The CUKR Card in Poland: Who Can Apply, What Is Required and What Changes After Receiving It

From 4 May 2026, Poland has opened applications for the residence card bearing the annotation "Poprzednio posiadacz ochrony czasowej" (Previously a holder of temporary protection) - the so-called CUKR card. The document is issued for three years and provides a stable legal status in place of the UKR temporary protection, which expires on 4 March 2027. This was announced by the Office for Foreigners (Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców, UdSC). Applications are submitted exclusively online via the Case Handling Module portal (Moduł Obsługi Spraw, MOS), the updated version of which became operational on 27 April 2026.

What Is the CUKR Card and How Does It Differ from PESEL UKR

The CUKR residence card (karta pobytu CUKR) is a temporary residence permit in Poland, developed for individuals who have been under temporary protection (UKR status) since 2022. The word CUKR is an unofficial abbreviation used in the information materials of the Office for Foreigners. Unlike the PESEL UKR status, the CUKR card constitutes a full-fledged residence permit, issued for three years, not tied to wartime regulations and recognised throughout the entire territory of the EU. An application may be submitted until 4 March 2027 - the date on which the current temporary protection system expires.

Who Is Eligible for the CUKR Card To submit an application, all of the following conditions must be met simultaneously:

• an active PESEL with UKR status on the date of application;
• continuous UKR status for at least 365 consecutive days prior to the date of application - individual interruptions are not aggregated;
• a current biometric foreign passport;
• fingerprints held in the Border Guard (Straż Graniczna) database - recorded at the time of PESEL UKR registration.

Important: if, during the past year, the applicant left Poland for a period that resulted in the loss of UKR status, the 365-day count begins again from scratch. The counter is not automatically resumed upon return. Children born in Poland after 23 February 2022 may obtain the CUKR card provided they hold an active PESEL UKR both on the date of application and on the date the card is issued.

What the CUKR Card Provides The holder of a CUKR card receives:

• a residence permit in Poland for three years, regardless of the duration of martial law in Ukraine;
• full access to the labour market without the need to obtain separate work permits;
• the right to conduct business activities;
• travel within the Schengen Area - up to 90 days in each 180-day period;
• recognition of this period of residence towards the length of stay required to obtain EU long-term resident status in the future.

At the same time, obtaining the CUKR card entails the automatic loss of UKR status. With it, certain benefits previously available to persons under temporary protection cease to apply. In particular, free access to services provided by the National Health Fund (NFZ - Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia) is retained only subject to official employment.

How to Submit an Application via the MOS System

Applications for the CUKR card are available exclusively online. Paper applications submitted after 26 April 2026 are not accepted for processing.

Preparation for Submission

Before logging into the system, it is essential to verify that the passport number held in the PESEL register matches the data in the current document. If the passport was replaced after registration and the old number remains in the database, the MOS system will be unable to identify the applicant. To correct the data, the applicant should contact the civil registry office (urząd stanu cywilnego) or the population records department of the local authority.

Documents to Be Uploaded to the System

• a scan of the passport page containing personal data;
• a biometric photograph;
• proof of payment of the stamp duty - 340 Polish zlotys;
• proof of payment of the card production fee - 100 Polish zlotys.

Application Procedure

Login to the MOS system is carried out via the National Identity Node (Węzeł Krajowy) — the national electronic identification platform. After completing the form, the applicant signs it using a qualified electronic signature or a trusted signature (podpis zaufany). Once submitted, the application cannot be edited or withdrawn. For officially employed individuals, the system automatically sends the employer a link to sign Annex No. 1, which confirms the terms of the employment relationship. The link remains active for 30 days. If the employer fails to sign the document within the prescribed period, submission of the application becomes impossible.

After Submission

The system automatically verifies the applicant's status in the Border Guard registers and the PESEL database. In the event of a positive outcome, the applicant receives a notification by e-mail or SMS. The physical card must be collected in person at the relevant Regional Governor's Office (urząd wojewódzki).

Advice from Gremi Personal

• Tip 1: Check your passport data in the register in advance

Before submitting an application, it is advisable to verify that the number of your current passport matches the one recorded in the PESEL system. A data mismatch is one of the most common reasons why the system fails to locate an applicant's record. To check and correct the data, contact your local population records office.

• Tip 2: Confirm the continuity of your status

If there was a lengthy period of absence from Poland during the past year, it is worth checking whether UKR status was lost and when the new 365-day count commenced. For clarification, you may use the official service on the gov.pl website or contact the Office for Foreigners directly.

• Tip 3: Notify your employer in advance

If you are officially employed, inform the responsible HR staff member that a request from the MOS system to sign a document will be sent to the employer's address. The link is active for 30 days - without a timely signature, the entire process will come to a halt.

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