Starting May 4, 2026, Ukrainian citizens with UKR status can apply for the CUKR residence card, a 3-year temporary residence permit that replaces temporary protection. It is not an automatic procedure, you need to meet four conditions at the same time and submit the application through the MOS system before March 4, 2027. Here is who qualifies, how to apply, and what happens to your UKR status once you get the card.
- CUKR is a real physical plastic residence card valid for 3 years, not just a status flag in a database
- All 4 conditions must be met at once, including active status on June 4, 2025 and a continuous 365-day streak
- Applications go only through MOS, electronically, from May 4, 2026 to March 4, 2027
- Fees total PLN 440, paid into two separate accounts
- Getting CUKR means losing UKR-status benefits (such as free housing at a temporary accommodation center), but it opens eligibility for other benefits, such as 800+, if you separately meet that program’s own conditions (check your case at a free consultation)
- What the CUKR card is
- Who can apply, the four conditions
- When and how to apply through MOS
- Cost and how long the review takes
- What happens after you get the CUKR card
- Common mistakes and risks
What the CUKR card is
The CUKR residence card (formally, a residence card with the annotation “Poprzednio posiadacz ochrony czasowej”, previously a holder of temporary protection) is a document confirming a temporary residence permit granted on special terms. It is issued for 3 years, only to Ukrainian citizens and their family members who hold a PESEL number with UKR status. In practice it is a move from temporary protection status, which only runs until March 4, 2027 (read more about what changed in the temporary protection rules in our article on the 2026 Ukraine Special Act), to an ordinary temporary residence permit with more stable rights.
The CUKR card is issued by the voivode for your place of residence. The application can only be submitted once, so if you need to extend your stay after the 3-year period ends, you will need to apply for a residence permit on general grounds rather than a second CUKR card.
Who can apply, the four conditions
To get the CUKR card, you need to meet all four conditions at the same time. If even one is not met, the card will not be issued.
UKR status on June 4, 2025 You need a PESEL number with UKR status that was active on exactly this date. It is a fixed reference point in the law and cannot be replaced with another date.
UKR status on the day you apply Your PESEL UKR status must also be active on the day you submit the CUKR application.
UKR status on the day the card is issued Your PESEL UKR number must still be active when the voivode actually issues the card, not only at the application stage.
continuous UKR status for at least 365 days Periods of UKR status do not add up. Leaving Poland for up to 30 days does not break the status, a longer trip does, and the 365-day count restarts from zero.
Children born in Poland to a mother with UKR status are also eligible for CUKR, provided the child has an active PESEL UKR number on the day of application and the mother has already received or is receiving a CUKR card. If you are not sure whether you meet all four conditions in your case, book a free consultation with our team before you apply.
Before applying, always check your data in the PESEL register, an outdated or incomplete entry (for example,
registration based only on a declaration without presenting a passport) is the most common reason for refusal.
When and how to apply through MOS
The CUKR application can only be submitted electronically, through the dedicated MOS (Moduł Obsługi Spraw) portal. Paper applications to the voivodeship office are not accepted. The application window opened on May 4, 2026 and closes on March 4, 2027, after that date a CUKR application can no longer be filed.
Create or log into your MOS profile and fill in the CUKR application
Sign the application with a qualified electronic signature or a trusted signature (podpis zaufany)
Attach a current digital photo (no older than 6 months) and scanned proof of payment for two separate fees
Wait for the voivode’s decision and collect the card within 60 days of being notified it is ready, otherwise the card will be cancelled (though your PESEL UKR status stays active)
Cost and how long the review takes
Two separate amounts need to be paid into two different accounts, this is not a single payment.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Stamp duty for granting the temporary residence permit | PLN 340 |
| Fee for issuing the residence card itself | PLN 100 |
In practice, the review can take up to several months, the exact time depends on how busy the specific voivodeship office is. As long as the application was filed on time, your stay in Poland remains legal while the decision is pending.
What happens after you get the CUKR card
Once you receive the CUKR card, your UKR status automatically changes to holder of a CUKR temporary residence permit. This gives full access to the labor market without additional work permits, the right to run a business, and the right to travel within the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Time spent in Poland under CUKR also counts toward the period required to obtain an EU long-term resident permit.
Along with the status change, you lose the benefits that came with UKR status, including free housing and meals at collective temporary accommodation centers. In exchange, you gain eligibility for benefits under other programs, such as the 800+ child benefit, provided you separately meet that program’s own conditions. Also keep in mind that the CUKR card itself is cancelled if you leave Poland for at least 6 months, a different, longer threshold than the 30-day limit that applies while building up the continuous 365-day UKR streak before applying.
An important detail, filing a CUKR application automatically cancels any other pending residence permit application you may have. You will not receive a separate notice about this, the case is simply closed, so do not file several applications for different permit types in parallel.
Common mistakes and risks
The most common reason for refusal is incomplete or outdated data in the PESEL register. If your PESEL UKR number was issued based only on your own identity declaration, without presenting a foreign passport, you need to confirm your identity at a municipal office by August 31, 2026, by showing a valid passport. If you miss this deadline, your status will automatically switch to NUE starting September 1, meaning you lose UKR status and, with it, the right to apply for CUKR.
The second common mistake is leaving Poland for longer than 30 days during the period counted toward the continuous 365-day UKR status requirement. Such a trip breaks the count and it restarts from zero, so plan travel carefully if the 365-day condition is close to the edge in your case. If you are not sure whether you meet all four conditions, or your situation is more complex (several trips abroad, or another pending application), consider a consultation on legalizing your stay in Poland before you apply.
FAQ
Will I get an actual plastic card, or does only my status in the system change?
You get a real, physical plastic residence card, the same type of document as an ordinary residence card, with your photo, personal data, and the “Poprzednio posiadacz ochrony czasowej” annotation. It is not just an update to your PESEL record, you need to collect the card in person at the voivodeship office, and it is exactly at the moment of personal collection that your PESEL status switches from UKR to CUKR. Until you pick up the card, your previous UKR status is still in force.
Can I apply for CUKR if I already have a valid residence card on a different basis?
Yes, but filing a CUKR application will automatically close the case for any other, previously filed residence permit application. Weigh this carefully if that other case is more favorable to you or already at its final stage.
What if my UKR status was cancelled and then restored?
The 365 continuous days start counting again from the date the status was restored, time accrued before the cancellation does not count.
Do I need to give fingerprints when applying for CUKR?
If your biometric data is already correctly recorded in the PESEL register, you do not need to give fingerprints again for the CUKR application. If the data is incomplete, you first need to fix that at a municipal office.
Can I get another CUKR card once the 3-year period ends?
No, the CUKR card is only issued once. After the 3-year period ends, you need to apply for a residence permit on general grounds, the same as other foreigners.
Bibliography and Legal Basis
- Office for Foreigners, Q&A on the CUKR residence card
- Office for Foreigners, Procedure for issuing the CUKR residence card
- Act of March 12, 2022 on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the armed conflict on the territory of that country, Dz.U. 2022 item 583
Legal status as of: August 24, 2026.
Author: Viktoriya Levandovska, legalization specialist at MojaFirma.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every situation depends on the specific circumstances. If something about your case isn’t quite clear, feel free to book a free consultation with our team.
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