Ukraine from 24.02.2022, and then you legally came to Poland and want to stay in Poland

• you are a member of the closest family of a Ukrainian citizen who has a Pole's Card and you left Ukraine from 24.02.2022, and then you legally came to Poland and want to stay in Poland.

You do not have to submit any applications for legalization of your stay or an application for refugee status.

Your legal stay is based on the regulations of the Act.

This is how you will receive a PESEL number (UA).

The protection is given from the date of arrival in Poland, not from the date of submitting the application for granting a PESEL number.

Access to the labor market - you can work without any additional permits if the employer notifies the labor office within 14 days of starting work. The employer should send the notification electronically.

Running a business - you can run a business like Polish citizens. The only condition is to have a PESEL number.

Access to cash benefits and others (if you have a PESEL number with the status "UKR")

• 500+,
• "dobry start" (good start),
• a one-time cash benefit in the amount of 300 zł per person, intended for maintenance, in particular to cover expenses for food, clothing, footwear, personal hygiene products and housing fees,
• family benefits,
• family care fund,
• co-financing the fee for the children's  nursery, children's club or the fee for a day caretaker
• other

Access to medical care - you have guaranteed access to the public health care system, on the same terms as Polish citizens

Access to education and other public services.

If you have a PESEL number (with the status "UKR") you may apply for a temporary residence permit if the purpose of your further stay in Poland is:

• performing work

• performing work in a profession requiring high qualifications

• running a business

•  family reunification 

You are eligible for this procedure if:

1) you are in a marriage recognised by the law of the Republic of Poland to a citizen of the Republic of Poland OR

2) you are a minor child of a foreigner who is married to a citizen of the Republic of Poland and recognised by the law of the Republic of Poland and holds a temporary residence permit for a family member of a citizen of the Republic of Poland or a permanent residence permit granted in connection with being married to a Polish citizen OR

3) the family member you are joining resides in the territory of the Republic of Poland:

• on the basis of a permanent residence permit,
• on the basis of a residence permit for a long-term EU resident,
• in connection with granting him/her the refugee status,
• in connection with granting him/her subsidiary protection,
• on the basis of a temporary residence permit,
• on the basis of a temporary residence permit for the purpose of scientific research,
• on the basis of a temporary residence permit granted for the purpose of scientific research, if the foreigner holds a residence permit, referred to in Article 1(2)(a) of Council Regulation No 1030/2002, with the indication 'scientist', issued by another Member State of the European Union, if the agreement on admission of the foreigner for the purposes of carrying out a research project concluded with a competent scientific unit of that country provides for scientific research to be carried out also on the territory of the Republic of Poland
• on the basis of a temporary residence permit for the purposes of highly qualified employment,
• on the basis of a temporary residence permit granted in order to perform work in the framework of an intra-corporate transfer,
• on the basis of a temporary residence permit granted for the purpose of long-term mobility,
• on the basis of a residence permit granted for humanitarian reasons.

• holders of temporary residence permits,
• holders of permanent residence permits,
• holders of European Union long-term residence permits,
• holders of refugee status, subsidiary protection, tolerated stay permit, residence permit for humanitarian reasons
• persons who have submitted applications for international protection in the Republic of Poland or on behalf of whom such applications have been submitted
• persons who have declared their intention to submit an application for international protection in Poland or to whom such declarations of intention concern
• citizens of other countries coming from Ukraine in connection with the armed conflict
• persons with temporary protection on the territory of a Member State of the European Union other than the Republic of Poland granted due to military operations carried out on the territory of Ukraine

You lose your rights resulted from the Act on Assistance to Citizens of Ukraine in connection with the armed conflict on the territory of that country:

• if you leave Poland for a period longer than 30 days
• if you are granted one of the listed permits:
  • a permanent residence permit
  • a residence permit for a long-term resident of the European Union
  • a temporary residence permit
  • a refugee status
  • a subsidiary protection
  • a tolerated stay permit
  • a residence permit for humanitarian reasons
• you have submitted or intend to submit an application for international protection in Poland
• you benefit from a temporary protection in a Member State of the European Union other than the Republic of Poland granted due to military operations conducted in the territory of Ukraine