Śląski Urząd Wojewódzki w Katowicach

Launching the MOS communication and information system to electronically apply for a residence permit in Poland  - date information

We inform that full functionality of the MOS (Cases Handling Module) communication and information system enabling electronic submission of applications, referred to in Article 225a(1) of the Act on Foreigners, i.e. the applications for the following permits:

• temporary residence permit,
• permanent residence permit,
• long-term resident’s EU residence permit

Will be made available to the users on April 27, 2026.

Starting from that day, applications for temporary, permanent and long-term resident’s EU residence permits can be submitted only electronically via MOS portal.

We encourage you to regularly check our website and social media for updates, where we will be posting additional information on using the new MOS portal. We also encourage you to read our frequently asked questions and other informational materials regarding legal migration.

We already invite you to familiarize yourself with the practical information regarding the functioning of the new MOS system.

Practical information for the foreigners is presented below

NOTE!
For individuals whose legal stay expires before April 27, 2026 and approximately 2 weeks after that date,we recommend not delaying the submission of your residence permit application in Poland. Please submit it as soon as possible in paper format.

Paper applications must be received by the provincial office (Urząd Wojewódzki) before the launch date of the new MOS portal, which means April 26, 2026, at the latest. If an application arrives after this date, it will not be considered (it will be left without examination) – the postmark date (mailing date) will not be taken into account.

You cannot apply for the following temporary residence permits via MOS portal:

• for the purposes of work as an intra-corporate transferee;
• for the purposes of long-term mobility of a manager, specialist or graduate trainee, under the intra-corporate transfer;
• for the purposes of family reunion – when a foreigner concerned resides outside Poland;
• for a family member of a citizen of the Republic of Poland, citizen of the EU Member State or of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, referred to in Article 10(1)(b) and (d) of the Withdrawal Agreement – when a foreigner concerned resides outside Poland;
• for a foreigner having a family life in the meaning of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms with a citizen of the Republic of Poland, citizen of the EU Member State or of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, referred to in Article 10(1)(b) and (d) of the Withdrawal Agreement – when a foreigner concerned resides outside the territory of the Republic of Poland

- these applications should still be submitted in paper form under the existing rules.

How can you apply for a residence permit in Poland? 

From April 27, 2026, you will be able to apply for a residence permit in Poland (temporary, permanent and long-term resident’s EU residence permit) only in electronic form via dedicated MOS portal (Cases Handling Module), available via Internet browser. You don’t need to book a date to submit the application or stay in queues – you can apply at any time and place that is convenient to you. You can also stop filling the application, save the entered data and re-edit them.

Access to the MOS system will be free of charge. You can apply by your own, without the need to use paid services of the agents. Your only costs include the stamp duty at the time of applying (in the amount depending on the type of permit – between PLN 340 and 640) and a fee for issuing a residence card (PLN 100). 

To apply for a residence permit in Poland, you need to:

• Create a user account in the new MOS system (Cases Handling Module); if you already have an account in the existing MOS system, you will have to create a new one;
• Personally log in to the MOS portal via login.gov.pl (you will be redirected after clicking “Log in”) and fill the relevant application form for a residence permit in Poland;

Never share your logging information to login.gov.pl. This may affect security of your data!

• Add the required attachments:
  • Valid photo in digital format;
  • Digital image (scan or photo) of all pages of your valid travel document;
  • Proof of payment (scan of a document or electronic confirmation of wire transfer): of the fee in the amount of PLN 100 for issuing a residence card and a stamp duty for issuing a residence permit);
  • Attachment signed digitally by:
    • Employer – when applying for a permit:
      • for temporary residence and work, 
      • for temporary residence for the purposes of conducting business, which is issued to a foreigner aimed at taking up employment in the management board of a limited liability company or a joint-stock company, which was established by or which shares of stocks were purchased or acquired by this foreigner, or running a limited partnership or a limited joint-stock partnership by a as a general partner or acting as a commercial proxy,
      • for taking up highly qualified employment or for temporary residence permit for the purposes of long-term mobility of the EU Blue Card holder;
    • Graduate institution – when applying for a temporary residence permit for the purposes of studying;
    • Traineeship or voluntary work organiser – when applying for a temporary residence permit for the purposes of a traineeship or voluntary work.
      

When filling the application, you need to provide e-mail address of your employer, graduate institution or traineeship or voluntary work organiser. The link with a part of relevant attachment to the application to be filled and signed by this entity will be send at this e-mail address. This will be necessary to effectively submit the application;

• Sign the application electronically – you need to have a trusted profile, qualified electronic signature or personal signature.

Following the correct signing and sending the application, you can save it in the PDF and XML formats and receive the Official Confirmation of Receipt (UPO).

NOTE!   

An application received by the Voivodeship Office in paper form after the launch of the new MOS portal  (after April 26, 2026) will not be considered (the application will be left without examination) – the postmark date (mailing date) will not be taken into account.

What’s next?

Following the verification and approval of your application by the voivodeship officer, you will be able to download and print the certificate of application for a residence permit in Poland, which will replace the existing stamp in your passport. The services responsible for controlling legality of residence will receive information on the application you have submitted.

The voivod handling the case will request you to appear in person to provide your fingerprints and specimen signature and present the original passport and, if needed – supplement information provided in the application or attach additional documents.

The voivod handling the case will send the decision at the delivery address provided by you (yours or your representative, if you have any).

 Other important information 

•   You will need to create a new user account in the new MOS portal. User accounts from the previous MOS version will not be transferred to the new MOS portal.

The previous version of the MOS portal will be disabled on April 17, 2026. User data will be deleted.

•   Please make sure, if you have valid trusted profile, qualified electronic signature or personal signature necessary to sign the application in the system. 
•   Please be aware that after launching the new MOS portal, you should not postpone submitting your application by the last day of your legal residence. There may the case that you will be unable to attach all necessary documents to your application in a single day. 
•   We particularly encourage you to earlier submissions of applications, which require signing an attachment by a third person, i.e. by:
  • Employer – when applying for a permit:
      for temporary residence and work, 
    •    for temporary residence for the purposes of conducting business, which is issued to a foreigner aimed at taking up employment in the management board of a limited liability company or a joint-stock company, which was established by or which shares of stocks were purchased or acquired by this foreigner, or to run a limited partnership or a limited joint-stock partnership by a as a general partner or acting as a commercial proxy,
    •    for taking up highly qualified employment or for temporary residence permit for the purposes of long-term mobility of the EU Blue Card holder;
  • Graduate institution – when applying for a temporary residence permit for the purposes of studying;
  • Traineeship or voluntary work organiser – when applying for a temporary residence permit for the purposes of a traineeship or voluntary work.

Please remember that if the application requires an attachment signed by a third person (for example employer), you may wait for a long time for such signature.