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Guide · Karta pobytu
Your karta pobytu is expiring: what to do and how to apply for a new one (renewal) in Poland
Updated: September 2026
There is no automatic renewal of a karta pobytu. The plastic card is not extended – you apply for the next temporary residence permit (zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy), and you must do this before your current card expires. Since 27 April 2026, this application is filed online only, through the MOS portal. While the wojewoda (voivode) reviews your case, your stay remains legal – this is confirmed by the zaświadczenie, which in 2026 replaced the old passport stamp.
A «renewal» is really a new application
Legally, there is no such thing as «renewing» a karta pobytu. When your card is about to expire, you don’t extend the old document – you apply for the next temporary residence permit (kolejne zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy). The wojewoda treats it as a new case and, in the end, issues a new decision (decyzja) and a new karta pobytu (the plastic).
The plastic card and the wojewoda’s decision are two different things. The plastic is only a physical document; your real status comes from the decyzja. The card ends together with the decision behind it, so what you prepare for the card’s expiry date is not a «renewal» but a full new application.
In terms of procedure, the new application is close to the first one: the same form and attachments, the same case before the wojewoda. Some documents you already gathered last time, but your basis of stay may have changed – it’s worth checking in advance.
Kolejne zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy – the «next» temporary residence permit.
This is not an extension of the previous one, but a new permit you obtain when your reason for living in Poland still applies, but the previous card is about to expire.
When to apply: how long before the card expires
There is one key rule: the application must be filed no later than the last day of your legal stay under the current card. If you apply on time – even on the last day – and without formal defects, your stay is treated as legal until the case is decided, even if the decision arrives months later.
In practice, don’t wait until the last day: apply early so you have time to gather documents and don’t end up without legal stay.
You’ll find the expiry date on the card itself: the validity (data ważności) is printed on the front and matches the period of the permit granted. For cards based on open-ended decisions – pobyt stały and the EU long-term resident status – the plastic is issued for 10 and 5 years, but those are already different statuses.
- Apply early: registering in MOS, the electronic signature and gathering documents all take time.
- Go by the data ważności date on the card, not the date of your contract or visa.
The card expires but there's no decision yet: the zaświadczenie and legal stay
The biggest fear at this stage: «my card expired, the new one isn’t here yet – does that make me illegal?» No. If you applied on time and without formal defects, your stay in Poland remains legal throughout the review – until the decision becomes final.
This is confirmed by the zaświadczenie. Since 27 April 2026 it has replaced the old passport stamp: after you apply through MOS, the wojewoda generates the certificate confirming that the application was filed and the case is under review, and sends it through the system. Keep it with you – it’s your document of legal stay. Note that the zaświadczenie only confirms the right to stay, it does not create it – the basis remains the application filed on time and without errors.
There is one important limit to this legality during the review. The zaświadczenie is only valid inside Poland: with an expired card you can’t cross the border and come back; the right to cross the border comes from the new card (the plastic) issued after the decision. How this plays out depends on your nationality, and it’s a common trap – see «Special situations» below. A separate case is if the card doesn’t expire but is lost.
Legal stay is not the same as the right to work. The zaświadczenie confirms that you are in the country lawfully, but the right to work comes from your separate basis (a single permit, oświadczenie or zezwolenie na pracę), not from the mere fact that the case is under review.
Documents for the renewal by your basis
The basic package is similar to the first one: a completed form (the current załącznik nr 1), photos, a valid passport, proof of address, health insurance and proof of stable income not below the minimum. The form and attachments are now completed and signed electronically in MOS. The exact set depends on your basis.
| Basis | What you additionally prove |
|---|---|
| Work (Praca) | A valid employment contract or civil-law contract; an oświadczenie entrusting work or a zezwolenie na pracę for your current employer; income not below the minimum threshold. |
| Study (Nauka) | A university certificate confirming continued studies for the new year; proof of tuition payment; sufficient funds to live on. |
| Family (Rodzina) | Documents of kinship or marriage and the legal status of the family member your stay is based on; proof of living together, if required. |
| Business (Biznes) | Documents on the company’s activity, income, payment of taxes and ZUS contributions. |
| EU resident / pobyt stały | A separate procedure: this is not a temporary card but a different status – check the requirements for your specific case. |
The exact list for each basis varies by voivodeship, so check it at your urząd wojewódzki: a missing or outdated document is a formal defect (brak) that delays the case or leads to a request to supply it.
How to apply: through MOS (online only)
Since 27 April 2026, the application is filed electronically only, through the MOS portal (mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl); you can no longer file «on paper» at the voivodeship office. You’ll need a Profil Zaufany (Trusted Profile) or a qualified electronic signature, and an e-Doręczenia mailbox for correspondence with the urząd.
- Create an account in MOS (you need a Profil Zaufany or a qualified electronic signature).
- Fill in and sign the application for the new permit by your basis, and attach scans of your documents.
- Submit the application and download the UPO – the proof of submission.
- Pay two separate fees: the opłata skarbowa for the permit – 440 zł for a single residence-and-work permit, or 340 zł for other bases – and the card fee of 100 zł. These go to different accounts of the relevant office; you don’t pay inside MOS.
- Attend in person when the office summons you for fingerprints (odciski palców) and to check your application – the case doesn’t move without this.
- Receive the zaświadczenie from the wojewoda through MOS, track your case and respond to any requests (wezwania) through e-Doręczenia.
A step-by-step walkthrough of the portal is in a separate guide: how to apply through MOS.
Changing employer or basis at renewal
By the time of the new application, your job or your basis of stay itself may have changed. This affects both the document package and sometimes the type of card, so check for such changes before you apply.
If you live on a single residence-and-work permit (zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy i pracę) tied to a specific employer named in the decision, and you lose that job, you must notify the wojewoda in writing within 15 working days – a direct requirement of art. 121 ustawy o cudzoziemcach. The obligation is also met if, within the same period, you file an application to change the permit.
When it’s not the employer that changes but the basis itself – for example, you move from study to work, or from work to family – it’s no longer «the same» card but a new card on a new basis. A new package is then put together for the new basis, and for work you may need a new oświadczenie or zezwolenie na pracę. See residence and work in Poland for the work-based route.
Before you apply, check: whether the change of job has turned into the need for a new card, and whether you notified the wojewoda in time about losing the previous job. Also confirm whether your card is tied to an employer or gives free access to the labour market.
Special situations: your nationality and permit type
Your exact situation can differ depending on your nationality and the permit you hold. A few cases worth flagging.
Travel and re-entry (visa-free and visa-required)
Some nationals can enter the Schengen area without a visa for short stays (many Latin American countries, for example); others need a visa (India, Indonesia and several more). Either way, this does not help while your renewal is pending: the zaświadczenie only works inside Poland, and re-entering visa-free counts as a short stay (the 90/180 rule), not as a continuation of your pending residence case. The safe approach is the same for everyone – avoid travelling abroad until the new card is issued; if you must travel, check your case first, because visa nationals generally need a valid visa to return.
Ukrainian citizens (UKR status)
If you hold UKR temporary-protection status, a separate route applies – the CUKR residence card (available since 4 May 2026), filed electronically through MOS, with no wojewoda decision, valid for three years and giving full access to the labour market. It is a time-limited transitional track, and the temporary-protection dates are extended from time to time, so check the current deadlines with official sources (gov.pl / UNHCR).
EU Blue Card and highly qualified workers
Many professionals stay on a single permit or an EU Blue Card (Niebieska Karta). The renewal goes through the same MOS process, but the Blue Card has its own criteria (a salary threshold, qualifications) and more flexible rules on changing jobs – so confirm which basis you are renewing under.
Running out of time? Deadlines are tight
Sometimes only a few weeks are left before the card expires and the documents aren’t ready. The main thing is to file through MOS no later than the last day of legal stay: whatever is missing can often be supplied later at the wojewoda’s request. But if you file late or the case is left without consideration (bez rozpoznania), your legal stay is not preserved.
If you need the decision sooner – your employer is waiting or you have a trip – you can raise the question of speeding up the case. It’s not a guarantee that the case will be closed by the date you need, but in some cases the mechanism works.
The riskiest scenario is a gap between cards, when the deadline has passed and the new application hasn’t been filed. In that case your legal stay is not preserved, and fixing the situation is harder than applying on time.
Common mistakes and the consequences of delay
Before you apply, run through this short list – most problems come from the same few mistakes.
- Mistake: waiting for an «automatic renewal» of the plastic. Right: preparing a new application for the permit in advance.
- Mistake: filing after the last day of legal stay or with formal defects (braki). Right: filing on time and without braki, and if there are defects, fixing them within the deadline.
- Mistake: trying to file «on paper». Right: since 27.04.2026 the application is online only, through MOS.
- Mistake: leaving Poland on the zaświadczenie. Right: it only works inside the country; you can’t cross the border with it.
- Mistake: not notifying the wojewoda when you lose your job on a single permit. Right: notify in writing within 15 working days (or file the application to change the permit within that period).
The consequences of delay go beyond a single card. A gap in legal stay can complicate future procedures – including an application for pobyt stały (permanent residence), where continuity of legal stay matters.
Frequently asked questions
Can a karta pobytu be renewed in Poland?
There’s no automatic renewal of the plastic. You apply for a new (next) card – kolejne zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy – before the current one expires, and since 27.04.2026 online only, through MOS.
How far in advance should I apply?
No later than the last day of legal stay under your current card, and better in advance: registering in MOS, the electronic signature and gathering documents all take time.
My card expired and there's no decision - am I illegal?
No. If the application was filed on time and without formal defects, your stay remains legal until the case is decided. This is confirmed by the zaświadczenie, which the wojewoda generates and sends through MOS (since 2026 it replaces the passport stamp).
Can I work while I wait for the new card?
Legal stay and the right to work are not the same: work is based on a separate title. As a rule, on a single permit and with the same employer, if you applied on time, you can keep working until the decision; in doubtful cases the conditions are worth checking.
Can I leave Poland without a valid plastic card?
With an expired card you can’t cross the border and return. The zaświadczenie only works inside Poland; the right to cross the border comes from the new card, issued after the decision.
Does my situation change depending on my nationality?
The travel rules do (visa-free vs visa-required), but neither helps while your renewal is pending. Ukrainians with UKR status have a separate CUKR track, and Blue Card holders renew through the same MOS process under their own criteria. See «Special situations» above.
How much does it cost to apply for the new card?
Two separate fees: the opłata skarbowa for the permit – 340 zł for most bases or 440 zł for a single residence-and-work permit – and the 100 zł card fee. Certain categories (financial hardship, students, children under 16) get a 50% reduction on the card fee. Payment goes to the relevant office’s accounts, not through MOS.
Does the procedure change if I change employer or basis?
If the basis changes, it’s a new card on a new basis and the package is put together from scratch. When you lose your job on a single permit, you must notify the wojewoda in writing within 15 working days (art. 121) or file the application to change the permit within that period.
We’ll review your case individually: check the basis, documents and deadlines, and help you file through MOS with no gap between cards.
