The visa · Poland
Poland
Poland has no visa or permit written for remote workers, and the routes that exist were built for employees, entrepreneurs and students. Non-EU remote workers who stay past 90 days mostly use the temporary residence permit for business activity, which only some nationalities can run as a sole trader, or a one-year national visa. The one thing to know before applying is that residence permits are now filed online through the MOS portal and the Warsaw office takes many months to decide.
- Nomad visa · September 2026None as suchRoutes6Bases2
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The routes
Researched 8 September 2026 · rules as of September 2026 · as published, not legal advice
Freelance / self-employed
Temporary residence permit for business activity
Zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy w celu prowadzenia działalności gospodarczej (temporary residence permit for the purpose of conducting business activity)
A self-employed remote worker or company owner who can register a business in Poland and show it earns at or above the regional average wage, or who can present a credible plan to get there.
- Income floor
- Two tests as published by the Mazovian voivodeship office: stable, regular income above the social-assistance thresholds (reported as PLN 1,010 net per month for a single person and PLN 823 per family member), and business income in the previous tax year of at least 12 times the average monthly gross wage in the voivodeship where the firm is registered (the GUS figure changes each year). If income was lower, the office accepts proof that the firm employed at least two Polish or eligible foreign workers full-time for a year, or documents such as a business plan, contracts and bank statements showing the means to reach the threshold.
- Duration
- Granted for the period needed, up to 3 years; further permits can be applied for.
- Cost
- Stamp duty PLN 340 plus PLN 100 for the residence card, as listed by the Mazovian office and the MOS portal (the MOS fee page gives a range of PLN 340 to 640 across permit types). Trade-press reports of fees quadrupling from 1 January 2026 are not reflected on those official pages.
- Processing
- Statutory 60 days is widely cited by advisers; reported real waits in 2026 are about 3 months in small voivodeships and 9 to 15 months in Warsaw (Mazowieckie).
- Eligibility
- Stay must exceed 3 months for business purposes as a sole trader, shareholder, board member, managing partner or commercial proxy. Sole trades on equal terms with Poles are open only to EU/EEA, US and Swiss citizens, Ukrainians with a UKR PESEL, permanent and long-term EU residents, Blue Card holders, some temporary residents (family, study, research, humanitarian), Karta Polaka holders and refugees; everyone else must operate through a limited partnership, limited liability company or joint-stock company. Health insurance covering Polish medical care, accommodation, no tax or ZUS arrears.
- Work rights
- Covers running the registered business in Poland, including local clients. Working for a Polish employer needs a separate work permit or a residence-and-work permit. The permit does not address remote work for clients abroad as such; that income is simply the business's income.
- Dependants
- The voivodeship page for this permit does not cover family members; spouses and children apply separately under the family-reunification provisions of the Act on Foreigners.
- Leads to
- Time on this permit counts towards the EU long-term resident permit after 5 years of continuous legal stay, subject to B1 Polish and 3 years of stable income.
- Apply
- In Poland, to the voivode for the place of residence, exclusively through the MOS online portal (mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl) with a Trusted Profile or qualified e-signature; the Mazovian office states online-only filing from 27 April 2026, while some reports give 1 January 2026.
Documents Passport scan and a digital photograph taken within 6 months · Proof of the PLN 340 stamp duty and PLN 100 card fee · Previous-year tax return (PIT-36 or PIT-28 for sole traders; CIT-8 and accounts for companies) · ZUS certificate of no contribution arrears and tax-office certificate of no tax arrears · Business plan, bank statements, contracts and investment proofs where the income test is not yet met · Employment documents for two full-time staff if relying on the employment alternative · Health insurance documentation · Proof of accommodation · Certified Polish translations of any foreign-language documents
Long stay
National visa (type D)
Wiza krajowa (national long-stay visa, type D)
A non-EU citizen who has a recognised purpose such as a Polish job, business activity, study or a Karta Polaka and wants up to a year in Poland before switching to a residence permit.
- Income floor
- No published nomad-style floor; consulates require proof of funds for the stay and medical travel insurance of at least EUR 30,000. There is no remote-work purpose on the list; marketing sites describing a two-year Polish freelancer visa do not match the one-year maximum on the consular page.
- Duration
- Up to 1 year; not renewed as such, the holder applies in Poland for a residence permit before it expires.
- Cost
- EUR 200 from 1 January 2026 as reported (up from EUR 135); the Polish consulates in the United States list USD 235, non-refundable.
- Processing
- 15 working days from payment of the fee, extendable to 30 days; 3 working days in justified urgent cases.
- Eligibility
- A purpose recognised in the Act on Foreigners (work, business, study, Karta Polaka, family and similar), a passport, insurance, funds and accommodation; work in Poland additionally needs a work permit or an exemption.
- Work rights
- Only what the visa purpose allows. Local employment requires a work permit. Remote work for a foreign employer is not defined in the visa rules and is reported as a grey area rather than a permitted purpose.
- Dependants
- Family members apply for their own visas; no derivative status is published.
- Leads to
- Not directly; time in Poland on a visa followed by residence permits counts towards the 5-year long-term EU residence path.
- Apply
- In person at the Polish consulate for the applicant's district after booking through e-Konsulat; applications by post, fax or email are refused.
Documents Application filed through the e-Konsulat system and signed in person · Passport and photograph · Medical travel insurance of at least EUR 30,000 covering the whole stay · Proof of the purpose of stay (work permit, business registration, admission letter or Karta Polaka) · Proof of funds and accommodation
Temporary stay
Temporary residence and work permit
Zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy i pracę (temporary residence and work permit)
A remote worker who takes a contract with a Polish employer or a Polish entity of their company, which is the most common legal way to settle in Poland long-term.
- Income floor
- Pay must be at least the Polish minimum wage regardless of hours, and the applicant must show stable income above the social-assistance thresholds (reported as PLN 1,010 net for a single person, PLN 823 per family member).
- Duration
- Up to 3 years, tied to the employer named in the decision; a new application is needed to change employer.
- Cost
- Stamp duty PLN 440 plus PLN 100 for the residence card, as listed on the MOS portal.
- Processing
- Statutory 60 days is cited by advisers; reported real waits in 2026 run from about 3 months in small voivodeships to 12 to 15 months in Warsaw.
- Eligibility
- A job offer from a Polish employer; since 1 June 2025 no labour-market test is required; health insurance and accommodation. From 1 December 2025 applications must include complete passport scans and employer financial declarations.
- Work rights
- Local employment with the named employer only; other work needs a separate permit. Remote work for a foreign employer alongside is not addressed in the published rules.
- Dependants
- Spouse and minor children can apply for temporary residence for family reunification once the main applicant holds the permit.
- Leads to
- Counts towards the EU long-term resident permit after 5 years of continuous legal stay.
- Apply
- Online through the MOS portal to the voivode for the place of residence.
Documents Application via MOS with electronic signature · Full passport scan and photograph · Employer's attachment (Annex 1) with the job terms · Employment contract or offer at or above the minimum wage · Health insurance proof · Proof of accommodation · Fee payment confirmations
Working holiday
Working Holiday visa
Program Working Holiday (Working Holiday Programme) under bilateral agreements
Citizens aged 18 to 30 of Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Chile, Argentina, Peru and Taiwan who want a year in Poland with the right to take casual work.
- Income floor
- Proof of funds is set by each bilateral agreement and consulate; no single published figure.
- Duration
- 12 months, not renewable.
- Cost
- National visa fee applies (EUR 200 as reported from 1 January 2026; some agreements waive it, check the relevant consulate).
- Processing
- National visa timelines: 15 working days, extendable to 30.
- Eligibility
- Aged at least 18 and not yet 31, holiday must be the main purpose with work as a supplement; Australia is capped at 1,500 visas per programme year (2025/2026 edition opened 30 June 2025) and requires a Work and Travel certificate from the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy.
- Work rights
- Casual local employment without a work permit for the visa period; remote work for clients abroad is not addressed.
- Dependants
- None; dependants cannot be included.
- Leads to
- no
- Apply
- Polish consulate in the home country; the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy issues the Australian certificate but does not issue visas.
Documents National visa application via e-Konsulat · Passport · Proof of funds for the stay and return · Health insurance · Work and Travel certificate (Australia)
Other route
EU citizen residence registration
Zarejestrowanie pobytu obywatela UE (registration of residence of an EU citizen)
Citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland who stay beyond 3 months and can work, freelance or run a sole trade on the same terms as Poles.
- Income floor
- Sufficient resources and health insurance for those not working; no figure is published for the registration.
- Duration
- Indefinite; the registration certificate is a plastic card with no expiry, and permanent residence follows after 5 years.
- Cost
- Free.
- Processing
- Issued on application; no statutory delay published.
- Eligibility
- EU, EEA or Swiss citizenship; apply no later than the next working day after 3 months in Poland.
- Work rights
- Full: local employment, local clients and remote work for abroad, with a sole trade open on equal terms.
- Dependants
- Non-EU family members receive a residence card of a family member of an EU citizen.
- Leads to
- Permanent residence of an EU citizen after 5 years; citizenship by recognition thereafter under the Polish Citizenship Act.
- Apply
- In person to the voivode for the place of residence, or via the MOS portal.
Documents Passport or national ID card · Proof of work, study or sufficient resources · Health insurance where required
Residence
EU long-term resident permit
Zezwolenie na pobyt rezydenta długoterminowego UE (permit for residence of a long-term EU resident)
A non-EU remote worker who has stacked 5 years of continuous legal stay on temporary permits and wants an open-ended status.
- Income floor
- Stable and regular income for the 3 years before the application; advisers report that income at or above the minimum wage per household member is accepted, no single threshold is published.
- Duration
- Indefinite; the card is renewed every 5 years.
- Cost
- Stamp duty PLN 640 plus PLN 100 for the card, per the MOS portal fee range.
- Processing
- Statutory 3 months is cited by advisers; Warsaw waits are reported at a year or more.
- Eligibility
- 5 years of continuous legal stay, Polish at B1 certified or a Polish-taught diploma, 3 years of stable income, health insurance and accommodation.
- Work rights
- Unrestricted access to the Polish labour market and self-employment, including sole trades.
- Dependants
- Family members apply separately for their own permits.
- Leads to
- Polish citizenship by recognition has been available after a further qualifying period on this status; 2026 reporting describes the residence requirement being lengthened and a test introduced, which is not verified against the gazette.
- Apply
- Online through the MOS portal to the voivode.
Documents MOS application with electronic signature · Passport scan and photograph · B1 Polish certificate or diploma · Income evidence for the previous 3 years · Health insurance and accommodation proof
Without a visa, by passport
The stay you get on arrival, and whether working remotely on it is tolerated
- EU / EEA / SwitzerlandUnlimited under free movement; register with the voivode after 3 monthsRemote work, local clients and employment are all permitted; the only obligation is registration and, once resident, Polish tax and social contributions.
- United Kingdom90 days in any 180 (Schengen-wide)Remote work for a UK employer on a visa-free stay is reported as a grey area, tolerated in practice but not an authorised purpose; local work is forbidden.
- United States90 days in any 180 (Schengen-wide)The old bilateral extension beyond 90 days is reported as no longer applied since the Entry/Exit System started counting days automatically; remote work is a grey area, local work forbidden. US citizens may register a sole trade once they hold a residence title.
- Canada90 days in any 180Remote work reported as tolerated but not authorised; local work forbidden without a permit.
- Australia90 days in any 180; Working Holiday visa for 18 to 30sRemote work on the visa-free stay is a grey area; the Working Holiday visa allows casual local work.
- New Zealand90 days in any 180; Working Holiday visa for 18 to 30sAs for Australia.
- Japan90 days in any 180; Working Holiday visa for 18 to 30sRemote work on a visa-free stay is a grey area; local work forbidden.
- Brazil90 days in any 180Remote work reported as tolerated but not authorised; local work forbidden.
- IndiaSchengen visa required (EUR 90), up to 90 days in 180A short-stay visa does not authorise work; remote work for an Indian employer is a grey area and any local work is forbidden.
- South AfricaSchengen visa required (EUR 90)Same as India: no work authorised on a short-stay visa.
- TurkeySchengen visa required (EUR 90)No work authorised on a short-stay visa; remote work is a grey area.
Tax
When the country starts counting you as its taxpayer
- Residency trigger
- Under the PIT Act a person is Polish tax resident if either their centre of personal or economic interests (centre of vital interests) is in Poland or they spend more than 183 days in Poland in the tax year. The tests are alternative, not cumulative. Advisers and courts report the centre-of-interests test takes precedence, and days are counted including partial days. Residents pay tax on worldwide income; non-residents only on Polish-source income. The tax scale is 12 percent up to PLN 120,000 and 32 percent above, with a PLN 30,000 tax-free amount; sole traders can instead choose the 19 percent flat rate or the revenue-based lump sum, which is 12 percent for most software work.
- Special regime
- No nomad or newcomer regime. The PIT Act's return relief (ulga na powrót) exempts up to PLN 85,528 of employment, contract or business income a year for four years for people who move their tax residence to Poland after three years abroad, and it can apply to some non-Polish citizens; the tax authority's page was unreachable during this research, so those figures are not re-verified for September 2026.
- Social security
- Contributions are the same regardless of citizenship. A sole trader's full ZUS in 2026 is based on 60 percent of the projected average wage (PLN 5,652.60), giving roughly PLN 2,350 to 3,420 a month with health; a six-month start relief removes social contributions (health still due), and Small ZUS Plus applies below PLN 120,000 of prior-year revenue. EU, EEA and Swiss nationals with an A1 certificate from another state stay in that system. Employees of a foreign employer working from Poland are in principle subject to Polish ZUS unless an A1 or a bilateral agreement (Poland has them with the United States, Canada, Australia and South Korea among others) keeps them at home.
- Treaties
- Poland has treaties with the United Kingdom, United States (the 1974 treaty remains the one in force), Canada, Australia, India and South Africa but none with Brazil. For a resident remote employee or contractor the treaty tie-breaker decides residence where two states claim it; once Polish resident, foreign employment income is normally taxable in Poland with relief for tax paid abroad under the treaty's method.
Practicalities
- Bank account
- No law requires a PESEL, but banks routinely ask for a residence card or PESEL and proof of address; a passport alone is reported to work at some banks. Fee-free personal accounts are common.
- SIM registration
- Every SIM, prepaid or contract, must be registered under the 2016 Anti-Terrorism Act; a passport (or EU ID) suffices for prepaid, while contracts need a PESEL, proof of address and often a Polish bank account.
- Health insurance
- Residence permits require insurance giving access to Polish care; a national visa requires EUR 30,000 travel medical cover. Voluntary NFZ cover costs 9 percent of a base; 2026 monthly figures reported range from about PLN 550 to 830, with a surcharge after more than 3 months uninsured.
- Address registration (zameldowanie)
- Register within 30 days of moving in, at the municipal office, with a lease or landlord confirmation; free, and the clerk assigns a PESEL number on the spot if the person has none. A temporary-registration certificate costs PLN 17.
- Tax number
- The PESEL serves as the tax identifier for individuals not running a business; sole traders and companies receive a NIP on registration.
- Filing residence permits
- Temporary, permanent and long-term EU permit applications go through the MOS portal with a Trusted Profile or qualified e-signature; files are capped at 10 MB each and 50 MB in total, and the office then summons the applicant for fingerprints.
- Overstay penalties
- Illegal stay leads to a return decision under the Act on Foreigners with an entry ban to Poland and Schengen of up to 5 years recorded in the Schengen Information System; the Entry/Exit System now counts the 90 days automatically.
Poland: no nomad visa, a business-activity permit that works for some passports, and a Schengen stay for everyone else
Where remote workers settle and why
Warsaw takes the largest share of foreigners and has the deepest pool of coworking, English-speaking services and direct flights, and it is also the only Polish city with a serious international banking and accounting scene for freelancers. Kraków and Wrocław are reported at 20 to 30 percent cheaper for rent and draw the tech and outsourcing crowd; Gdańsk and Poznań are quieter choices with fast rail links.
The legal reality shapes the choice more than the scenery. EU citizens simply register after three months and can open a sole trade the same day. US and Swiss citizens share that sole-trade right under treaties once they have a residence title. Everyone else who wants to freelance from Poland long-term must run a limited company, which adds accountancy costs and makes the business-activity permit harder to satisfy, so many non-EU nomads either stay within 90 days in 180 or take a Polish employment contract instead.
What applicants report about the process
The consular side is predictable: a national visa decision inside 15 working days is the norm once an e-Konsulat slot is secured, and the slot, not the decision, is the bottleneck at busy posts. The in-country side is not. Advisers put statutory decision time at 60 days, but the Mazovian office in Warsaw, which handles over 100,000 cases a year, is reported at 9 to 15 months, against about 3 months in small voivodeships such as Lubuskie or Opole.
Since the move to online-only filing, the old tactic of posting a paper application on the last legal day no longer works; applicants need a PESEL and a Trusted Profile before they can even lodge a case, and the office then calls them in for fingerprints. Refusals reported by advisers cluster around businesses that cannot show income at 12 times the regional average wage, incomplete passport scans and insurance that does not cover Polish treatment. Sources disagree on whether permit stamp duties rose in 2026: trade sites reported a fourfold increase, while the MOS portal and the Mazovian office still list PLN 340 for a temporary permit.
Banking and daily money
Opening an account without a residence card is possible but branch-dependent; most people report success with a passport and a Polish address once they have a PESEL from registering an address, which the municipal office assigns free of charge within the same visit. Card payments and BLIK transfers are near-universal, and cash is rarely needed.
Freelancers who can register a sole trade lean on the lump-sum revenue tax and the six-month ZUS start relief, after which full contributions of roughly PLN 2,350 to 3,420 a month arrive; that figure surprises many arrivals and is the main reason advisers steer lower earners towards Small ZUS Plus or an employment contract. Prepaid SIMs need only a passport at the shop, but contract plans want a PESEL and a Polish bank account.
What is changing
Poland is tightening rather than opening. The Business Harbour fast track for IT workers has been suspended since January 2024, the labour-market test disappeared in June 2025 but the December 2025 employment act narrowed permit exemptions and raised fees, and the January 2026 visa fee rise took the national visa to EUR 200.
On the border, the Entry/Exit System has been fully live since April 2026 and counts the 90 days itself, removing the informal slack that many nomads relied on, while ETIAS has slipped to 2027. Reports in 2026 also describe a lengthening of the naturalisation path and a language test, which could not be verified against the gazette for this month. No draft of a Polish remote-work visa was found in the official sources opened.
Researched from migrant.wsc.mazowieckie.pl · biznes.gov.pl · biznes.gov.pl · podatki-arch.mf.gov.pl · gov.pl · gov.pl · gov.pl · gov.pl · mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl · udsc.gov.pl · the authority