A Residence Card is a document confirming identity issued to foreigners who have obtained a temporary residence permit. What entitlements arise from a residence card and how to obtain it? Find out more in the next part of the Legalisation of Stay and Employment of Foreigners in Poland guide.
FAQ#12
What Is a Residence Card?
A residence card (karta pobytu) is a document confirming the identity of a foreigner during their stay in the territory of the Republic of Poland and entitling them, with a travel document, to cross the border multiple times without the need to obtain a visa.
It is issued ex officio (i.e., without the need to submit a separate application for its issue) by the voivode who issued the decision on granting a permit to a foreigner for:
- temporary residence (valid for the period for which this permit was granted);
- temporary residence and work (valid for the period for which this permit was granted);
- permanent residence (valid for 10 years from the date of its issue);
- residence of a long-term EU resident (valid for 5 years from the date of its issue);
- humanitarian residence permit (valid for 2 years from the date of its issue).
In order to receive a residence card, you need to pay a fee of PLN 50 for printing the card and provide the Office with current proof of your registered address (if you want to have your registered address printed on the card), or a request for a residence card to be issued without a registered address.
If a residence card confirming that a temporary residence permit was granted expires, and the foreigner wants to continue to stay in Poland, they should reapply for a temporary residence permit.
IMPORTANT! To obtain a residence card, you have to apply for a temporary residence permit, NOT for issue or replacement of a residence card! This type of application is only used to replace an existing card if the data contained therein has changed or for issue of a new card in the event of loss or destruction of an existing one.
More questions about how to legalise your stay in Poland?
Issues related to the legalisation of employment and stay of foreigners in Poland still raise many doubts – both among employers and their foreign employees. In order to make it easier to navigate among statutory regulations, the Invest in Pomerania team in cooperation with specialists from the Pomeranian Voivodeship Office have created a publication containing a list of the most frequently asked questions regarding the procedure of applying for a residence and work permit in Poland. We sincerely hope that the publication will make the process of legalising the stay and employment of foreigners in our region more efficient. We invite you to read the entire guide. If you want to learn more about the full range of support provided by Invest in Pomerania visit the website: investinpomerania.pl .
