Ukrainian citizens: UKR status and the CUKR residence card

Legal position in October 2026

The residence rules for Ukrainian citizens who came to Poland after 23 February 2022 follow from the Act of 12 March 2022 on assistance to citizens of Ukraine in connection with the armed conflict on the territory of that state, and the Act of 23 January 2026 on phasing out the solutions under that act and amending certain other acts (Journal of Laws, item 203), in force since 5 March 2026.

• UKR status allows legal stay in Poland until 4 March 2027; the extension took effect by law, without applications. UKR status is cancelled if you leave Poland for more than 30 days.
• Since 5 March 2026 the special one-off temporary residence permit under Art. 42a of the special act no longer exists; voivodes apply the full requirements of the Act on Foreigners.
• People with UKR status can still apply, among others, for a temporary residence and work permit, an EU Blue Card, residence for business, residence as a family member of a Polish citizen and residence for family reunification (Art. 45 of the phase-out act).
• People who received PESEL UKR without showing a photo document had to update their data by 31 August 2026; failure to do so may mean loss of temporary protection. If this applies to you, check your status urgently.

The CUKR residence card – key rules

• It is a 3-year temporary residence permit, counted from the day the card is issued (printed).
• It gives full access to the labour market – no work permit and no employer notification – and the right to run a business on the same terms as Polish citizens.
• Together with a valid passport, it allows short stays in other Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
• Time spent on a CUKR card counts towards the 5 years required for an EU long-term resident permit – from the day you collect the card. Time spent on UKR status does not count.
• Once you collect the card, your status changes from UKR to CUKR and the entitlements linked to UKR status end, including free accommodation and meals in collective accommodation centres.
• Fees: PLN 340 stamp duty and PLN 100 for the card; there are no exemptions and no refund if the card is refused.
• The card must be collected within 60 days of notification; a change of address must be reported to the voivode within 15 working days; leaving Poland for 6 months or more means losing the permit.

Important: filing a CUKR application discontinues, by law, a pending temporary residence and work permit case. If CUKR is then refused, that discontinued case does not resume – a refusal can be appealed within 14 days. That is why we check every condition before the application is sent.

CUKR or another permit? How we help

1. Checking the conditions – PESEL UKR dates, continuity of status, completeness of the register data (passport, fingerprints, specimen signature). If data is missing, MOS will block the application; it is completed at a municipal office (urząd gminy).
2. Comparing routes – CUKR, residence and work, family reunification, permanent residence (e.g. for Pole's Card holders) – taking into account the whole family and future plans.
3. The application – help preparing the MOS application; you sign it yourself. Never give anyone your login.gov.pl credentials.
4. Refusal – within 14 days of service of the decision you can file an appeal to the Head of the Office for Foreigners.

Work: a Ukrainian citizen staying legally in Poland can generally work on the basis of a notification filed by the employer at praca.gov.pl within 7 days of the start of work – see work legalisation.

Frequently asked questions