Poland will shift the majority of residence‑permit filings to an online system next spring. From 27 April 2026, the MOS 2.0 (Moduł Obsługi Spraw) portal will be the only channel for submitting most residence‑permit applications. Paper applications received by voivodeship offices on or after that date will not be examined, and the posting date will have no legal effect; only the date the office physically receives the dossier will count.
A separate window for CUKR residence cards—the cards issued to Ukrainian nationals who were under temporary protection—will open on the same platform 4 May 2026.
Permit types that must be filed through MOS 2.0 (effective 27 April 2026)
- Temporary residence permits (all standard grounds: employment, business, family reunification where the applicant already resides in Poland)
- Permanent residence permits
- EU long‑term resident permits
- CUKR residence cards for Ukrainian nationals (from 4 May 2026)
Permit categories that remain paper‑only (not yet supported by MOS 2.0)
- Temporary residence for work as an intra‑corporate transferee (ICT)
- Long‑term mobility of a manager, specialist, or graduate trainee under ICT provisions
- Family reunification where the foreign national resides outside Poland
Applicants in these categories must continue to use the existing paper process and follow current filing deadlines.
Practical implications
- If you intend to file by post, ensure the application reaches the voivodeship office no later than 26 April 2026; any later receipt will be rejected.
- Online filing will require registration on the MOS 2.0 portal and submission of all required documents in the specified digital format.
- The change is part of a multi‑year “digital‑by‑default” programme announced by the Polish Ministry of the Interior and Administration and represents the most extensive structural reform of Poland’s immigration system in recent years.
Caveats
- The portal currently does not support the ICT‑related categories and certain family‑reunification cases; those remain paper‑based.
- Immigration regulations can be amended abruptly; applicants should verify the latest requirements before filing.
These changes aim to streamline processing times and reduce reliance on physical paperwork, but they also impose strict deadlines and new procedural requirements for most residence‑permit seekers in Poland.
Source article: newlandchase.com
