Poland’s address-registration duty (“meldunek”) hasn’t been abolished: it applies to Poles and foreigners alike. Here’s what deadlines apply, which documents you need, and what happens if you skip it.


  • third-country nationals must register by day 4 of their stay if they plan to stay longer than 30 days; EU/EEA/Swiss citizens must register by day 30 if their stay exceeds 3 months;

  • registration itself is free; a registration certificate (zaświadczenie) costs PLN 17;

  • you can register online via gov.pl (the “Zamelduj się” service) or the mObywatel app, provided you have a trusted profile (profil zaufany) and a PESEL number;

  • formally there is liability for not registering, but in practice fines are rarely enforced: registration is still useful for residence permit, citizenship, and PESEL applications.

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Is address registration still required in Poland in 2026?

The address-registration duty remains in force: it is set out in the Act of 24 September 2010 on the Population Register (current consolidated text: Dz.U. 2024 poz. 736, as amended), whose Chapter 5 specifically covers the registration duty of foreigners.

The registration duty (“meldunek”) applies to everyone: Polish citizens and foreigners staying in Poland alike.

Some offices treat this requirement as a formality, but the law remains in force, and registration can be useful when applying for a residence permit, permanent residence, citizenship, registering a car, or getting a driving licence.

Deadlines: who must register, and when

Deadlines depend on citizenship:

  • citizens of EU, EEA, and Swiss states (and their family members) must register only if their stay exceeds 3 months: they must do so no later than day 30 from arrival at the place of stay;
  • third-country nationals (including most citizens of Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, etc.) must register no later than day 4 from arrival, if they plan to stay in Poland for more than 30 days. If the stay doesn’t exceed 30 days, the registration duty doesn’t arise.
If you’re a third-country national planning to stay in Poland for more than 30 days, you must register by day 4 of your stay.

Temporary vs. permanent registration

  • Temporary registration (zameldowanie na pobyt czasowy): registration for a period not exceeding the length of your legal stay (visa, residence permit, visa-free period, etc.).
  • Permanent registration (zameldowanie na pobyt stały): for those who have obtained permanent residence or EU long-term resident status and intend to live in Poland permanently at that address.

The application is submitted to the district office (urząd dzielnicy) or municipal office (urząd gminy) of your place of residence: specifically, the civil affairs and administration department (biuro administracji i spraw obywatelskich).

Documents you’ll need

  • an identity document: a passport with a valid visa, a passport stamped to show a pending residence permit application, a residence card (temporary or permanent), or an EU long-term resident card;
  • a document proving your right to use the accommodation: a lease agreement, the owner’s written consent, or a property title document;
  • a completed registration form (temporary and permanent registration use different forms).

The owner’s presence isn’t formally required, but some municipal offices may in practice ask for their written statement or personal presence: this is up to the clerk handling your case.

How much does registration cost

Registration itself is free. A fee applies only to issuing a registration certificate (zaświadczenie o zameldowaniu): a PLN 17 stamp duty.

How to register online

You can register without leaving home: via the gov.pl portal (the “Zamelduj się na pobyt czasowy/stały” service) or the mObywatel app. For this you need:

  • a trusted profile (profil zaufany): obtainable, among other ways, via the online banking service of many Polish banks once you have a PESEL number;
  • scanned documents proving your right to use the accommodation.
Read more about the PESEL number in our article: “PESEL number in Poland”.

Not all municipal offices offer full online service for foreigners: if the clerk has doubts about the submitted data, they may ask you to bring the original documents in person.

What happens if you don’t register

Formally, the law provides for liability for third-country nationals who fail to register. In practice, however, according to legal-information portals, fines have been rarely enforced in 2025-2026: administrative authorities focus more on keeping register data up to date than on punishment.

Still, it’s worth registering: it simplifies getting a PESEL number, applying for a residence permit, permanent residence and citizenship, and registering a car or getting a driving licence.

Registration and residence permits, permanent residence, or citizenship

Formally, registration isn’t always a direct condition for obtaining a residence permit: voivodeship offices primarily look at your actual place of residence and your legal title to the accommodation. In practice, though, many offices ask for proof of registration, especially when handling permanent-residence and citizenship cases: check the current document list on your voivodeship office’s website.

FAQ

Is the landlord’s presence required for registration? Not formally, but some municipal offices may ask for their written statement or personal presence.

Can I register without a residence permit, just with a visa? Yes, for temporary registration a passport with a valid visa or a stamp confirming a pending residence-permit application is sufficient.

What happens if I miss the registration deadline? Formally there is liability, but in practice fines are very rarely applied. We still recommend registering: it simplifies later procedures.

Bibliography


  • Act of 24 September 2010 on the Population Register (Dz.U. 2024 poz. 736, as amended), Chapter 5.

  • Archived MSWiA page: “Zameldowanie na pobyt czasowy cudzoziemców” (archiwum.mswia.gov.pl).

  • Powroty.gov.pl portal: “Zameldowanie”.

Author: the MojaFirma team.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Check the current document list and procedure with your local district/municipal office or on gov.pl. If something isn’t clear, feel free to book a free consultation with our team.