Announcement from the Office for Foreigners - The deadline for exchanging documents issued to EU citizens and their family members before August 2, 2021, is approaching.

We would like to remind you that the validity of the last documents issued to citizens of the European Union and their family members, according to the templates in force before August 2, 2021, will expire on August 3, 2026. These documents remained valid based on the transitional provisions of the Act of December 10, 2020, amending the Act on the entry into the territory of the Republic of Poland, residence, and departure from this territory of citizens of EU member states and their family members, as well as some other laws (Journal of Laws of 2020, item 2369). If you have a certificate of registration of residence for an EU citizen (in paper form), a document confirming the right of permanent residence, a residence card for an EU citizen's family member, or a permanent residence card for an EU citizen's family member issued according to templates in force before August 2, 2021 (i.e., documents issued until August 1, 2021), you should submit an appropriate application for a new document to the governor competent for your place of residence. After August 3, 2026, these documents will lose their validity, so we encourage you to apply for a new document before this deadline. Please note that the expiration of the above documents will not mean the loss of the right to reside or the right of permanent residence in the territory of the Republic of Poland. As long as the EU citizen meets the conditions for residence in Poland, they retain the right to reside, and their family member may benefit from derivative residence rights in this territory. The right of permanent residence also does not expire due to the loss of validity of the document confirming the acquisition of this right. These documents are purely declarative in nature. Furthermore, after August 3, 2026, EU citizens and their family members will be able to apply for a new certificate of registration of residence for an EU citizen, a new document confirming the right of permanent residence, a new residence card, or a new permanent residence card due to the expiration of the validity of their current documents. EU citizens will not need to reapply for the registration of residence for an EU citizen or for the issuance of a document confirming the right of permanent residence, and their family members will not need to reapply for a residence card or a permanent residence card.