The last year has brought numerous changes to the regulations concerning the legalization of residence and work of foreigners in Poland.
One of the most important changes, which was passed at the end of 2025, is the introduction of a mandatory electronic method of submitting applications. According to the new regulations, applications will only be submitted via a dedicated portal of the Case Handling Module (MOS).
To submit an application, every foreigner will have to:
At the same time, we would like to remind you that as of January 1, 2026, the rules for assigning a PESEL number have changed. Currently, in order to be assigned a PESEL number, a foreigner must appear in person at the office. The PESEL number is necessary, among other things, to create a trusted profile, which allows you to sign an electronic application.
For certain types of applications, the system will automatically send a link to the indicated entity, e.g., employer or university, enabling them to complete and sign the relevant attachment to the application.
After submitting the application in the system, the foreigner will receive an Official Confirmation of Receipt (UPO). After preliminary verification by the provincial office, it will be possible to download a certificate of application submission from the system, which will replace the existing stamp in the passport. The foreigner will then be summoned to the office to provide fingerprints and a signature sample.
At this point, the exact date of launch of the electronic application system has not yet been announced, but it is expected to take place in mid-April 2026.
In view of the above changes, we recommend that you take the new requirements into account when planning the legalization of foreigners’ stay. We will keep you informed about further details regarding the launch of the MOS system and the new application procedures.
