Registering your stay in Poland

Register your stay in Poland - EU and non-EU citizens

After arrival: registering your stay

All foreign citizens are obliged to register their long-stay in Poland. This obligation applies to citizens of member states of the EU as well as to all other foreign visitors.

EU citizens

Citizens of member states of the European Union and EFTA can enter the Republic of Poland without a visa. They do not need to register their short-term stay (shorter than 3 months). After three months they should register their long-term stay.

Registration of stay – long-term (longer than 3 months)

Citizens of member states of the EU and EFTA who reside in Poland for more than three months are obliged to register their stay with the authorities. A registration application needs to be submitted stating the reasons for an extended stay (e.g. studies at a Polish university). The application should be submitted in person to the appropriate voivodeship office, no later than one day after three months from the date of entering the Polish territory. In Szczecin, this sprocedure is carried out by Westpomeranian Voivodeship Office (Zachodniopomorski Urząd Wojewódzki).

Non-EU citizens

Citizens of countries that are not member states of the European Union or EFTA enter the Polish territory on the basis of an obtained visa. After arrival they are obliged to register their short-term stay as well as long-term stay if it exceeds the visa period. Affective from 01 May 2014: the application for a residence permit (Karta Tymczasowego Pobytu) should be submitted IN PERSON not later than ON THE LAST DAY of your legal stay in Poland (last day of visa expiry date).

After receiving a positive decision regarding the residence permit, a foreigner is also granted a residence card. A residence card allows its holder to stay on the Polish territory and to travel abroad without the need to obtain another visa. There is a fee for issuing a residence card. The card has to be collected in person.

Westpomeranian Voivodeship Office (Zachodniopomorski Urząd Wojewódzki) website (information available in English and other languages).