Foreign nationals applying for a Polish temporary-residence card are getting a Christmas present: less paperwork. According to VisaHQ’s 3 December dispatch, a regulation signed on 25 November has introduced an 18-page ‘smart’ application form that cuts the number of biometric photographs from four to two and merges multiple annexes into a single modular document.
The form—already live on the Moduł Obsługi Spraw (MOS) portal—features context-sensitive help in seven languages and automatic validation that blocks submission if mandatory fields are empty. Applicants print the bar-coded PDF and bring it to their in-person appointment, but officials promise a fully paperless flow once electronic signatures are enabled in late 2026.
![Poland halves biometric-photo requirement in revamped temporary-residence form]()
Immigration lawyers say the shorter checklist could shave a week off preparation time, especially for EU Blue-Card and intra-corporate-transferee cases that previously required multiple schedules. Companies planning January start dates for assignees are advised to download the new form immediately and budget extra time to familiarise staff with the dynamic fields.
The underlying legal criteria—proof of income, insurance and accommodation—remain untouched, so refusal rates will still hinge on substance rather than form. Nevertheless, the move signals the Polish government’s broader push to digitise immigration workflows after mandating electronic work-permit filings in October.
The form—already live on the Moduł Obsługi Spraw (MOS) portal—features context-sensitive help in seven languages and automatic validation that blocks submission if mandatory fields are empty. Applicants print the bar-coded PDF and bring it to their in-person appointment, but officials promise a fully paperless flow once electronic signatures are enabled in late 2026.
Immigration lawyers say the shorter checklist could shave a week off preparation time, especially for EU Blue-Card and intra-corporate-transferee cases that previously required multiple schedules. Companies planning January start dates for assignees are advised to download the new form immediately and budget extra time to familiarise staff with the dynamic fields.
The underlying legal criteria—proof of income, insurance and accommodation—remain untouched, so refusal rates will still hinge on substance rather than form. Nevertheless, the move signals the Polish government’s broader push to digitise immigration workflows after mandating electronic work-permit filings in October.
