Replacement of documents of EU citizens and their family members — deadline 3 August 2026

The Office for Foreigners reminds that on 3 August 2026 the last documents expire that were issued to European Union citizens and their family members under the templates in force before 2 August 2021. We explain who the deadline concerns, which application to file and with which authority, and why the expiry of a document does not mean the loss of the right of residence in Poland.

1. Who and which documents are covered by the 3 August 2026 deadline

The deadline follows from the transitional provisions of the Act of 10 December 2020 amending the Act on the entry into, stay in and exit from the territory of the Republic of Poland of citizens of European Union Member States and members of their families and certain other acts (Journal of Laws of 2020, item 2369). That Act changed the document templates in force from 2 August 2021, and documents issued under the earlier templates remained valid only transitionally — until 3 August 2026 at the latest.

According to the Office for Foreigners' announcement, the deadline concerns documents issued up to 1 August 2021 (i.e. under the templates in force before 2 August 2021), namely:

• the certificate of registration of residence of an EU citizen (paper document),
• the document confirming the right of permanent residence of an EU citizen,
• the residence card of a family member of an EU citizen,
• the permanent residence card of a family member of an EU citizen.

2. What to do — application for a new document to the voivode

The Office for Foreigners encourages you to file, before the deadline expires, the appropriate application for a new document with the voivode competent for your place of residence. In practice you have several options to consider:

Option A — early replacement (recommended). Filing the application before 3 August 2026 lets you avoid a period in which you are left without a valid document confirming your status. This is the safest solution, especially if you need the document in everyday life (work, bank, inspections, travel).

Option B — application after the deadline. Also after 3 August 2026, EU citizens and their family members will be able to apply for a new certificate of registration of residence, a new document confirming the right of permanent residence, a new residence card or a new permanent residence card — in connection with the expiry of the documents they hold. That does not mean, however, that it is worth delaying (see section 4).

Importantly — you do not start the procedure over. EU citizens do not have to apply again for registration of residence or for a document confirming the right of permanent residence, and their family members do not have to apply again for a residence card or a permanent residence card. It is only about issuing a new document confirming a right that already exists.

3. Expiry of the document ≠ loss of the right of residence

This is the key point of the Office for Foreigners' announcement: the expiry of the above documents does not mean the loss of the right of residence or the right of permanent residence in the territory of the Republic of Poland. As long as an EU citizen meets the conditions for the right of residence in Poland, they hold that right, and their family member may enjoy a derived right of residence. The right of permanent residence likewise does not lapse because the document confirming it has expired.

This results from the declaratory nature of these documents: they confirm the right of residence but do not create it. The right of residence of an EU citizen and their family stems from European Union law and national provisions, not from holding a card or certificate. The document is evidence of status — its absence or expiry does not take the status itself away.

4. Risk assessment and recommendation

Low risk — residence status. The mere expiry of the document does not cause the loss of the right of residence or of permanent residence; it does not entail "loss of legality" within the meaning of the provisions on third-country nationals (EU citizens and their families are subject to a separate regime).

Practical risk — moderate. Without a valid document you may have difficulty proving your status to an employer, a bank, ZUS, when claiming benefits or while travelling and during inspections. The risk grows with the number of situations in which the document is required.

Recommendation. If you hold one of the old documents (issued up to 1 August 2021), the safest course is to file an application for a new document with the competent voivode in advance, before 3 August 2026. Before filing, it is worth confirming the current form and the list of attachments with the voivodeship office; if you have doubts about your own situation (e.g. loss of the original basis of residence, change of family status), legal advice is advisable.