How long does Poland take to decide a temporary residence permit?

Checked on 2026-10-25

Polish law gives the voivode 60 days to decide a temporary residence permit. The 60 days start only once the application has no formal gaps and you have handed in the documents the office asked for, or its deadline for them has passed. An appeal must be decided within 90 days.

Key facts

What	The law says	Source
Who decides	The voivode (wojewoda) for the place where you stay, by administrative decision	Act on Foreigners, art. 104(1)
Deadline for the first decision	60 days	Act on Foreigners, art. 112a(1)
When the 60 days start	From the last of these: the application has no formal gaps (or they were fixed); you handed in the documents the voivode asked for, or the deadline for them passed	Act on Foreigners, art. 112a(2)
Deadline the office gives you for documents	At least 14 days from delivery of the request	Act on Foreigners, art. 106f
Deadline for an appeal	Appeal proceedings end within 90 days	Act on Foreigners, art. 112a(4)
Incomplete appeal	The 90 days run from the day the gaps are fixed	Act on Foreigners, art. 112a(5)

When the clock starts

The law does not count 60 days from the day you file. It counts from the latest of the events in art. 112a(2): a complete application, and the supporting documents the voivode requested under art. 106f (or the end of the deadline set for them). The voivode must give you at least 14 days from delivery of that request and, the law says, must judge how long you need to obtain the document.

Art. 106f is one of the provisions that took effect on 27 April 2026, the date the Minister of the Interior set in his notice of 10 April 2026 for the new electronic procedure in the MOS system.

If you appeal

A refusal can be appealed to the Head of the Office for Foreigners (Szef Urzędu do Spraw Cudzoziemców), who decides in the second instance (art. 104(3) refers to permits granted by the Head “in the second instance”). The law says appeal proceedings end within 90 days, counted from when any gaps in the appeal are fixed.

How long the permit lasts: for the time needed for the purpose of your stay, but no longer than 3 years (Act on Foreigners, art. 98(2)).
Your stay while you wait: if you applied on time, your stay counts as legal until the decision becomes final (art. 108(1)(2)).

Sources

Change history

2026-10-25: Page created

This is general information, not legal advice, and Lumen is not a law firm. Rules change and offices differ: check the official sources above before you act. Found something wrong or out of date? Write to support@lumen.observer.