At 09:00 on 5 May, the Polish Office for Foreigners (UdSC) quietly opened its Moduł Obsługi Spraw (MOS) 2.0 portal for a brand-new immigration benefit aimed at Ukrainians who have lived in Poland under temporary-protection rules since Russia’s 2022 invasion. The document—officially a temporary-residence permit with the annotation ‘Earlier under temporary protection’, but widely known as the CUKR card—grants a three-year right of stay, unrestricted labour-market access and Schengen travel up to 90 days in any 180-day period. UdSC reports that the first application was lodged six minutes after launch; by 10:00 nearly 200 petitions were in the system. Eligibility hinges on three dates: applicants must hold PESEL-UKR status on 4 June 2025, retain that status on the filing date, and have maintained it continuously for at least 365 days.
![Poland opens online applications for three-year ‘CUKR’ residence card for Ukrainians]()
For individuals who find the new digital-only system daunting, VisaHQ offers an accessible bridge: the platform can guide applicants and their HR teams through each step of Poland’s MOS 2.0 filing requirements while monitoring any regulatory tweaks in real time. Its Poland hub (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) centralises checklists, document-prep tools and live support, which can save valuable time when server traffic is high.
All filings are online-only and must be signed with a trusted-profile (ePUAP) or qualified e-signature—a major procedural shift for a community accustomed to paper queues at voivodeship offices. For employers, the card removes a layer of red tape. Holders may work for any company without a separate work permit and may register a sole-proprietorship on the same basis as Polish citizens. HR departments should nevertheless collect proof of CUKR issuance, because the card replaces the PESEL-UKR status that previously confirmed labour-market access. The measure also dovetails with Poland’s broader digitisation drive: from 27 April all residence-permit filings—work, family and EU long-term—must be routed through MOS 2.0. Specialists caution that system traffic is heavy during office hours; they advise time-sensitive corporate transferees to submit after 18:00 when server loads drop. Finally, migration NGOs note that switching to CUKR triggers the loss of state-funded accommodation and some welfare benefits associated with temporary protection. Advisers therefore recommend budget counselling for lower-income applicants and clear communication so families understand the trade-offs before clicking “Submit”.
For individuals who find the new digital-only system daunting, VisaHQ offers an accessible bridge: the platform can guide applicants and their HR teams through each step of Poland’s MOS 2.0 filing requirements while monitoring any regulatory tweaks in real time. Its Poland hub (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) centralises checklists, document-prep tools and live support, which can save valuable time when server traffic is high.
All filings are online-only and must be signed with a trusted-profile (ePUAP) or qualified e-signature—a major procedural shift for a community accustomed to paper queues at voivodeship offices. For employers, the card removes a layer of red tape. Holders may work for any company without a separate work permit and may register a sole-proprietorship on the same basis as Polish citizens. HR departments should nevertheless collect proof of CUKR issuance, because the card replaces the PESEL-UKR status that previously confirmed labour-market access. The measure also dovetails with Poland’s broader digitisation drive: from 27 April all residence-permit filings—work, family and EU long-term—must be routed through MOS 2.0. Specialists caution that system traffic is heavy during office hours; they advise time-sensitive corporate transferees to submit after 18:00 when server loads drop. Finally, migration NGOs note that switching to CUKR triggers the loss of state-funded accommodation and some welfare benefits associated with temporary protection. Advisers therefore recommend budget counselling for lower-income applicants and clear communication so families understand the trade-offs before clicking “Submit”.
