Poland Announces Major Change to Permanent Residence Application Process For Foreigners
- Poland's Office for Foreigners launched the MOS system, changing how foreigners apply for residence permits in the country
- The MOS portal now requires all applications for temporary residence, permanent residence, and long-term EU resident status to be submitted electronically
- Paper applications that had not reached provincial offices before the set deadline will not be processed, regardless of when they were posted
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Poland's Office for Foreigners launched a new digital platform on April 27, 2026, fundamentally changing how foreigners living in the country apply for residence permits.
The platform, known as the MOS system, now serves as the mandatory gateway for submitting applications for temporary residence, permanent residence, and long-term EU resident status.
Source: UGC
What the MOS System Means for Foreigners
Foreigners who were accustomed to filling out paper forms and sending them through the post will no longer be able to do so for most permit categories.
All three major permit types, temporary residence, permanent residence, and long-term EU resident status, now fall under the electronic-only requirement through the MOS portal.
Potential Poland Migrants Are Allowed To Throw In Questions
For everyone else already inside Poland seeking to regularise or extend their status, the MOS portal is now the only valid channel.
The Office for Foreigners has published a set of frequently asked questions and additional guidance materials on legal migration to help applicants navigate the transition.
Foreigners with questions can also contact the office directly on working days between 9:00 and 16:00.
Poland publishes guidance on residence permits
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Poland's official migration portal published the full list of circumstances under which foreigners can apply for a permanent residence permit.
The conditions cover a wide range of situations, from marriage to a Polish citizen to holding a valid Pole's Card or being granted asylum.
Source: Legit.ng
