During its validity period, the residence card confirms your identity during your stay on the territory of the Republic of Poland and entitles you, together with travel document, to cross the border multiple times without having to obtain a visa.
Card loss/damage
In the case of loss or damage of the residence card, within 3 days from the date of its loss or damage, notify the authority that issued the document. You submit the notification on the form.
After submitting a notification about the loss or damage of the residence card, we will issue a certificate confirming this fact free of charge. The certificate is valid until the next document is issued, but no longer than for 2 months.
In the event of recovery of a lost residence card, notify the authority that issued the document of this fact within 3 days from the date of its recovery. If you receive another residence card issued in place of the lost one, immediately return the recovered document to the authority that issued it.
Who issues/replaces?
The residence card is issued or refused to be issued by the voivode who granted you a temporary residence permit, a permanent residence permit or a long-term resident's EU residence permit. In the case of granting a residence permit for humanitarian reasons, the residence card is issued or refused to be issued by the commanding officer of the Border Guard unit or the commanding officer of the Border Guard outpost who granted the permit.
The residence card is replaced or refused to be replaced by the voivode competent for the place of your stay. If you have a residence permit for humanitarian reasons, the residence card is replaced or refused to be replaced by the commanding officer of the Border Guard unit or the commanding officer of the Border Guard outpost competent for the place of your stay.
Refusal to issue or replace a residence card takes place by way of a decision.
Return
You return the residence card to the authority that issued it when:
- you have acquired Polish citizenship;
- you have received a decision declaring the document invalid;
- you have received a decision to withdraw a permanent residence permit or a long-term resident's EU residence permit;
- you have received a decision to withdraw your temporary residence permit;
- you have received a decision to withdraw your residence permit for humanitarian reasons;
- the decision on granting a temporary residence permit has expired by operation of law
- the decision on granting a permanent residence permit has expired by operation of law
- the decision to grant a residence permit for humanitarian reasons expired by operation of law
You return the residence card immediately, but not later than within 14 days from the date on which you received a document confirming the acquisition of Polish citizenship or one of the above-mentioned decisions became final or expired.
At your request, we will issue a free certificate of return of the residence card, which is valid for 30 days.
