The President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, signed amendments to the law on foreigners that significantly change the procedure for obtaining a residence permit. From now on, applications for karta pobytu will only be accepted electronically through a special online system, which is being prepared for launch in the near future. This is reported by ua.pl.
This concerns a government bill adopted by the Polish parliament on November 21. The document provides for the digitalization of procedures for submitting applications for temporary, permanent residence permits, and the status of long-term EU residents. The law also opens up the opportunity for Ukrainian citizens with a PESEL UKR number to obtain a CUKR residence card valid for three years.
Changes to the law on foreigners: how to submit applications
Submitting documents will take place through the new MOS portal, which should not be confused with the existing system of the same name. Foreigners will no longer need to make appointments or wait in lines – applications can be filled out online at a convenient time, with the ability to save and edit data.
The system will be free for users. The only mandatory expenses relate to the stamp duty and the payment for the residence card production. For the CUKR card, the fee amounts to 340 zlotys, plus an additional 100 zlotys for issuing the document.
What is provided for Ukrainians
Ukrainians with PESEL UKR will be able to submit documents for the CUKR card with a note about previous use of temporary protection. After submitting the application via MOS, the applicant will receive official confirmation and a note that will replace the stamp in the passport. Later, the provincial office will request fingerprints and a signature.
The launch of the new system will not take place on January 1, 2026 – the exact date will be separately communicated by the Office for Foreigners. Until then, the current rules for submitting documents will remain in effect.
Earlier, we wrote about what Ukrainians in Poland should do for legalization after the end of temporary protection.