In short
A family member of a foreign national living in Poland on the basis of, among others, a permanent residence permit, an EU long-term resident permit or – under statutory conditions – a temporary residence permit can apply for a temporary residence permit for family reunification (Art. 159 of the Act on Foreigners). The spouse of a Polish citizen can obtain temporary residence (Art. 158) and, after at least 3 years of marriage and 2 years of uninterrupted residence on that basis, permanent residence.
Who counts as a family member?
Family reunification mainly concerns the spouse – in a marriage recognised under Polish law – and minor children, including, under the conditions set out in the Act, the spouse's children and adopted children. The exact group depends on the legal basis, so we start by reviewing the civil status documents. As a rule, foreign-language documents must be accompanied by a sworn translation into Polish; we check whether a document is exempt before you order translations.
Family of a foreign national living in Poland
A temporary residence permit for family reunification may be granted to a family member of a foreign national who lives in Poland on the basis of, among others:
- a permanent residence permit or an EU long-term resident permit,
- refugee status or subsidiary protection,
- successive temporary residence permits – if they have lived in Poland on such permits without interruption for at least 2 years and the current permit was granted for at least one year,
- other permits listed in the Act, such as the EU Blue Card.
As a rule, the applicant must have health insurance, accommodation in Poland and a stable and regular income sufficient to support themselves and their dependants. The income requirement is also met if the applicant's living costs are covered by a family member living in Poland who is legally obliged to support them. If the family member is still abroad, the application is filed on their behalf by the foreign national in Poland whom the family is joining, with that family member's written consent.
Family of a Polish citizen
The spouse of a Polish citizen can apply for a temporary residence permit (Art. 158 of the Act on Foreigners). The office may examine whether the marriage was entered into to circumvent the law, so the application should be well documented. After at least 3 years of marriage and at least 2 years of uninterrupted residence in Poland on a temporary residence permit granted in connection with that marriage, a permanent residence permit becomes possible.
Family members of citizens of other EU countries are covered by separate rules – the Act of 14 July 2006 on the entry into, residence in and exit from the Republic of Poland of nationals of EU Member States and their family members. We check this at the start, too.
How we handle the case
- Assessing the conditions – the status of the family member in Poland, income, housing, civil status documents.
- Gathering documents – including sworn translations and documents from abroad.
- MOS application – to the voivode competent for the place of residence; for the Tricity and Pomerania, the Pomeranian Voivode.
- Representation – responses to summonses and, if the permit is refused, an appeal and court complaint.
Frequently asked questions
Who decides family reunification applications in the Tricity?
The voivode competent for the place of residence – for Gdynia, Gdańsk, Sopot and the whole Pomorskie region, the Pomeranian Voivode. The application is filed electronically in the MOS system.
What must the family member already in Poland show?
They must live in Poland on one of the grounds listed in the Act, for example a permanent residence permit, an EU long-term resident permit or successive temporary residence permits, if they have lived in Poland on them without interruption for at least 2 years and the current permit was granted for at least one year. Separately, the application must show income, health insurance and accommodation for the applicant; the income may also come from the family member in Poland who is legally obliged to support the applicant.
When can the spouse of a Polish citizen obtain permanent residence?
When the marriage has lasted at least 3 years before the application and the spouse has lived in Poland without interruption for at least 2 years immediately before it, on a temporary residence permit granted in connection with that marriage.
Can a person with UKR status apply for family reunification?
Yes. After 5 March 2026, people under temporary protection with a PESEL number with UKR status can still apply, among others, for a temporary residence permit for family reunification (Art. 159(1)) and for a permit as a family member of a Polish citizen (Art. 158(1)), under Art. 45 of the Act of 23 January 2026 phasing out the solutions of the act on assistance to Ukrainian citizens.
Do foreign documents need to be translated?
As a rule, yes. Documents in a foreign language are filed with a Polish translation made by a sworn translator; some documents may be exempt (e.g. EU multilingual forms) – we check this before you order translations.
Law and information as of October 2026.