EU Citizens in Poland: Register or Replace Your Certificate Before 3 August 2026

Following Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the European Council of 29 April 2004 on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members, EU nationals must complete registration formalities in the foreign member state in which they reside, should they wish to stay there for more than three months.

EU nationals can benefit from access to the labour market in Poland as they do not require any work authorisation, just as Polish nationals. However, those who stay in Poland for longer than three months are obliged to complete so called ‘EU registration.’

Who qualifies for an EU registration certificate in Poland?

Based on the law, the EU citizen registration could be completed for individuals who meet one of the below requirements:

• • • are employed or self-employed in Poland;
    • have sufficient financial means to support themselves and their family members in Poland so as not to become a burden on social service;
    • are studying in Poland; or
    • are married to a Polish national.

Replacing an EU registration certificate: Key deadlines and requirements

Based on the current legislation, registered EU nationals receive a registration certificate valid for 10 years. Certificates issued before 1 August 2021 did not indicate any expiry date, although they are considered valid by 3 August 2026. However, while they are technically considered valid, they must be changed to the new version of the certificate (Based on the Act of 10 December 2020) by 3 August 2026.

 

An application for the replacement of an EU citizen's residence registration certificate should also be submitted if any of the following apply:

• • • An individual’s personal data have changed.
    • An individual’s document has been damaged.
    • An individual’s facial image has drastically changed.
    • An individual’s document has expired.

Poland-specific considerations

The authorities are to accept the EU certificate replacement application if submitted anytime until 3 August 2026. However, practices of individual Immigration offices may vary, and the approach of authorities across Poland may differ. For instance, the Warsaw Immigration Office prefers the replacement application to be submitted six to eight weeks before the August 3 deadline, making advanced planning imperative.

Eligibility criteria for EU registration certificate replacement indicated in the law are more relaxed than for the initial registration application. However, each jurisdiction in Poland reserves the right to introduce slightly different requirements from supporting documentation perspective. For instance, some jurisdictions require an applicant to submit the documents confirming the purpose of stay in Poland exceeding three months. This could typically be satisfied by providing fresh copies of documents on the purpose of stay filed at the time of initial application, such as a re-signed letter of employment verification or the most current student status certificate.

Unfortunately, Polish authorities infrequently publish the most current practices in advance, making the process challenging if not defined prior to application submission. It is advisable to seek the advice of an immigration professional when considering the best approach for applying.

Need to know more?

For the most up-to-date information on this matter and/or assistance with such applications, please contact Senior Manager Magdalena Dymbel at [email protected], Manager Zaur Gasimov at [email protected] and Senior Immigration Consultant Maciej Sielicki at [email protected].

This blog was published on 12 March 2025, and due to the circumstances, there may be frequent changes. To keep up to date with all the latest updates on global immigration, please subscribe to our alerts and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram.