Poland has no “golden visa” program: simply investing money in real estate or bonds doesn’t grant a residence permit. Legalization through business requires genuine economic activity from your company. Let’s look at how the temporary residence permit for conducting business activity works in 2026.
- Poland runs no “golden visa” programs: a passive investment without a real business gives no grounds for obtaining a residence permit.
- The main route is a temporary residence permit for conducting business activity (for owners of shares) or a single permit for residence and work (for board members without shares).
- The company must show income of at least 12 times the average monthly salary in the voivodeship, or employ at least two full-time employees with the right to work in Poland for the preceding year.
- Alternative: prove you have the funds or plans to reach these thresholds in the future (investments, technology transfer, job creation).
- Since 27 April 2026, applications are filed exclusively electronically through the MOS portal (mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl); paper applications submitted after that date aren’t processed.
- The permit is issued for up to 3 years; the fee for a shareholder’s application is PLN 340, and for a single permit (board member without shares) it’s PLN 440.
- Why there’s no “golden visa” in Poland
- What paths exist for legalization through business
- Requirements for the company
- How to apply in 2026
- Refusal and withdrawal of the permit
- Family of the permit holder
- The most common mistakes
- Frequently asked questions
Why there’s no “golden visa” in Poland
Unlike some other EU countries, Poland has no mechanism where a passive purchase of real estate, government bonds, or investment fund units automatically grants a residence permit. The main route for investors is a temporary residence permit tied to the real activity of a Polish company (usually an sp. z o.o.), which must show confirmed commercial activity, signed contracts, issued invoices, maintained accounting, and hired staff.
What paths exist for legalization through business
| Situation | Type of permit | Stamp duty |
| You hold shares in the company and sit on the management board | Residence permit for conducting business activity | PLN 340 |
| You’re only a board member, without shares in the capital | Single permit for residence and work | PLN 440 |
Requirements for the company
A residence permit is granted if the company achieved income of at least 12 times the average monthly salary in the voivodeship where the business has its regis…
ed office in the previous year, or employed at least two full-time, indefinite-term employees, Polish citizens or foreigners with the right to work, for at least the year preceding the application. Alternatively, documents can be submitted confirming that funds are held or activities are being carried out that will allow these conditions to be met in the future, in particular by contributing to increased investment, technology transfer, the introduction of innovations, or job creation.
In practice, this means the company must build up “operational evidence” in advance: signed commercial contracts, issued invoices, maintained tax accounting, and a genuine business address. It’s precisely at the renewal stage that the voivode compares the original business plan against the company’s actual performance, which is why weak structures most often fail at that point.
How to apply in 2026
The application is filed with the voivode responsible for your place of residence. Since 27 April 2026, following an amendment to the Act on Foreigners, almost all applications for temporary residence, permanent residence, and long-term EU resident status are filed exclusively through the MOS (Case Handling Module) system at mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl. Paper applications sent by mail and not received by the voivodeship office before that date are left unprocessed; the postmark date doesn’t matter. The exception is applications for people staying outside Poland and applications for intra-corporate transfers, which are still filed on paper.
After a positive decision, you pay PLN 100 for the residence card, and information about when it can be collected is sent through the MOS system.
Refusal and withdrawal of the permit
Beyond the general grounds for refusing a temporary residence permit (including presenting false data or documents, tax arrears, or a threat to state security or public order), the Act on Foreigners provides in Article 143 an additional ground for refusal specific to the business permit: exhaustion of the annual limit of permits for a given nationality or category of foreigners, if such a limit has been introduced by regulation under Article 142a.
A permit can also be withdrawn after it has been issued, most often because the purpose of stay invoked when applying no longer exists. The law obliges the permit holder to inform the voivode about ceasing business activity within 15 days of that event. If the foreigner plans to start another activity or acquire shares in another company, they should file a new residence permit application; until they do, the voivodeship office may initiate proceedings to withdraw the existing permit, and failure to meet this obligation can also become grounds for refusing a future application.
It’s worth stressing that a person running a business in Poland who at the same time wants to apply for a single permit for residence and work (intended for employees) will be refused at the stage of initiating proceedings; the two paths are mutually exclusive, and you need to consciously choose the right category already at the application stage.
Family of the permit holder
Holding a valid temporary residence permit for conducting business activity opens the way to legalizing the stay of close family members, in particular a spouse and minor children, under the so-called family reunification procedure. An application for a temporary residence permit for a family member of a foreigner running a business is filed similarly through the MOS system, together with documents confirming the family relationship (marriage certificate, child’s birth certificate) and the family’s source of support.
In practice, it’s worth planning the family’s legalization in parallel with your own business application, since the validity of a family member’s permit is usually tied to the validity period of the main applicant’s permit, and its expiry or withdrawal may require legalizing your relatives’ stay again.
The most common mistakes
The first common mistake is treating the Polish company as a purely formal structure with no real activity, counting on the KRS entry alone being enough to obtain the permit, whereas the voivodeship office checks actual contracts, invoices, and accounting.
The second mistake is underestimating the income threshold or the number of employees required and failing to prepare alternative documentation (an investment plan, evidence of job creation) if the company hasn’t yet reached the required indicators.
The third mistake is filing the wrong type of application, for example a single permit for residence and work by a person actually running their own business, which results in refusal at the stage of initiating proceedings.
The fourth mistake is neglecting the obligation to inform the voivode, in particular failing to report the cessation of business activity within 15 days, which can lead to withdrawal of the permit or problems with a future application.
The fifth mistake is attempting to file a paper application after 27 April 2026 without checking whether the situation qualifies for an exception; such applications are left unprocessed regardless of the postmark date.
Planning to legalize your stay in Poland through your own business? Our team helps prepare the company, gather evidence of business activity, and supports the filing of the residence permit application.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a residence permit just by buying real estate in Poland?
No, Poland has no “golden visa” program. Buying real estate alone gives no grounds for a residence permit, real economic activity of a company is needed.
For how long is a business residence permit issued?
Up to 3 years, with the possibility of applying for another permit on the same terms if the business continues to meet the requirements.
What if the company hasn’t yet reached the required income or number of employees?
You can submit documents confirming you have the funds or are carrying out activities that will allow you to meet these conditions in the future, e.g. investment plans or job creation.
Can I still file a paper application in 2026?
Since 27 April 2026, paper residence permit applications (except select exceptions) aren’t processed; you must apply exclusively through the MOS portal.
What happens if I close the business on which my permit was based?
You have 15 days to inform the voivode about ceasing the activity. If you plan to continue the business in another form, file a new permit application, otherwise the office may initiate proceedings to withdraw your existing permit.
Can I bring my spouse and children to Poland based on my business permit?
Yes, close family (spouse, minor children) can apply for a temporary residence permit under family reunification, filing through the MOS system together with documents confirming the family relationship and source of support.
Can I apply for a business permit and a single permit for residence and work at the same time?
No, these two paths are mutually exclusive. If you actually run your own business, an application for a single permit for residence and work will be rejected at the stage of initiating proceedings.
See also: Residence Permit Based on Running a Business in Poland, PIP 2026 in Poland: the complete guide for B2B contractors, Types of Business Activity in Poland for Foreigners.
Sources
- Act of 12 December 2013 on Foreigners
- Office for Foreigners (UDSC), residence permits related to running a business
Author: Aelita Kononenko, MojaFirma’s expert on the legalization of foreigners.
This article is not legal advice. The conditions for legalization through business depend on your individual situation, so we recommend consulting a lawyer before filing an application. Sources: Progress Holding – business residence permit 2026; Gov.pl – Office for Foreigners, MOS system.
Got a question about this article?
Write it in a comment below. We read every one and reply.
Add comment