Temporary residence permit (TRC) Poland for students
TRC for students - full support
Any foreigner who studies in Poland can get a temporary residence card. After receiving a one-year student visa for Poland, students most often apply for a residence card. It is more convenient and timesaving than a visa renewal. On top of that, the residence permit student can be the first step to obtain a Polish citizenship for those who intend to settle in Poland after their graduation.
What is a student TRC Poland?
A residence card for study purposes (for students) is a document that allows foreigners to stay legally in Poland throughout their study period at any educational institution (university, technical school, vocational school) and work without any work permit.
When can I apply for residence cards?
The first thing you should pay attention to is the date of your graduation and the validity of the visa. If the visa is valid throughout your study period, there is no need to apply for a residence card.
Temporary residence permit for educational purpose may be granted for the period over 3 months and no longer than the duration of your study course. So if the length of the studies is only several months you shouldn't initiate the process of temporary residence application.
Examples.
- You are taking preparatory language courses at the university where you will study in the future. Apply for karta czasowego pobytu in such a situation, there is no point, because the card will be issued based on the duration of training for these courses. Your annual visa allows you to finish them. After you receive a document on admission to the university, you have more chances to get a positive decision and win a longer period of legal stay.
- If you are graduating within a few months and you want to extend your stay by obtaining a residence card you should wait for a thesis admission and apply for a graduate residence card. This kind of permit will provide you with 9 months period of time for job searching. As another option you can immediately apply for a temporary residence and work permit or for temporary residence card for a graduate having a job contract, which gives you a chance to get a card for 3 years.
Thus, if the length of your student visa is shorter then the duration of your course, or you do not want to renew it every year, then it is advisable to apply for a residence card.
Those who have come to study on a visa-free basis, had better start collecting the documents for a residence card almost immediately after their arrival.
On what grounds can I obtain a TRC for students in Poland?
- You must submit your application for a temporary residence permit no later than on the last day of your legal stay on the territory of Poland (national visas are extended during the pandemic, visa-free travel is not extended). The day of sending the documents by post or personal submission at the Voivodeship Office is considered to be day of submission of your documents .
- To obtain a residence permit for study purposes the applicant must provide the documents attesting that he or she is going to study in Poland for more than three months. There can be any document certifying university admission or continuation of studies, issued by a university or another educational institution.
- You will have to present the evidence of sufficient funds to cover the costs of living in Poland. It can be a bank account statement, reference on part-time job salary, a letter of sponsorship.
- A student have to additionally provide a document that confirms having accommodation (e.g. an apartment tenancy agreement, a receipt for accommodation in dormitory etc.).
Who can get a temporary residence permit for the purpose of study?
First you need to find out about the types of training courses and types of educational institutions, because the choice of the grounds for the application, the set of documents and the chances of obtaining a residence card shall be determined accordingly.
The Office for Foreigners distinguishes two main types of students:
- full-time university students, doctoral studies and preparatory courses in such universities.
- other students who do not fall under the first definition. For example, students of technical schools and vocational schools, correspondence students.
Requirements for Universities:
- The university must also be approved by the Ministry of the Interior (list) or be exempted from such a allegation (list).
- The university should not have a ban on the admission of foreign students.
- The university must issue the appropriate certificate of admission or continuation of studies with all fields filled in (Sample).
- The university must provide the information about the student's progress, which includes the names of subjects and grades.
- Students who get free education must enable a document confirming this, for example, a certificate stating that you are a scholarship holder.
- If the education is on a fee-paying basis, then you will need a certificate for the payment of tuition and fees with the information of how much and when you paid and how much is left to be paid.
How much money is needed in the account?
The account balance consists of the following calculations:
Living and accommodation costs.
From September 24, 2020 the cost of housing is not included in the calculation of the required amount for the Belarusians who want to study in Poland.
Everyone else needs to present an agreement or other document indicating the amount of the monthly payment, including other administrative fees as well as a final utility bill.
Living wage for 15 months at the rate of PLN 776 per month, this is PLN 11,640. For those who live with their families - an amount of PLN 600 per month.
Tuition expenses for a full academic year and next semester.
Return trip cost from 200 to 2500 PLN, depending on the distance.
You can calculate the amount of funds required in the account using calculator.
An account statement or another document confirming the source of income is valid for a month before the submission of documents.
How can a student get a residence card?
What concerns university students the chances of getting a residence card are high, but as for the other undergraduates everything is not entirely clear. Depending on the voivodeship, the educational institution and the correctness of submitted documents, the chances can be reduced to zero.
First you need to collect all the necessary documents or book a visit for submission to Voivodeship Office of the Foreigner Affairs Unit at the place of your residence with the expectation that you will have managed to gather all the documents by the time of personal submission.
It makes sense to book your visit in advance, because in some voivodships you can apply for a residence card in person only in a few months.
If you don’t have time to wait because your visa or visa-free stay is expiring, then it is reasonable to submit a minimum set of documents by mail. After having received an acknowledgement letter (a yellow piece of paper), you will have a legal status in Poland. It is enough at this stage to send only an application and a copy of the passport. In a few months you will have to be invited for a personal submission.
Important! Make sure that you will not have problems receiving correspondence at the place of your residence, which you indicate in the application. Otherwise, hire the services of an authorized person who will receive all the important letters for you and assist in obtaining a residence card on your behalf.
After you personally come to the submission of documents you will need to provide all the copies of your documents and show the originals. You’ll also be fingerprinted. In case everything is fine, you will get a red stamp in your passport, which confirms that you are waiting for a decision on obtaining a temporary residence permit.
And only after this procedure, your case is officially handled. Not earlier.
What list of documents should be provided?
The more documents you manage to collect, the more likely your case will be processed faster, without any additional requests.
The main list of documents:
- 2 copies of filled and signed application form;
- 4 current 45x35 mm colour photographs;
- 2 copies of the passport (all or only completed pages depending on the voivodship);
- a confirmation from the university of acceptance for studies or continuation of studies, or a certificate of participation in training course;
- proof of payment of the required tuition / course fee or that you are studying for free;
- documents confirming having health insurance or coverage by the insurer of the cost of treatment in Poland;
- evidence of sufficient funds to cover the costs of living and return travel to the country of origin or residence and the cost of tuition / training course;
- confirmation of payment the stamp duty (340 PLN);
- confirmation of residence in Poland (a lease agreement, registration, certificate from the dormitory or hostel).
The list may vary depending on the province. Additional documents are determined by your institution, the type of study and the basis according to which you are applying.
How long do you have to wait for a decision on granting the residence card?
The deadlines depend on:
- voivodeships. In Warsaw, for example, it will take about 2-3 months, and in Gdansk from 3 month and more.
- the completeness of the submitted documents. Each request of the inspector to convey the missing documents can increase the time to issue a decision up to 2 months.
Track the status of your case through online portals. For example, for Warsaw it is Inpol.
Do not miss calls and letters from the voivodship, this can lead to suspensions of the case and refusals.
If you have reasons to expedite the case, you can also write letters asking for a decision as soon as possible.
First of all, you get the so-called "decyzja" that means a decision on your case. It can be either positive or negative. In the first case, you are approved for obtaining a residence permit, in the second not.
A few weeks after you get a positive decision, you can pick up the card by having paid 50 PLN additionally.
In case of refusal, you have the right to lodge the appeal within 14 days.
What is the validity of a student visa Poland
A first-year student will receive the first residence card for the period of 15 months. As part of the mobility program within the EU, students are given a card for 2 years.
A subsequent residence permit is issued for a period of study + 3 months, but no longer than 3 years.
Reasons for refusal to grant a residence permit to students
- Incorrectly completed application, wrongly chosen reason.
- The purpose of the stay is not the same as the true situation. For example, you have been expelled by the time of submission.
- Or, for instance, you are on a work visa, but you are applying for study.
- Inability to receive letters from the inspector.
- Incorrect or false information provided in the application.
- You were in an illegal status at the moment of submission.
If there are no compelling reasons for refusal, then you should lodge the appeal. Otherwise, you have to leave Poland within 30 days, unless there are any other reasons for staying in the country.
What are the benefits for the owners of a student visa in Poland?
- university students can work in Poland with student visa without any additional permits, while other students do not have such an opportunity;
- travel within the EU for no more than 90 days during a period of 180 days;
- unhindered crossing of the EU border;
- some other benefits within Poland.
What will you receive as part of the service for issuing a residence card for study or science?
- We will provide advice in obtaining a visa.
- We will book an appointment for personal application submission at a time of your convenience on the closest date.
- We will provide the list of the documents to be collected, according to your situation.
- We will advise you on collecting the necessary documents.
- We will help with the legalization of your income in Poland in order to confirm sufficient funds to cover the costs of living.
- We will prepare, translate and fill in the documents for the temporary residence card submission.
- We will provide good discount insurance if necessary.
- We will accompany you to apply for a residence permit at the migration department.
- We will send relevant data and documents to the migration department during your case processing.
- We will send letters to expedite your case in due course.
- We will monitor the process and let you know when the positive answer (decyzja) comes.
- We will book an appointment and accompany you upon receiving of plastic (the permanent residence card itself).
- In case of unjustified refusal (for example, due to the absence of any document that actually has been presented), we will lodge an appeal.
Mechanisms of obtaining a TRC in Poland
Bases and list of documents
You can get a temporary residence permit for the purpose of conducting scientific research when applying for a residence card and not falling under the category of a university student.
For different grounds, there are differences in the lists of submitted documents.
In both cases, the most problematic point is the confirmation of the availability of funds. We can offer softer options to implement this paragraph based on your personal circumstances.
Attention! We do not forge either any documents or make any fictitious statements. The whole process is legal and carried out within the limits of the law. Depending on your situation, the consultant will tell you in detail about the possible development of your case.
Preparation and translation of documents
After preparation the documents in the home country, they have to be translated by sworn translators who are on the list of state-approved translators. You must have the original or a duplicate of the Birth and Marriage Certificate if you want to apply for a residence permit for your spouse.
After the translation of documents from the homeland, it is necessary to collect internal documents in Poland, as well as from the place of study.
We help our clients with document collection, translation and paperwork. We cooperate with a large number of sworn translators.
Insurance
In order to receive a residence card, you will need health insurance. If you live with your parents or your family members pay ZUS, you can submit a declaration that covers your treatment at their expense.
We will tell you where to get the most inexpensive insurance with a discount of 30%, while it will cover emergency treatment with acute pain to the dentist. Of course, we will help you and arrange it, fill out all the necessary forms to receive it.
Filling in application forms and submitting documents
We have prepared a complete package of documents and translated them. Now you only need to fill in the application forms and submit everything to the department for foreigners.
Documents are usually submitted in two ways:
- Personal submission by pre-registration on a special electronic portal is a rather complicated procedure, since there are a lot of people who want to apply, and the number of places is limited. We have an extensive experience of registration and know how to do it from the first attempt;
- Impersonal submission by mail. In this case, the terms of your case processing are increased by several months, since you will still need to come to the Department of Foreigners for fingerprinting, and only from that moment the time of the processing case will be counted. This way will go to those who urgently need to apply for a residence card, while the full package of documents has not been collected yet. It is enough to send a completed application form and a copy of the passport so that your stay in the country is legal from the date of sending the documents at the post office.
Our prices
The price does not include: payment of stamp duty, sworn transfers, payment for receiving plastic, necessary insurance, passing the exam for level B1.
The price for all family members who are submitted together with the main applicant (grounds: reunification or other circumstances) is 1230 zloty gross.
- Initial consultation
- Analysis of your case and chances
- Audit of your existing documents
- Answers to questions in the CRM system during business hours (for the Basic and Standard packages, only before submitting documents)
- Initial consultation
- Analysis of your case and chances
- Audit of your existing documents
- Answers to questions in the CRM system during business hours (for the Basic and Standard packages, only before submitting documents)
- Filling out applications
- Preparation of documents for submission
- Submission of documents to the migration office by post
- Initial consultation
- Analysis of your case and chances
- Audit of your existing documents
- Answers to questions in the CRM system during business hours (for the Basic and Standard packages, only before submitting documents)
- Filling out applications
- Preparation of documents for submission
- Submission of documents to the migration office by post
- Support for the supply and selection of plastic (TRC)
- Appeal in case of refusal
- Initial consultation
- Analysis of your case and chances
- Audit of your existing documents
- Answers to questions in the CRM system during business hours (for the Basic and Standard packages, only before submitting documents)
- Filling out applications
- Preparation of documents for submission
- Submission of documents to the migration office by post
- Support for the supply and selection of plastic (TRC)
- Appeal in case of refusal
- Consultations throughout the entire process via messenger with a personal manager
- Submitting current documents to the Uzhąd (Warsaw only)
- Representing your interests in the Uzhąd by proxy (Warsaw only)
- Resubmission in case the card is issued for less than 6 months
- Assistance in obtaining ZAS-W, US-7, PIT-37 online using a trusted profile
Questions and Answers
How long does it usually take to process a case?
It all depends on the voivodeship where you will apply. At the moment, for example, in Warsaw it is about 3 months, and in Gdansk you can wait about a year.
Can I get citizenship?
Yes. First you should get a EU resident card. For this purpose, you have to live in Poland for at least 5 years (the training period is considered to be 2 times less). After receiving it, you can apply for citizenship in 3 years.
Feedback from our clients
Damien Vice
02/11/2025
Ставлю 1 звезду. Планировал начать сотрудничество через икнубатор. Отправил 3 письма, через мейл и форму на сайте, написал в инсте, сделал 2 звонка (без ответа). Потратил неделю на ожидание. Меня просто проигнорировали. Как можно доверять этому сервису, если фонд не в состоянии ответить на письмо и прислать документы для ознакомления. Жду объяснения
Andrii Melnychuk
26/08/2025
I highly recommend Łatwy Start! Thanks to them, my two kids and I received 3-year residence cards without any stress. Special thanks to manager Kristina — she was extremely helpful and even managed to speed up the process for my children. Excellent service, very satisfied!
Anton Mezhuiev
26/08/2025
Чудова робота, все відбулося швидко і дуже професійно, з чіткими інструкціями і нотатками про ті документи, що вимагалося надати з моєї сторони — і як саме їх правильно заповнювати. Запис на подачу і видача самої карти зайняла набагато меньше часу, ніж спочатку очікувалося (перше звернення у січні, подача документів і відбитків в березні — а в серпні вже отримав пластік).
Брав пакет з повним супроводом — ні разу не пожалкував, всім рекомендую — і дуже дякую всій компанії і зокрема менеджеру Кристині!
Anastasiya Balotnikava
26/08/2025
Недавно получила вторую карту с Łatwy Start, как и в первый раз – все было отлично, положительная децизия по итогу.
Благодарю менеджера Кристину за работу и своевременное напоминание про все нужные шаги, довольна совместной работой ✨
Inna
03/08/2025
3 раза членами семьи сотрудничали с компанией по получению карт побыта в разное время и работали с разными специалистами. До этого были попытки с другими компаниями , но именно высочайший уровень профессионализма Latwy Start сделал нас постоянными клиентами. Каждый раз самое благоприятное впечатление за высокий уровень профессиональной работы и моральную поддержку. Особая отдельная благодарность Ольге! Ольга очень помогла, всегда на связи по любым вопросам, отличные профессиональные советы на каждом этапе, начиная с первого общения еще до заключения договора и до успешного получения карты. Как ангел-хранитель «провела за ручку» через все сложные перепитиии, поддержала словом и делом. Огромная Благодарность Ольге и всей компании! Процветания вам и хоррших клиентов!
Oleksandr Drobyshev
15/07/2025
Все супер
Yevgeniy Postebailo
14/07/2025
Всё понравилось, везде сопроводили, всё обьяснили.
Была пара непонятных вещей, но не стесняйтесь спрашивать — всегда отвечают и консультируют.
Рекомендую обращаться.
Aliaksei Seniukovich
11/07/2025
Хочу выразить огромную благодарность Кристине из Łatwy Start за профессиональную помощь в получении вида на жительство в Польше. Благодаря её опыту, внимательности и доброжелательному отношению весь процесс прошёл легко и без лишнего стресса. Кристина всегда была на связи, подробно отвечала на все вопросы и помогала на каждом этапе оформления документов. Искренне рекомендую её услуги всем, кто ищет надёжную поддержку в решении миграционных вопросов в Польше!
Gennady Bakunovich
11/07/2025
I had a really positive experience with Łatwy Start. Manager Kristina was supportive and always ready to help with any questions. I got my temporary residence permit without any issues and with minimal effort on my part. I really appreciate their work and highly recommend them 🙌
