Residence applications only electronically? New regulations introduce the MOS system

Selected residence applications will be submitted exclusively electronically via the MOS system. The new regulations of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration of April 2026 also introduce updated templates and further digitalisation of migration procedures.

In April 2026, four new regulations of the Minister of the Interior and Administration were published in the Journal of Laws, introducing new templates for residence applications. These regulations bring significant changes regarding the digitalization of migration procedures in Poland.

Digitalisation of residence applications – mandatory MOS system

A key novelty is the requirement that applications for a permanent residence permit and an EU long-term resident permit must be submitted exclusively in electronic form using the online service via the Case Handling Module (MOS).

In order to be successfully submitted, the application must be signed with a qualified electronic signature, a personal signature, or a trusted signature, and the applicant must receive an official confirmation of receipt.

Applications for amendment of a temporary residence and work permit and international protection currently still allow for paper submission.

Technical requirements for electronic attachments

The new regulations also standardize the parameters for electronic attachments:

• Photographs: Must be submitted in JPG format, taken no earlier than 6 months prior to the date of submitting the application. The photograph must have a resolution of at least 684 × 883 pixels and a size not exceeding 2.5 MB (maintaining the proportions of a standard 35 × 45 mm photo).
• Digital documents: Digital copies of all pages of a valid travel document and other required papers (e.g. confirming legal title to an apartment) must be submitted in PDF format. A single file cannot exceed 10 MB, and the total size of all attachments is limited to 50 MB.

Which applications are covered by the new regulations?

The newly published templates apply to applications for:

1. Amendment of a temporary residence and work permit
2. EU long-term resident permit
3. Permanent residence permit
4. International protection

Is your organisation ready for the digitalisation of residence procedures?

The new regulations introduce not only the obligation to submit selected applications in electronic form, but also a number of formal and technical requirements, the failure of which may result in rejection of the application or delays in the proceedings.

We support clients in preparing and submitting residence applications, verifying documentation, and adapting internal processes to the new requirements of the MOS system. We assist both employers hiring foreign nationals and individuals seeking to legalise their stay.

If you would like to prepare for the upcoming changes or require support in a specific procedure, please contact our team.