A temporary residence card costs 540 PLN in state fees on a work or Blue Card basis: 440 PLN stamp duty (opłata skarbowa) for the permit plus 100 PLN for the card. On most other grounds, including family, studies, business and marriage, the stamp duty is 340 PLN, so 440 PLN in total. Permanent residence and EU long-term resident status cost 640 PLN plus the card. Filing in the MOS portal is free. The rest of the budget depends on your documents: sworn translations, apostilles and, until you're in ZUS, private health insurance.
Below are the fixed numbers with their legal basis, then the costs that vary, then three sample budgets.
State fees in 2026
| What you pay for | Amount | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary residence and work permit, EU Blue Card and Blue Card mobility, intra-corporate transfer | 440 PLN | Stamp Duty Act, annex part III item 2b |
| Temporary residence on other grounds (family, studies, business, marriage to a Pole, other circumstances) | 340 PLN | annex part III item 2 |
| Change of a work-based permit (new employer or new conditions, art. 120(1) of the Act on Foreigners) | 220 PLN | annex part III item 2d |
| Permanent residence (pobyt stały) | 640 PLN, Karta Polaka holders exempt | annex part III item 3 |
| EU long-term resident permit | 640 PLN | annex part III item 4 |
| Residence card | 100 PLN, 50 PLN for children under 16, pupils, students and people in financial hardship | regulation on card fees |
| New card after losing it through your own fault | 200 PLN | regulation on card fees |
| Power of attorney filed with the office | 17 PLN | annex part IV |
| Appeal (odwołanie) against a refusal | no fee |
The stamp duty is due when you file the application (art. 6(1)(3) of the Stamp Duty Act). Since 27 April 2026 you attach proof of both payments, the stamp duty and the card fee, to the application in MOS. The stamp duty goes to the account of the City of Warsaw, because the tax authority for stamp duty is the mayor of the city where the issuing office sits (art. 12). The card fee goes to the voivodeship office. Both account numbers are on the Mazowiecki Urząd Wojewódzki website; check them on the day you pay rather than copying them from a forum.
Is the stamp duty refunded after a refusal?
It can be. Art. 9(1)(2) of the Stamp Duty Act says the fee is refunded if the permit was not issued despite payment, and the refund is made on request. You ask the City of Warsaw, not the voivodeship office, and you have five years from the end of the year in which you paid (art. 9(3)). Many people never ask because older guides say the money is lost.
Costs that depend on your documents
Sworn translations. Every document not in Polish needs a translation by a sworn translator (tłumacz przysięgły). For MOS the translator can issue an electronic translation signed with a qualified signature, which avoids scanning a paper translation. Prices are set per page by each translator; our article on translations for MOS explains what to translate and what not to.
Apostille or legalisation. Birth and marriage certificates from abroad usually need an apostille from the issuing country, or consular legalisation if that country isn't in the Apostille Convention. The cost and time depend on the country. Check this before you book the translator: a translation of a document without the right certification may have to be redone.
Health insurance. If you work on an umowa o pracę or zlecenie, ZUS contributions give you NFZ cover and no extra policy is needed. If you apply on another basis, or before your first contribution is paid, you need private health insurance covering treatment in Poland for the period you apply for.
Photo and fingerprints. MOS takes a digital photo. Fingerprints are taken in person at the office after it summons you, so if you live outside Warsaw, add a trip.
Fresh documents during the case. The office may ask for updated payslips, a ZUS certificate or a new contract months after filing. A ZUS certificate costs nothing, but a new translation does.
Three sample budgets (state fees only)
Say you're a software tester from Manila hired by a Warsaw company, with no family coming with you. Work-based permit: 440 + 100 = 540 PLN. If everything you attach was issued in Poland, such as the employer's attachment and your lease, you may not need a single translation.
Say you're a Turkish founder applying on a business basis for your sp. z o.o.: 340 + 100 = 440 PLN, plus translations of any foreign documents. Your accountant's financial statements are already in Polish.
Say you're an Indian engineer moving on an EU Blue Card with your wife and two children aged 6 and 9, and you file the family's applications together with yours:
| Person | Stamp duty | Card | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| You, Blue Card | 440 PLN | 100 PLN | 540 PLN |
| Your spouse, family reunification | 340 PLN | 100 PLN | 440 PLN |
| Child 1 | 340 PLN | 50 PLN | 390 PLN |
| Child 2 | 340 PLN | 50 PLN | 390 PLN |
| Family total | 1,760 PLN |
Add apostilled and translated marriage and birth certificates, which for a family of four are often the biggest item after the fees. How the family case works is in our family reunification guide.
Costs people forget
- Changing jobs. On a work-based permit, a new employer usually means a change of the permit for 220 PLN, or a new application. Our article on changing employers has the deadlines.
- A refusal and a new application. A fresh application means fresh stamp duty. Ask for the refund of the first one.
- A lost card. If it was your fault, the new card costs 200 PLN instead of 100.
- Insurance for a long wait. A private policy has to cover the period you apply for, and Mazowieckie decisions often take longer than the statutory 60 days.
- Translating what isn't needed. Not every page of every document needs a sworn translation. Ask the translator or us before ordering.
What our help costs
We handle temporary residence cases from 2,000 PLN and permanent residence and EU long-term resident cases from 2,000 PLN, state fees not included. The final price depends on the basis and the number of family members, and it's agreed in writing before you pay. A specialist checks the basis, the document list and what needs translating, prepares the application in MOS and answers the office's letters. The odwołanie (appeal) after a refusal and the ponaglenie (complaint about delay) are documents we prepare and you file.
Get a quote for your residence card
This article is general information and not legal advice for your case.
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