Poland

The EU Blue Card is a single temporary residence and work permit for employment requiring specialised knowledge, skills and competences.

A holder of an EU Blue Card issued by another member state may use short-term professional mobility in Poland for up to 90 days in any 180-day period under the applicable conditions.

A person already admitted as a highly qualified worker in another EU state may obtain temporary residence in Poland to perform highly qualified work under long-term Blue Card mobility.

A manager, specialist or trainee holding an ICT permit from another participating EU state may obtain temporary residence for a longer intra-company transfer at a linked Polish host.

A manager, specialist or trainee holding an ICT residence permit from another participating EU state may work at a linked Polish host for short-term intra-company mobility.

The ICT permit covers a manager, specialist or trainee transferred from an undertaking outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland to a linked host entity in Poland.

An EU long-term resident from another member state may obtain a Polish temporary residence permit through the simplified procedure for employment.

The single permit combines temporary residence and permission to work in Poland for a specified employment purpose lasting more than three months.

A Turkish citizen who has acquired employment rights under Association Council Decision 1/80 may obtain temporary residence to continue lawful employment in Poland.

This permit allows a worker employed by a foreign undertaking to be temporarily posted to Poland to provide services for a qualifying branch, affiliate or recipient.

The seasonal-work residence permit covers qualifying seasonal employment, principally in agriculture, horticulture or tourism, for a limited part of a calendar year.

An EU long-term resident from another member state may obtain a Polish temporary residence permit through the simplified procedure for conducting business activity.

This permit allows a third-country national or stateless person to conduct business activity in Poland where the activity meets the statutory economic requirements.

A researcher holding the qualifying residence title from another participating EU state may obtain temporary residence to conduct part of their research at an approved Polish institution for longer than short-term mobility.

A researcher holding a 'researcher' residence permit or long-stay visa from another participating EU state may conduct part of the research at an approved Polish institution under short-term mobility.

A full-time student or doctoral candidate holding a student residence title from another participating EU state may continue or complete studies in Poland under notified intra-EU mobility.

An EU long-term resident from another member state may obtain a Polish temporary residence permit through the simplified procedure for study or vocational training.

— No eligibility summary published for this route yet

— No eligibility summary published for this route yet

This permit allows a current or recent higher-education student or graduate to complete a placement related to their field at an approved organiser in Poland.

This permit covers full-time first-cycle, second-cycle, long-cycle master's or doctoral education and qualifying preparatory courses.

This permit covers education other than qualifying full-time higher education, including school, part-time or postgraduate study, MBA and language courses.

This permit allows a researcher to conduct scientific research or development work at an approved research institution in Poland.

This permit allows a third-country student to continue or complete in Poland studies begun in another EU member state outside the student-mobility notification route.

A person residing irregularly may receive exceptional temporary residence where departure would make genuine family life impossible or seriously impede it contrary to Convention rights.

The parent, guardian or other qualifying close family member of an unaccompanied minor granted international protection may obtain family reunification in Poland.

A qualifying minor child of a foreign national holding Polish permanent residence or EU long-term resident status may obtain permanent residence.

A child of a Polish citizen who remains under that parent's parental authority may obtain permanent residence.

The foreign spouse of a Polish citizen may obtain permanent residence after the required marriage and continuous qualifying residence periods.

A qualifying family member of a researcher using long-term mobility may obtain temporary residence in Poland to preserve family unity.

A qualifying family member holding a residence title from another participating EU state may accompany a researcher using short-term mobility in Poland.

A spouse or dependent child of a migrant worker or self-employed national covered by the European Social Charter may obtain temporary residence through a simplified procedure.

A third-country national outside the immediate free-movement family definition may obtain temporary residence where genuine and durable family life with an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen in Poland is protected.

A third-country national or stateless person may obtain temporary residence where genuine and durable family life with a Polish citizen is protected under the European Convention on Human Rights.

A minor foreign child born in Poland may regularise residence where a parent held a national visa or temporary residence permit at the birth and continues on that basis when the decision is made.

A qualifying minor child may join or continue living with a parent, stepparent or sponsor lawfully resident in Poland.

The spouse of a qualifying third-country resident may join or continue living with that sponsor in Poland under the family-reunification permit.

A third-country national or stateless person in a genuine marriage recognised by Polish law with a Polish citizen may obtain temporary residence to live together in Poland.

A third-country national or stateless person legally and continuously resident in Poland for the required period may obtain indefinite EU long-term resident status.

A qualifying UK citizen protected by the Withdrawal Agreement who was posted to Poland before the end of 2020 may obtain permanent residence after five years and meeting income and insurance conditions.

— No eligibility summary published for this route yet

A non-EU immediate family member normally acquires permanent residence after five years of continuous lawful residence with the EU, EEA or Swiss citizen in Poland.

An EU, EEA or Swiss citizen normally acquires a right of permanent residence after five years of continuous lawful residence in Poland.

An EU, EEA or Swiss citizen intending to stay in Poland for more than three months must meet a free-movement residence condition and register the stay.

A non-EU family member accompanying or joining an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen exercising free-movement residence in Poland must obtain a residence card for stays over three months.

A qualifying UK national or family member protected by the Withdrawal Agreement may obtain a document confirming permanent residence after the applicable continuous-residence period.

A UK national or qualifying family member who exercised residence rights in Poland before the end of the transition period and maintained continuity may hold declaratory Withdrawal Agreement residence.

For nationals of Chile, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Peru who are at least 18 and not yet 31 when applying, have not participated before, and have the funds set by the host country.

This permit covers participation in a European voluntary-service programme at an approved host organisation in Poland.

A third-country national or stateless person performing or preparing to perform a religious or clerical function for a qualifying church or religious association may obtain temporary residence.

In exceptional cases, nationals covered by specified pre-Schengen bilateral agreements may request an extension of visa-free stay in Poland beyond the ordinary 90/180 ceiling.

A Schengen visa allows a short stay in the Schengen area of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period.

Eligible third-country nationals may make a visa-free short stay in the Schengen area for no more than 90 days in any 180-day period.

— No eligibility summary published for this route yet

A foreign national fearing persecution or serious harm may apply in Poland for international protection comprising refugee status or subsidiary protection.

A foreign national may apply for asylum as a distinct national form of protection where protection and an important interest of Poland justify it.

A beneficiary of specified protection statuses may obtain permanent residence after the statutory continuous-residence period.

A person granted asylum in the territory of Poland is eligible for permanent residence.

A recognised victim of human trafficking may obtain permanent residence after the required temporary-residence period and cooperation conditions.

Qualifying persons displaced from Ukraine benefit from temporary protection and lawful residence in Poland under the current special-protection rules.

A presumed victim of human trafficking who has severed contact with perpetrators and cooperates with the competent authority may receive temporary residence.

For a person of Polish origin with at least one parent or grandparent, or two great-grandparents, of Polish nationality who declares Polish nationality and a connection with Polish heritage, or for a holder of a valid Karta Polaka, intending to settle in Poland.

A special temporary permit may be granted where personal appearance before an authority, urgent exceptional personal circumstances such as medical treatment, or the interest of Poland makes continued stay necessary.

A Schengen airport-transit visa is issued for airside transit and does not authorise entry into the Schengen area.

A visa already held in Poland may be extended only on the force-majeure, humanitarian, serious personal or qualifying national-visa grounds set by law.

A D-type national visa permits entry and one or more stays in Poland totalling more than 90 days but no longer than one year.

Where a circumstance not covered by another specified temporary-residence basis justifies stay in Poland for more than three months, a discretionary other-circumstances permit may be considered.