Before you start

A job offer from a Polish employer
Usually a work permit obtained by the employer, unless exempt
Health insurance coverage
Accommodation and a stable income source

Step-by-step

1
Employer obtains a work permit, if required
Most non-EU hires need the employer to secure a work permit from the voivode first, sometimes preceded by a labour-market test. Some nationalities and roles are exempt.
Via employerWho: Your employer
2
Enter on the appropriate visa
A national D visa is the usual entry route for work. Poland is in Schengen, so short-stay rules apply until your residence permit is granted.
OnlineWho: You
3
Apply through the MOS portal
From 27 April 2026 applications for temporary residence may only be submitted through the Case Handling Module at mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl, authenticated via login.gov.pl. Paper submission is no longer accepted.
OnlineWho: YouBefore your current legal stay expires
4
Attend the biometrics appointment
Fingerprints are taken at the voivodeship office. In Warsaw this is the Mazowieckie office, the busiest in the country — book as early as the system allows.
In personWho: You
5
Receive the stamp, then the card
A stamp in your passport confirms your application is lodged and legalises your stay while it's processed. The karta pobytu arrives later.
In personWho: You
6
Apply for your PESEL number
Separate from the residence permit and obtained at the municipal district office. From 1 January 2026 most non-EU nationals must appear in person; postal and proxy applications are no longer accepted.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport
Employment contract and work permit
Proof of health insurance
Proof of accommodation in Warsaw
Completed application via MOS
Biometric photographs

Things most newcomers don’t know

Two 2026 changes invalidate most published guidance.

Non-EU PESEL applications became in-person only on 1 January 2026, and residence applications moved to MOS-only on 27 April 2026. Guides written even a year ago describe postal PESEL applications and paper residence filings that no longer work.

Source: Polish municipal and migration procedure changes, 2026

The lodging stamp is what keeps you legal, not the card.

Once your application is accepted and stamped, your stay is lawful even after your visa expires and while you wait months for the card. Newcomers panic about the delay or, worse, leave the country and complicate their case.

Source: Polish temporary residence procedure

Warsaw's office is the busiest in Poland.

Mazowieckie serves the largest concentration of foreign workers in the country. Appointment scarcity — not document preparation — is what determines your timeline, so book the moment you are eligible.

Source: Voivodeship office practice, widely reported

Your contract type determines your social insurance.

A standard employment contract (umowa o pracę) enrols you in ZUS and therefore public healthcare. A civil contract or B2B arrangement may not, and the difference is invisible in a headline salary comparison.

Source: ZUS contribution rules by contract type

Common mistakes to avoid

Attempting a paper residence application after 27 April 2026.
Planning a postal or proxy PESEL application as a non-EU national after 1 January 2026.
Leaving Poland mid-procedure without understanding the effect on your application.
Waiting to book a biometrics appointment until documents are perfect.
Accepting a B2B contract without checking your health-insurance position.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.