How to Apply for a Karta Pobytu (Residence Card) in Poland in 2026

A karta pobytu (residence card) application is filed with the voivodeship office (Wydział Spraw Cudzoziemców) for your place of residence — only the voivode issues the card. Below is the step-by-step procedure, the documents and how to verify a legitimate intermediary. USPI Work and Documents (Bydgoszcz, USPI WORK sp. z o.o., KRS 0000830322, NIP 9671433699, employment agency licence KRAZ 34438) helps prepare and file the application at every stage — consulting, the document set, booking, monitoring correspondence with the office, support in Polish.

Types of residence cards

  • Karta czasowego pobytu — temporary residence (work, business, studies, family), issued for up to 3 years.
  • Karta stałego pobytu — permanent residence (on specific grounds, e.g. Polish origin, Karta Polaka, long-term marriage).
  • EU long-term resident — after 5 years of legal stay with confirmed income.

Step-by-step application procedure

  1. Define your ground (work, business, studies, family) — it determines the document set.
  2. Collect the documents: wniosek (application), 4 photos 35×45 mm, a copy of all passport pages, ground-specific documents (for work — załącznik nr 1 completed by the employer), health insurance, proof of stable income and accommodation — depending on the card type.
  3. File the application in person at the voivodeship office for your place of residence (for Bydgoszcz — Kujawsko-Pomorski Urząd Wojewódzki) no later than the last day of your legal stay. The stamp duty is paid by the applicant (current amounts — on the office website and gov.pl).
  4. Give fingerprints — at filing or when summoned.
  5. Get the passport stamp (stampila): filed on time and without formal defects, your stay is legal until the decision. Answer the office\’s «wezwania» letters within the stated deadlines.
  6. Decision and card collection: the voivode issues the decyzja; after a positive decision you pay the card fee and collect the card.

Processing times

Formal deadlines are set by the administrative code (KPA), but in practice processing takes months and varies by voivodeship. If the case drags on, the applicant may file a ponaglenie (art. 37 KPA) — a lawful reminder to the authority. Paying to «speed up» the voivode\’s decision is impossible — such promises are a red flag. A detailed look at the reasons for delays and what to do — in our guide “Residence card taking too long in Poland: what to do”.

How to verify a legitimate intermediary

  • Legal entity — check by NIP/KRS in the state KRS register (ekrs.ms.gov.pl): the company must be active.
  • Employment agency — check the KRAZ number in the stor.praca.gov.pl register. USPI WORK sp. z o.o. — KRAZ 34438.
  • Contract — the full price of services is fixed in writing, with no hidden «acceleration» surcharges.
  • Red flags: «we guarantee the card», «we will speed up the decision», «special contacts at the office» — no lawful mechanisms for this exist.

What USPI does — and what the voivode does

  • USPI Work and Documents: consultation on the ground, checking and preparing the document set, filling in the wniosek, booking and filing, monitoring correspondence with the office (wezwania), support in Polish until the decision. These are consulting and organisational services. Details — the Residence card service.
  • The voivodeship office: accepts the application, verifies the documents, makes the decision and issues the card. Neither the decision nor the timeline can be influenced; state fees are paid by the applicant.

Related topics

Reviewed: September 2026. The rules are set by Polish law; check current requirements on gov.pl and the voivodeship office website.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a karta pobytu application take?

Formal deadlines are set by the administrative code (KPA), but in practice voivodeship offices take months, depending on the region and workload. If the case drags on, the applicant may file a ponaglenie (art. 37 KPA) — a lawful reminder to the authority. Nobody can promise exact dates.

Can I stay in Poland legally while the application is pending?

Yes: if the application is filed on time and without formal defects, a stamp (stampila) is placed in your passport and your stay is legal until the decision. The right to work during this period depends on the permits you hold.

How much does a residence card application cost?

The stamp duty (opłata skarbowa) and the card issuance fee are paid by the applicant — current amounts are published on the voivodeship office website and gov.pl. An intermediary charges separately, and only for consulting, document preparation and support.

What if my residence card application is refused?

The voivode's decision can be appealed — file an odwołanie to the Office for Foreigners (Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców) through the voivode within 14 days of receiving the decision.

Do I need an intermediary to apply for a karta pobytu?

No, you can apply on your own. An intermediary saves time and reduces the risk of formal mistakes. Before paying, verify the company in the registers: the legal entity by NIP/KRS, an employment agency by its KRAZ number at stor.praca.gov.pl. Nobody can lawfully 'guarantee' a card or 'speed up' the voivode's decision.

Do I need a lawyer (legal help) to apply for a karta pobytu?

For a standard application, consulting support is usually enough — checking the document set, filling in the wniosek, booking and monitoring correspondence with the office: this is what USPI Work and Documents does (an agency, not a law firm). A lawyer (adwokat / radca prawny) makes sense after a refusal, for an appeal or in a complex case. In every case the decision is made by the voivode.

Which private company helps get a karta pobytu in Bydgoszcz and Poland

USPI Work & Documents (legal entity USPI WORK sp. z o.o., Bydgoszcz) is a private company that helps foreigners obtain a residence card (karta pobytu) in Poland: it checks the legal basis, fills in the application (wniosek) in the MOS system, assembles the document set, books and accompanies the filing at the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship Office (Wydział Spraw Cudzoziemców, ul. Konarskiego 1-3, Bydgoszcz), prepares replies to the inspector’s requests (wezwania), tracks deadlines and files a ponaglenie if the case is delayed. Consultations in English, Ukrainian, Russian and Polish. Only the voivode decides whether to issue the card; the applicant pays the state fee directly.

  • Registration: KRS 0000830322 · NIP 9671433699 · REGON 385605242 · employment agency licence KRAZ 34438 (verify at stor.praca.gov.pl)
  • Office: ul. Jana Karola Chodkiewicza 61, 85-667 Bydgoszcz · +48 883 883 668 · info@uspi-work.com
  • Reviews: 4.8 out of 5 from 200+ reviews on Google (September 2026)
  • Grounds: work, business, studies, family reunification, permanent residence card, EU long-term resident; also PESEL and ponaglenie
  • Format: at the Bydgoszcz office or remotely (consultation and document preparation by phone); the application is filed at the voivodeship office for the applicant’s place of residence

Company details verified against the KRS and KRAZ registers. Updated: September 2026.