Polish visa resources
Poland's immigration authority
The Office for Foreigners (Urzad do Spraw Cudzoziemcow) and the voivodeship offices that together run Poland's immigration system.
Important
Poland's central immigration body is the Office for Foreigners (Urzad do Spraw Cudzoziemcow, abbreviated UDSC), a government agency headed by the Head of the Office for Foreigners. It sits under the Minister of the Interior and Administration and is responsible for legalisation-of-stay matters, international protection (asylum), and cooperation on EU visa and border policy.
Day-to-day residence permit applications are handled at regional level by the voivode (provincial governor) through the voivodeship offices (urzad wojewodzki), while national (D) visas are issued abroad by Polish consuls. The Office for Foreigners acts as the second-instance (appeal) authority for voivode decisions on residence.
What the Office for Foreigners does
- Acts as the appeal (second-instance) authority for voivode decisions on residence permits
- Examines applications for international protection (refugee status and subsidiary protection)
- Provides social and medical assistance to applicants for protection
- Coordinates with other Schengen states on visa policy and external border matters
Who handles each stage
- National (D) visa: the Polish consul abroad
- Residence permit application (first instance): the voivode / voivodeship office where you stay
- Residence permit appeal (second instance): the Head of the Office for Foreigners
Next steps
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.