Two different permits
People say „permanent residence” for two separate things, and they are not interchangeable.
Permanent residence permit
Zezwolenie na pobyt stały. Granted for an indefinite period, on specific grounds — among them Polish origin, a valid Karta Polaka, marriage to a Polish citizen combined with a required period of residence, or refugee status. The residence card issued on this basis is valid for 10 years.
EU long-term resident
Rezydent długoterminowy UE. Requires 5 years of uninterrupted residence in Poland, stable income, health insurance and Polish at level B1 (art. 211(3)). The card is valid for 5 years; the status itself is indefinite. It carries rights in other EU member states that the permanent permit does not.
The 5-year count — where cases fail
For EU long-term resident status the residence must be uninterrupted. A single absence longer than 6 months, or absences totalling more than 10 months across the whole period, breaks the count. People are refused on this far more often than on income.
Not every basis of stay counts towards the five years in the same way. Time spent on a student permit, for example, is counted only in part. Before you file, the period should be reconstructed document by document.
Language requirement
EU long-term resident status requires documented Polish at B1 — typically a state certificate of proficiency, or a Polish school or university diploma. The permanent residence permit does not have this requirement on all grounds.
Fees
| What | Amount |
|---|---|
| Stamp duty — permanent residence permit | 640 PLN |
| Stamp duty — EU long-term resident permit | 640 PLN |
| Issuing the residence card | 100 PLN |
The stamp duty must be paid before the application is examined; an unpaid application is returned.
How to file
Both applications are filed only through the MOS system (art. 225a(1)), like temporary residence. The deadline rule is the same: no later than the last day of your legal stay (art. 105).
Legal basis and sources: Act of 12 December 2013 on foreigners (Dz.U. 2013 poz. 1650, as amended); Act of 20 March 2025 on the conditions for entrusting work to foreigners (Dz.U. 2025 poz. 621); Code of Administrative Procedure (k.p.a.). Fees verified against the Office for Foreigners (Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców) and the MOS system. Legal status: 31 August 2026.
This page describes Polish procedure in general terms and is not individual legal advice. Dariusz Włodarczyk is a legal adviser running a Polish law office (kancelaria); he is not an adwokat or radca prawny — these are separately regulated Polish professions. Representation before administrative authorities (the voivode, the Head of the Office for Foreigners) is open to any authorised person under art. 33 § 1 k.p.a.
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