According to Polski Instytut Językowy, in 2025 the situation with waiting times for temporary residence permits in Poland remains difficult and has even worsened in many voivodeships. The latest data, collected on the basis of decisions issued between January and April 2025, reveals record-long processing times in several regions.
Foreigners face the longest wait times for decisions in the following voivodeships: 📍 Silesian — 651 days, 📍 Kuyavian-Pomeranian — 621 days, 📍 Opole — 619 days, 📍 Pomeranian — 475 days.
This means that in some regions the wait exceeds one and a half years, effectively blocking the mobility and professional development of foreigners who cannot legally work or fully integrate into Polish society.
On the other hand, Lower Silesian Voivodeship (Wrocław) saw the most significant improvement — the average waiting time decreased by 201 days, coming down to 284 days in 2025 (compared to 485 days in 2024). That is still a long time, but the region has dropped out of the ranks of the worst performers. Another voivodeship that improved is Lublin, where the wait time was reduced by 21 days (to 188 days).
According to the analysis by Polski Instytut Językowy, waiting times have only increased in 14 voivodeships: 📍 The biggest increase — in Silesian (+168 days), 📍 in Kuyavian-Pomeranian (+104 days), 📍 in Pomeranian (+92 days), 📍 in Lubusz (+63 days).
This means that only two voivodeships managed to improve the efficiency of the relevant authorities, while the rest moved in the opposite direction.
Long waiting times are not just an inconvenience — they have serious consequences: ✅ restrictions on mobility (inability to travel abroad), ✅ problems with legal employment, ✅ lack of access to banking, social, and medical services.
A temporary residence permit is the fundamental document required for legal residency, work, and life in Poland. Prolonged processing times threaten the rights and stability of hundreds of thousands of people.
Polski Instytut Językowy emphasises that monitoring such data is the key to transparency and, consequently, to systemic change. The situation with residence permit cards is not merely administrative statistics — it reflects real living conditions.
📊 Infographics with data for January–April 2025 are available in the publication above. Source: Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców / Polski Instytut Językowy
Based on decisions issued between January and April 2025, the longest waits were in the Silesian voivodeship at 651 days, Kuyavian-Pomeranian at 621 days and Opole at 619 days. Pomeranian followed with 475 days.
The Lower Silesian Voivodeship (Wrocław) improved the most. Its average waiting time fell by 201 days, from 485 days in 2024 to 284 days in 2025. Lublin also improved, with the wait cut by 21 days to 188 days.
In most regions, yes. Waiting times increased in 14 of the 16 voivodeships, with the biggest rises in Silesian (+168 days), Kuyavian-Pomeranian (+104 days), Pomeranian (+92 days) and Lubusz (+63 days). Only two voivodeships improved.
Long processing times can restrict mobility, meaning foreigners cannot travel abroad, and cause problems with legal employment. They can also leave people without access to banking, social and medical services, because the permit is the basic document for legal residence, work and life in Poland.
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