Karta Pobytu Documents in Poland 2026: Full Checklist

What you always need

• Application (wniosek) — from your voivodeship website. Warsaw: mazowieckie.uw.gov.pl. Lower Silesia: duw.pl. Filled in Polish.
• 4 photos — 35x45 mm, white background, no glasses, under 6 months old.
• Passport — original plus copies of all stamped pages.
• Proof of accommodation — rental agreement or owner’s statement (oswiadczenie wlasciciela).
• Fee — 340 PLN for temporary residence. Attach proof of payment.
• Insurance — health policy for the full period, or proof your employer pays ZUS.

Documents by ground

Based on work

• Employment or B2B contract — signed, in Polish or with a sworn translation.
• Income confirmation from your employer or incubator.
• If via an incubator — the contract plus invoices and payments from the last 3 months.
• ZUS no-arrears certificate — via e-ZUS.

Not tied to work (family, students)

• Marriage or birth certificate with apostille and translation.
• For students: enrollment letter, proof of tuition payment.
• Bank statement for 3 months. Minimum 701 PLN per month for yourself plus 528 PLN per dependent.

Permanent residence (karta stalego pobytu)

• All previous residence cards plus visa history.
• PIT tax returns for the last 3 years.
• Polish language certificate level B1 — required since 2022.

Translations and apostille

Apostille — for Hague Convention countries (Ukraine, Belarus, CIS). Issued in the document’s country of origin. Consular legalization — for non-convention countries. After apostille, a sworn translator (tlumacz przysiegly) in Poland charges 50–100 PLN per page.

Processing times in 2026

Warsaw (Mazowieckie): 4–8 months

Wroclaw: 3–5 months

Gdansk: 2–4 months

Poznan: 2–3 months

Krakow: 3–5 months

While your application is processed, you stay in Poland legally — provided you filed before your current permit expired.

Three reasons for return

Wrong application: PESEL, address (must match your rental agreement), entry date (must match the stamp).

Outdated certificates: no older than 3 months on the date of filing.

Translation mismatch: name and surname letter for letter as in your passport.

Handling it with FBA

FBA reviews every document before submission against your specific voivodeship’s requirements. Sworn translator, queue booking, status tracking — handled.