PESEL UKR in 30 Days: A Checklist for Those Who Have Just Arrived in Poland

If you have just arrived in Poland, you have 30 days to register and obtain a PESEL UKR number - an identification number without which you will be unable to take up official employment, register with a doctor, receive social benefits or open a bank account. Below we explain what PESEL is, what it is needed for and how to obtain it.

What Is PESEL UKR and What Does It Provide

PESEL is an 11-digit identification number held by every resident of Poland, used in all official documents: when registering with a doctor, taking up employment and dealing with government authorities. Ukrainians who came to Poland in connection with the armed conflict after February 2022 receive a PESEL with UKR status - a designation confirming temporary protection, which grants entitlement to healthcare through the NFZ (Poland's state health insurance system), education, the 800+ child benefit, and, most importantly, the right to work officially without a separate work permit. UKR status is currently valid until 4 March 2027. Registration is free of charge and the number is issued within 1-3 days of submitting the application.

How to Obtain PESEL UKR: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1. Prepare your documents

• a valid foreign passport - original
• a colour photograph on photographic paper, 35×45 mm - the same format as for an identity card or passport
• a completed application form (the form can be downloaded in advance from gov.pl or collected in person at the local office)
• your address in Poland: street, building number, city. A temporary address - a hotel, a dormitory, a friend's address - is also acceptable

Step 2. Find a Urząd Gminy or Urząd Miasta

The application must be submitted in person at any Urząd Gminy or Urząd Miasta - the local government authority. You do not need to go to the office for your area of residence - any office on Polish territory will do.

• find the nearest office at gov.pl/web/mswia/baza-jst or via Google Maps
• check opening hours and whether advance booking is required - in large cities queues can be long, so booking a slot will save time
• if a child aged 12 or over is travelling with you - they must attend in person, as their fingerprints are also taken. Children under the age of 12 are not required to be present

Step 3. At the office

The entire process generally takes 20-40 minutes. You complete the application form on the spot or bring it already completed - in Polish, although many offices have Ukrainian-language forms or staff who can assist with translation. After the form is completed, your photograph is taken, fingerprints are collected and a signature specimen is recorded - this has been a mandatory procedure since 2026 for all non-EU nationals.

• signing the application
• providing fingerprints and a signature specimen
• receiving confirmation of submission - keep this document, as it confirms that your registration is in progress

Step 4. What becomes accessible after receiving a PESEL UKR number

With a PESEL UKR number, access opens up to all the key services required for legal residence and work in Poland:

• official employment without a separate work permit
• healthcare through the NFZ - registration with a doctor, hospital, free tests and procedures covered by insurance
• the 800+ benefit for each child up to the age of 18
• opening a bank account
• Profil Zaufany - a free electronic signature providing access to Polish government services online: registering with a doctor, submitting applications, viewing documents
• Dzia.pl - a Polish mobile application for government services, the equivalent of the Ukrainian Diia app

Important for Those Who Already Have a PESEL UKR

If a PESEL UKR was previously issued without presenting a foreign passport, the deadline for updating the data was 31 August 2026. If you did not update your data before that date, your UKR status may have been suspended. In that case, contact the local office as soon as possible with a valid passport - the situation can still be rectified.

Advice from Gremi Personal

Tip 1: Do it in the first week, not on day 29

Thirty days pass faster than you might expect - especially when you are simultaneously dealing with questions of accommodation and employment. PESEL UKR is the first step on which all subsequent ones depend: official employment registration, access to healthcare and social benefits. The sooner you complete it, the sooner you can move forward.

Tip 2: Keep all the documents you are given

A receipt, a printout or a scan of the confirmation from the office - keep everything. If you are asked about your registration status between submitting the application and receiving the number, this document will serve as your proof.

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