Permanent residence in Poland: complete guide to obtaining in 2025

Tired of endless residence card renewals? Want to finally breathe easy and forget about the immigration office for 10 years? Permanent residence in Poland is your goal. Indefinite stay, almost all citizen rights, no stress when changing jobs. Let me explain how to get that precious card.

What permanent residence card gives you

Permanent residence card is essentially permanent residency. And you’ll have corresponding rights.

Freedom from restrictions

• Live without time limits – no renewals
• Work wherever you want – no permits needed
• Study on Polish terms – often free
• Run a business – like a citizen
• Get social benefits – 800+, allowances, pension
• Buy real estate – almost no restrictions

Freedom of movement

With permanent residence card you can:

• Leave Poland for up to 6 years straight
• Travel in Schengen 90 days out of 180
• Live in other EU countries (up to 3 months without registration)
• Invite relatives to Poland

What you still can’t do

• Vote in elections (except local)
• Have a Polish passport
• Work in law enforcement
• Buy agricultural land (need permission)

But honestly – most people don’t need this anyway.

Who can apply

How to get permanent residence in Poland – several options, find yours.

Standard path – 5 years of residence

Most common way:

• 5 years of continuous legal residence
• Last 2 years – on grounds allowing permanent residence
• Didn’t leave for more than 6 months at once
• No more than 10 months total in 5 years

Which grounds DON’T give the right:

• Student visa/card (only half the period counts)
• Humanitarian protection
• Temporary protection (UKR)

Fast-track options

Pole’s Card – 1 year

Have a Pole’s Card? You’re lucky – just one year of legal residence on any grounds.

Polish roots – 2 years

Proved Polish origin with documents? Two years of residence and permanent residence is yours.

Marriage to a Pole – 3 years

• 3 years married
• 2 years residing in Poland
• Marriage must be current

Children of citizens

If child of Polish citizen – can get immediately, regardless of residence period.

Basic requirements and conditions

Living the required period isn’t enough. How to get permanent residence card without problems? Meet all conditions.

Polish language – mandatory!

No language, no way. Need certificate minimum B1. Almost no exceptions:

• Children under 16
• People with medical contraindications
• Graduates of Polish school/university

Everyone else – study and take the exam. Exam costs 230 złoty.

Stable income

Must prove you can support yourself:

• Single – minimum 776 PLN/month after deducting housing
• Family – 600 PLN per person
• Sources – work, business, savings, alimony
• Period – stable for last 2 years

Health insurance

• NFZ from employer – ideal
• Voluntary NFZ – also works
• Private with full coverage – acceptable
• European EHIC card – for EU citizens

Place of residence

Must confirm where you live:

• Rental agreement or ownership
• Sufficient area (theoretically 5 m² per person)
• Registration (meldunek) – highly recommended

Clean reputation

Must not have:

• Convictions for intentional crimes
• Serious tax debts
• State security threats
• Immigration law violations

Complete document package

Get ready – there’ll be mountains of papers. The better you prepare, the faster you’ll get a decision.

Basic set

• Application (wniosek) – 4 copies, filled in block letters
• Photos – 4 pieces, biometric, not older than 6 months
• Passport – original + copies of ALL pages
• Residence card – current, original + copy
• Polish B1 certificate – original + copy

Financial documents

• PIT for last 2 years (better 3)
• Income certificates from employer
• Employment contract or contracts
• Bank statements for 6-12 months
• ZUS – certificate of no debts
• Tax Office – tax certificate

Housing documents

• Rental/purchase agreement
• Owner’s consent for residence
• Registration certificate (if you have)
• Housing payment receipts

Special documents

For Pole’s Card:

• The Pole’s Card itself
• Oath (if not taken yet)

For marriage:

• Marriage certificate
• Spouse’s ID card
• Proof of living together

For Polish roots:

• Ancestors’ documents
• Archive certificates
• Consul’s confirmation decision

Polish language exam

Without language no permanent residence. Let’s tackle the exam.

Where to take it

Certified centers:

• Warsaw – several centers, more frequent exams
• Kraków – Jagiellonian University
• Łódź, Lublin, Wrocław – universities
• Other cities – less frequent, but available

Need to register in advance – spots fill up month or two ahead.

B1 exam structure

Written part (150 minutes):

• Listening – 30 minutes
• Reading – 45 minutes
• Grammar – 45 minutes
• Writing – 30 minutes

Oral part (15 minutes):

• Talking about yourself
• Describing a picture
• Dialogue on everyday topic

How to prepare

• Courses – 3-6 months, 1500-3000 PLN
• Self-study – textbooks, YouTube, apps
• Tutor – 50-100 PLN/hour
• Practice – talk with Poles!

Tip: don’t go to exam unprepared. Failure = loss of money and time.

Step-by-step procedure

From application to getting the card – long journey. Here’s the action plan.

Step 1: Preparation (3-6 months ahead)

• Pass Polish exam
• Collect all certificates (many valid only 3 months)
• Get document translations
• Pay all debts if any
• Renew rental agreement

Step 2: Booking appointment

• Big cities – electronic queue
• Booking 1-3 months ahead
• Watch for cancellations – can get earlier

Step 3: Submitting documents

• Come with complete package
• Pay 640 PLN stamp duty
• Get stamp in passport
• Take confirmation with case number

Step 4: Waiting (4-8 months)

Most stressful time:

• Track status online
• Respond to requests maximum quickly
• Don’t change job/address unless necessary
• Be ready for interview call

Step 5: Getting decision

Positive decision:

• Letter arrives (wait 1-2 weeks)
• Go to office with passport
• Pay 100 PLN for card production
• After 2-3 weeks collect card

Rejection:

• 14 days for appeal
• Analyze rejection reasons
• Gather additional documents
• Submit appeal or new application

Timeline and costs

How long to wait and how much to pay – two main questions.

Timeline by cities

• Warsaw – 6-12 months (longest)
• Kraków – 4-6 months
• Wrocław – 3-5 months
• Poznań – 3-4 months
• Small cities – 2-4 months

Total cost

Mandatory expenses:

• Stamp duty – 640 PLN
• Card – 100 PLN
• B1 exam – 230 PLN
• Translations – 500-1500 PLN
• Photos – 25-35 PLN
• Certificates – 100-300 PLN

Total: 1600-3000 złoty minimum.

Additionally:

• Polish courses – 1500-3000 PLN
• Lawyer’s help – 1000-3000 PLN
• Urgent translations – double price

Frequently asked questions

Can I get permanent residence without Polish roots?

Of course! Most people get it the standard way – 5 years of residence. Roots just speed up the process.

Does time on student card count?

Yes, but only half. So 4 years of studies = 2 years towards permanent residence. Need to live 6 more years on another basis.

What if I fail the Polish exam?

Take it again. No limit on attempts. But each try is another 230 złoty and waiting for exam date.

Can I work while waiting for decision?

Yes! The stamp in passport about accepting documents extends your legal stay. You work on the same conditions as with residence card.

Permanent residence or EU resident card?

EU resident card gives more rights in other EU countries, but requirements are stricter. For living only in Poland – permanent residence is optimal.