In Poland, waiting times for residence cards have doubled

In Poland, the issuance or replacement period for certain residence cards has increased and now exceeds two months. The delay is explained by the sharp rise in the number of applications received by the Office for Foreigners. This is reported by in Poland.

Residence Card in Poland: Who is Affected by the New Waiting Period

The announcement concerns applications considered by the central Office for Foreigners, particularly regarding the issuance and replacement of residence cards for people with refugee status or subsidiary protection. Additionally, Geneva travel documents will also take more than two months to process.

The changes do not automatically apply to all residence cards in Poland. Applications for temporary or permanent residence based on work, study, entrepreneurial activities, or family reunification are generally handled by voivodeship offices. The timeframes there depend on the specific region and the course of the case.

This specifically refers to the issuance or replacement of the document, not the overall time for making a decision on the residence permit. The UdSC did not indicate how long it will take to process in each case, limiting itself to the phrasing “more than two months”.

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When to Apply for Replacement of the Residence Card

The office has urged not to submit documents earlier than two months before the expiration date of the residence card or Geneva travel document. Applications submitted prematurely will be left unanswered.

At the same time, postponing the application until the last weeks is also risky. Due to queues, the new document may not be ready before the previous one expires, so it is optimal to apply immediately after the start of the two-month period.

The UdSC promised to separately inform about further changes in timeframes. Information regarding a specific case is not provided by phone due to personal data protection regulations. To obtain a response, you need to contact the office in person or send a written request.

The official announcement does not confirm that the timeframes have indeed doubled. The office only notes that the waiting times have increased and currently exceed two months.

Let us remind you that in Poland there are plans to impose 30-year sentences for army violations.