Foreigners

Temporary residence card

06/05/2024

Temporary Residence Card

What is a temporary residence card? What circumstances might justify an application for a temporary residence permit in Poland, and consequently, the issue of a temporary residence card? We present all the key information, including a template for an application for a temporary residence permit and a template for an application for a temporary residence card for a foreign national. We invite you to read on – this information may help you regularise your stay in Poland.

What exactly is a residence card? Temporary residence card 2024

We have covered what a residence card is in more detail in the article entitled: ‘RESIDENCE CARD – WHAT IS IT?’.

To summarise the key information contained therein very briefly, it should be noted that a residence card is a special document which confirms the identity of a foreign national and entitles them to cross the Polish border multiple times without the need for any additional documents (including, for example, a visa).

A residence card is issued to any foreign national who has previously obtained:

A temporary residence permit;
A permanent residence permit;
A long-term resident’s permit in the European Union;
Permission to stay on humanitarian grounds.

As a general rule, the first residence card is issued automatically upon obtaining one of the above authorisations or permits.

In certain situations, however, you must apply for a residence card…

Situations in which you must apply for a residence card:

Obtaining a temporary residence permit for the purpose of family reunification (where the foreign national was outside Poland on the date of submitting the application for this permit);
Obtaining a residence permit for a foreign national who is a close family member of a repatriate;
Obtaining a temporary residence permit for the purpose of working under an intra-corporate transfer;
Obtaining a temporary residence permit for the purpose of long-term mobility of a manager, a specialist or a trainee;
Obtaining a temporary residence permit for a family member of a Polish citizen or a citizen of a European Union Member State (where the foreign national was outside Poland on the date of submitting the application for that permit);
Obtaining permission to reside in Poland on humanitarian grounds.

Temporary residence card for a foreign national – conditions and circumstances justifying a temporary residence permit

Would you like to obtain a temporary residence card in Poland? You will first need to obtain a temporary residence permit.

The conditions for granting a temporary residence permit are set out in Article 98 of the Act of 12 December 2013 on Foreign Nationals. Of particular importance here are the declared purpose of the stay and the circumstances on which the application is based, which justify the foreign national’s stay in Poland for a period longer than 3 months (but not longer than 3 years).

These circumstances may include, amongst others:

Being a family member of a Polish citizen, a citizen of another Member State of the European Union, a Member State of the European Free Trade Association or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland – provided that such a citizen resides in Poland (an additional requirement here, however, is also: financial dependence on that citizen or living with them in a shared household in the country from which the foreign national arrived, or serious health reasons);
Being the minor child of a foreign national who is staying in Poland on the basis of a national visa or a temporary residence permit, provided that the child was born whilst that national visa or temporary residence permit was valid;
Being a foreign national living as part of a family with a Polish citizen or a citizen of another Member State of the European Union, a Member State of the European Free Trade Association or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, with whom they reside together in that territory;
An obligation to appear in person before a Polish public authority;
Presence on Polish territory, which is required by an exceptional personal circumstance;
Presence on Polish territory necessitated by the interests of the Republic of Poland;
The intention to undertake or continue education or vocational training in Poland;
Being a member of the clergy, a member of a religious order or a person performing a religious function within a church or religious association, where the stay in Poland is linked to the performance of that function or preparation for it;
Being a victim of a crime;
Staying in Poland, which is essential in order to respect the right to family life;
Staying in the territory of the Republic of Poland illegally in a situation where leaving Poland would infringe a child’s rights to such an extent as to pose a significant threat to their psychological and physical development.

Temporary residence permit – application form

Now that you know that, in order to obtain a temporary residence card, you must first obtain a temporary residence permit, below we provide links to websites where you can find a template for an application for a temporary residence permit in Poland.

Website of the West Pomeranian Provincial Office in Szczecin: https://www.gov.pl/web/uw-zachodniopomorski/pobyt-czasowy-na-terytorium-rp;
Website of the Podlaskie Provincial Office in Białystok: https://www.gov.pl/web/uw-podlaski/wnioski-i-formularze;
Website of the Department for Foreigners’ Affairs of the Wielkopolska Provincial Office in Poznań: https://migrant.poznan.uw.gov.pl/pl/do-pobrania/wniosek-o-udzielenie-zezwolenia-na-pobyt-czasowy;
Website of the Department for Foreigners’ Affairs of the Mazovian Provincial Office in Warsaw: https://migrant.wsc.mazowieckie.pl/pl/do-pobrania/wniosek-zezwolenie-na-pobyt-czasowy-formularz-obowiazujacy-od-27-kwietnia-2019-roku;
Website of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Provincial Office in Bydgoszcz: https://cudzoziemiec.bydgoszcz.pl/formularze-wnioskow/pobyt-czasowy/.

Residence card for Ukrainians 2024 – application for a temporary residence card (application for a residence card for Ukrainians, Belarusians and others)

Have you already obtained a temporary residence permit in Poland but have not yet received your temporary residence card from the authorities? If so, you must submit the relevant application for a residence card.

Below are the websites where you can find the current 2024 residence card application form (i.e. the form for applying for or replacing a residence card).

Website of the Podlaskie Provincial Office in Białystok: https://www.gov.pl/web/uw-podlaski/formularze-wnioskow-do-pobrania2;
Website of the Department for Foreigners’ Affairs of the Wielkopolska Provincial Office in Poznań: https://migrant.poznan.uw.gov.pl/pl/do-pobrania/wniosek-o-wydaniewymiane-karty-pobytu;
Website of the Department for Foreigners’ Affairs of the Mazovian Provincial Office in Warsaw: https://migrant.wsc.mazowieckie.pl/pl/do-pobrania/wniosek-o-wydaniewymiane-karty-pobytu;
Website of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Provincial Office in Bydgoszcz: https://cudzoziemiec.bydgoszcz.pl/formularze-wnioskow/wniosek-o-wydanie-wymiane-karty-pobytu/.

We also warmly encourage you to read our article on residence card fees, which will tell you about all the costs involved in this process.

Do you need help with obtaining a temporary residence permit and being issued with a temporary residence card? Residence card for Ukrainians 2024 (permanent residence card 2024 and temporary residence card 2024)

Are you a foreign national wishing to obtain a temporary residence permit and a temporary residence card in Poland? The Firma Dla Każdego Foundation can help you.

The ‘Firma Dla Każdego’ Foundation provides assistance to foreign nationals wishing to regularise their stay in Poland. To this end, we help with administrative procedures (including the application for a temporary residence card). We also liaise on behalf of foreign nationals with provincial authorities, translate foreign documents, provide legal assistance and offer health insurance and medical care packages.

You can find more information about the scope of our activities in this area at: https://firmadlakazdego.pl/cudzoziemcy/.

Sources:

Author

Grzegorz Stępień

Przedsiębiorca od prawie 20 lat. Związany m.in. z branżą inkubatorów przedsiębiorczości. Od ponad ośmiu zarządza Fundacją Firma Dla Każdego, która prowadzi jeden z największych inkubatorów w Polsce. Specjalizuje się w zagadnieniach prowadzenia i rozwoju biznesu, legalizacji pobytu i pracy, a także aspektami podatkowymi prowadzenia firmy.

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