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Legal status and documents

Key deadlines: PIT, 800+, CUKR →

PESEL UKR

Checked against gov.pl: 16 August 2026 · text edited 1 October 2026
What it is
A PESEL number with UKR status confirms you are under temporary protection in Poland: legal stay, access to the labour market, healthcare and social benefits.
Who can get it
Ukrainian citizens who arrived in Poland legally because of the war from 24 February 2022, and their children born in Poland.
Documents required
The application is filed in person at any urząd gminy. You need a valid travel document and a colour photo 35×45 mm; fingerprints are taken on site.
The deadline for confirming identity passed on 31 August 2026. According to gov.pl, from 1 September 2026 people whose PESEL UKR was granted solely on a declaration and who did not confirm their identity had their UKR status changed to NUE, which means losing temporary protection. gov.pl — identity confirmation (PESEL UKR)
Temporary protection runs until 4 March 2027.
gov.pl — getting a PESEL

CUKR residence card

Checked against gov.pl: 16 August 2026 · text edited 26 September 2026
What it is
A residence card annotated “Poprzednio posiadacz ochrony czasowej” — a temporary residence permit valid for 3 years for people moving on from temporary protection.
Who can apply
People with PESEL UKR status: Ukrainian citizens and family members who arrived after 23 February 2022, and children born in Poland after that date.
How to apply
Electronically only, through the MOS portal. Attachments: a current digital photo and proof of both payments. Sign with a trusted profile, a qualified electronic signature or a personal signature.
Cost
340 zł stamp duty for the permit + 100 zł for issuing the card — two separate transfers to different accounts.
Applications opened on 4 May 2026; the deadline is 4 March 2027.
gov.pl — CUKR procedure

Karta pobytu

Checked against gov.pl: 16 August 2026
What it is
The standard Polish residence permit — a separate route for people not covered by temporary protection: work, study, family reunification.
Where to apply
At the urząd wojewódzki for your place of stay; some cases can be handled electronically through the MOS portal.
Tip
If you hold PESEL UKR, check the CUKR route first — it is faster and fully electronic.
mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl

Profil Zaufany

Checked against gov.pl: 16 August 2026
What it is
A free electronic signature used to confirm identity in Polish government services. It signs applications on ePUAP, at ZUS, on the MOS portal and in the e-Tax Office.
Who needs it
Anyone filing online: the 800+ benefit, a CUKR residence card, the annual tax return, ZUS certificates, doctor appointments through the Internet Patient Account.
How to get one
Fastest through your Polish bank: in the government-services section the bank confirms your identity from the data it already holds, with no visit required. Otherwise apply at pz.gov.pl and confirm identity at a gmina office or a ZUS branch.
What you need
A PESEL number, a Polish phone number and your own email address.
The profile is valid for three years and then has to be renewed. Renewal takes a minute online, but nobody reminds you of the date.
gov.pl — Profil Zaufany

Zameldowanie

Checked against gov.pl: 16 August 2026
What it is
An entry in the Polish register stating where you live. It grants no rights to the flat itself and does not replace a tenancy agreement — it is only an official address.
Why it matters
Schools, nurseries, clinics and ZUS ask for the address, as do benefit applications and vehicle registration. Without it some matters take a longer route.
How to do it
At the gmina office for that address, or online with Profil Zaufany. You need a document proving your right to the property: a tenancy agreement, or the owner present with an extract from the land register.
Cost
Nothing. The confirmation is issued on the spot.
Registration is either permanent (pobyt stały) or temporary (pobyt czasowy). The temporary one is issued for the length of the tenancy — and that is what suits most people.
gov.pl — zameldowanie

Exchanging a driving licence

Checked against gov.pl: 16 August 2026
What it is
Exchanging a Ukrainian driving licence for a Polish one. A foreign licence is valid in Poland for a limited period; anyone staying on needs the Polish document.
Who needs it
People living in Poland permanently. For a short stay no exchange is needed.
How to apply
At the starostwo powiatowe or city office for your place of residence. You need a sworn translation of the licence, a colour photo 35×45 mm, an application and the fee.
Keep in mind
The Ukrainian licence is surrendered during the exchange and is not returned.
Categories do not always transfer one to one, and in some cases a theory exam is required. The office where you apply will confirm the terms for your category.
gov.pl — licence exchange

PIT tax return

Checked against gov.pl: 16 August 2026
What it is
The annual income declaration. Everyone who earned a wage in Poland last year, worked on a mandate contract or had other taxable income files one.
Which number you need
Employees use their PESEL; no separate tax number is required. A NIP is needed by those running a business or registered for VAT.
When to file
For the previous year's income — by 30 April. The usual form for employment is PIT-37; the employer issues a PIT-11 with the figures by the end of February.
How to file
Through the e-Tax Office: the authority has already prepared a draft from the data it holds — you check it and confirm.
If you do nothing, the PIT-37 prepared by the tax office counts as filed automatically. It will not, however, include reliefs you have to enter yourself — joint filing with a spouse or child deductions, for example.
podatki.gov.pl — PIT

Official gov.pl information

PESEL and CUKR alerts on Telegram (in Ukrainian)

Government offices on the map

Municipal, voivodeship, tax offices, ZUS and civil registry: address, phone, hours and a point on the map.

Related news

About this section

Legal residence for Ukrainians in Poland: PESEL with UKR status, the CUKR residence card, Profil Zaufany, address registration, driving licence exchange and the annual PIT return — each linked to gov.pl, plus a map of government offices.

Step-by-step guides

How to get a PESEL UKR in Poland: step-by-step guide

PESEL with UKR status for Ukrainian citizens: who can get it, which documents to bring, how the visit to the urząd gminy works and what to do afterwards.

Read the guide

CUKR residence card: how to apply through MOS

Moving from temporary protection to a CUKR residence card: who can apply, how much it costs, how to fill in the application in the MOS portal and what not to forget.

Read the guide

Profil Zaufany: how to set up an electronic signature in Poland

What Profil Zaufany is, why Ukrainians in Poland need it, and three ways to get it: through your bank, through pz.gov.pl with confirmation at an office, or when you get your PESEL.

Read the guide

Zameldowanie in Poland: how to register your address

What zameldowanie is, whether it is compulsory for Ukrainians, how temporary and permanent registration differ, how to register online or at an office and what to do when you move.

Read the guide

Exchanging a Ukrainian driving licence for a Polish one: step by step

When a Ukrainian in Poland needs to exchange their driving licence, which documents to gather, where to apply, how long it takes and what happens to the Ukrainian licence.

Read the guide

PIT-37 for Ukrainians: how to file online and get a tax refund

Who files PIT-37 in Poland, where to get your PIT-11, how to log in to e-Urząd Skarbowy, which reliefs to add yourself and how to get the refund paid to your account.

Read the guide
All guides (10)