The EU Long-Term Resident Card is the everyday name for the document confirming “Zezwolenie na pobyt rezydenta długoterminowego UE”, the EU long-term residence permit. For most foreigners who moved to Poland for work, business, or study, this is the final stop on the legalization ladder: an unlimited-duration status.

How to get the EU Long-Term Resident status

Under Art. 211 of the Act on Foreigners (Journal of Laws 2025, item 1079), the permit is granted if the foreign national has resided in Poland legally and without interruption for at least 5 years directly before filing, and meets three conditions together:

  • a stable and regular source of income sufficient to support themselves (and any dependent family members);
  • valid health insurance (NFZ or a private policy covering treatment in Poland);
  • confirmed knowledge of Polish at level B1 or higher.

You also need a legal title to your housing (e.g., a lease agreement): this is almost always already satisfied by anyone legally residing in Poland on a residence permit.

If you’re an IT specialist, designer, or any other professional who moved to Poland for work (on the basis of an oświadczenie, a work permit, or through Poland. Business Harbour), or you run a business/JDG here, 5 years of legal residence is enough to apply. It doesn’t matter whether you stayed with one employer or moved between several contracts during that time.

Polish language proficiency at B1

This requirement was added to the Act on Foreigners in a 2018 amendment and remains unchanged in 2025/2026. B1-level proficiency is confirmed by one of the following:

  • a certificate from the State Commission for Certification of Proficiency in Polish as a Foreign Language (certyfikatpolski.pl);
  • a diploma from a Polish school or university where instruction was in Polish;
  • an equivalent diploma from a school/university abroad where instruction was in Polish.

Children under 16 on the date of filing are exempt. Simply having attended a Polish-language school, without a diploma or certificate, does not count as proof.

5 years of uninterrupted residence

Residence is considered uninterrupted (“pobyt nieprzerwany”) if:

  • no single trip abroad exceeded 6 months;
  • the total time spent abroad over the 5-year period did not exceed 10 months (Art. 212 §3 of the Act on Foreigners).

A special rule applies to students: time spent in Poland on a visa or residence permit for full-time study or vocational training counts for only 50% of the calendar time.

Example: a student arrived 6 years ago, studied full-time for 3 years, then worked for 3 years. Their countable residence is 0.5+0.5+0.5+1+1+1 = 4.5 years, so they can’t apply yet and need to live in Poland for at least another 6 months.

Stable and regular income

Whether income counts as “sufficient” is measured against the income criteria set out in Art. 8 of the Social Assistance Act. Since January 1, 2025 (up from the lower thresholds that applied from 2022), those criteria are:

  • PLN 1,010 per month for someone running a single-person household;
  • PLN 823 per month per family member for a household with dependents.

In practice: after paying taxes and unavoidable living costs, housing above all, you need to be left with at least that amount. The Office for Foreigners typically checks income over the last 3 years (2 years for EU Blue Card holders, per Art. 211 §2 of the Act).

Example: Sergey earns PLN 4,000 net, pays PLN 1,700 rent plus PLN 200 in utilities. After expenses he has PLN 2,100 left, so his income is stable and comfortably above the threshold.

Income can be documented through an employment contract (umowa o pracę), a mandate contract (umowa zlecenie), or income from your own business (JDG), including a virtual company run through a freelancer incubator.

How it differs from Permanent Residence (pobyt stały)

Foreigners often confuse the EU Long-Term Resident status with the “Zezwolenie na pobyt stały” (Permanent Residence permit): both are granted for an unlimited duration, and both give full access to the Polish labor market without a separate work permit. But the grounds for obtaining them are completely different.

Permanent Residence is granted only on a narrow list of grounds set out in Art. 195 of the Act: people of Polish origin (including Pole’s Card holders), children of Polish citizens or residents, spouses of Polish citizens (after 3 years of marriage plus 2 years of legal residence within that marriage), refugees (after 5-10 years), and victims of human trafficking. Simply having lived in Poland legally for 5 years on a work or business basis does not, by itself, qualify you for Permanent Residence.

The EU Long-Term Resident status is precisely the route for people who have lived in Poland legally for 5 years on general grounds (work, business, study) and have a stable income. A further advantage of the EU status is easier mobility within the EU: part of a qualifying residence period held on this status (or on an EU Blue Card) in one member state can count toward obtaining the equivalent status if you later move to another EU country.

If you work as a B2B contractor with a single client, keep in mind the risk that this kind of cooperation could be reclassified as an employment relationship under the PIP 2026 reform.

Fees

  • PLN 640: stamp duty for reviewing the application. Refunded if the decision is negative.
  • PLN 100: fee for issuing the physical card (if the decision is positive). PLN 50 for children under 16.

You can pay by bank transfer in advance or in cash at the office (bring a printed proof of payment in that case). Without proof of payment, the application will not be considered.

Filing and appeals

The application must be filed in person, no later than the last day of your legal stay in Poland. You’ll get a stamp in your passport confirming your case is under review and that your stay is legal, from the filing date until the final decision. The stamp does not grant the right to cross into other Schengen countries.

If the voivode’s decision is negative, you have 14 days from receiving the decision to file a written appeal with the Head of the Office for Foreigners (submitted through the voivode who issued the decision). Appeals typically take anywhere from 2 months to 2 years to resolve; your stay remains legal throughout that time.

Validity period

The permit itself is granted for an unlimited duration: it has no expiry date. The physical card confirming the status, however, is valid for 5 years: you must apply for a replacement card no later than 30 days before the current one expires (Art. 230 §2 of the Act on Foreigners).

FAQ

If I leave Poland for 7 months on a single trip, do I lose eligibility? Formally, yes: a single trip longer than 6 months breaks the “uninterrupted” requirement, unless the absence was caused by business travel for a Polish employer, a special personal circumstance (up to 6 months), or study abroad under an exchange program, in which case the limit doesn’t apply.

Do I still need the language exam if I graduated from a Polish university in English? Yes. If every course was taught in English, the diploma doesn’t exempt you: you’ll still need a separate B1 certificate.

Bibliography and Legal Basis

  • Act of December 12, 2013, on Foreigners (consolidated text, Journal of Laws 2025, item 1079), Arts. 211-219, 230.
  • Act of March 12, 2004, on Social Assistance, Art. 8: income criteria effective from January 1, 2025 (Council of Ministers Regulation of July 12, 2024).
  • Act of November 16, 2006, on Stamp Duty: schedule of fees (permit and card issuance).

Want to check whether you already meet the requirements, or plan your route to EU Long-Term Resident status? Book a free consultation with our team.

Author: MojaFirma team.

*This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every situation depends on the specific documents and individual circumstances. If something about your own situation isn’t quite clear, feel free to book a free consultation with our team.*