Residence Card Renewal and Replacement — What to Do When Your Card Is Expiring or Needs Updating

Your karta pobytu (residence card) does not renew itself. If you want to stay in Poland after it expires — or your personal data has changed and the card no longer matches it — you need to file the right application. Below are the specifics: which application, by what deadline, with which documents, and at what cost.

Information current as of 1 September 2026.

Which case applies to you?

First work out which of the two procedures you are running — mixing them up delays your case.

Permit expiring — applying for a new permit

The card is issued for as long as the permit lasts — you cannot "extend the card" without applying for a new permit.

When to file? During your legal stay, before your current permit expires. There is no "earliest" date — the sooner you file, the more time you have to fix any deficiencies. (A separate rule covers the next card under an indefinite permit — see the replacement section.)

What about your stay after filing? An application filed before expiry keeps your stay legal until the decision (you get a stamp or a certificate) — you don't have to leave. An application filed after expiry means unlawful stay from the day of expiry to the day of filing, with the risk of a return-obligation decision.

Since 27 April 2026, permit applications are filed only through the MOS portal (mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl):

1. Log in to MOS and choose the purpose of stay (work, family, studies, etc.).
2. Fill in the form and attach the required documents.
3. Pay for the application — two separate fees (table below).
4. Appear in person at the urząd wojewódzki (voivodeship office) for biometrics (fingerprints, signature).
5. Wait for the decision — the time varies between voivodeships.

Replacing the card — when the permit is valid

Permit still valid, but the physical card needs replacing? You file a separate application — in person at the voivodeship office, not through MOS. This covers a damaged card, a change in your data, a lost or stolen card, and the next card under an indefinite permit (permanent residence, EU long-term resident, humanitarian-grounds consent — the permits themselves are indefinite, but the card gets replaced).

Deadlines — watch them

• Data change, damage, loss of the card, or a significant change in facial appearance — you have 14 days from the event to file the replacement application. Missing this duty is an offence (Art. 465 of the Act on Foreigners), the same as failing to report the card's loss.
• The next card under an indefinite permit (permanent residence, EU long-term resident, humanitarian consent) — file at least 30 days before your current card expires. This rule applies only to this case.

The procedure

1. Fill in the correct card-replacement application.
2. Attach the documents and proof of payment.
3. File the application in person at the voivodeship office (confirm the exact method and any alternatives on your office's website).
4. The office will send a biometrics summons to your correspondence address.
5. Collect the card in person — you'll learn the date by SMS, email, or through the case-handling system.

Don't delay collecting it. A finished card not collected within 60 days of the summons is voided, and the fees you paid are not refunded.

Fees

Fees are set by law and identical across the country — the voivodeship only changes the account number.

• 50% discount on the card fee: minors under 16, secondary-school students, university students, and people in a documented difficult financial situation. Some groups (including the first card for a person with humanitarian-grounds residence) are fully exempt.
• The card fee is a separate item from the stamp duty for the permit — two payments into two accounts. With a new-permit application you pay both: for the permit (340–640 zł depending on the category) and for the card (100 zł).

Card expired and you haven't filed?

Your stay becomes unlawful from the day after expiry. You risk a return-obligation decision, and the period of unlawful stay may not count toward the residence required for permanent residence or long-term EU resident status. Your bank account, insurance, and employment are also at risk — they require a valid residence title. The overriding rule: file before, not after. If you have already missed the deadline, contact the voivodeship office or a migrant organization immediately.

Documents

The base set: a biometric photo (35×45 mm, no older than 6 months), a valid passport with a copy of every used page, proof of accommodation, proof of stable income, and health insurance. Each category adds documents specific to the purpose of stay (employment contract, university admission decision, etc.) — the full list is in the guide to residence permit categories. The law and the fees are uniform nationwide, but offices differ in practice (appointment booking, accepted proof of payment, biometric scheduling) — before filing, check your own office's website (urząd wojewódzki + your city + cudzoziemcy).

Summary: what to file and when

• Permit expiring and you want to stay → a new permit through MOS during your legal stay, before the expiry date. The earlier, the better.
• Card damaged, lost, or your data changed → card replacement within 14 days of the event.
• Card expired, but the permit is indefinite (permanent residence, long-term EU resident) → the next card at least 30 days before it expires.
• You have a CUKR card → valid for 3 years, does not renew; before it ends, apply for a standard permit.

Don't wait until the last moment — office queues are long, and the wait for a biometric appointment can run to many weeks.

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