You applied for a Polish residence permit in Warsaw, then found a job in Poznań or moved to Wrocław while your application was still being processed. Your case remains with the previous voivode, your visa may have expired, and official letters are being sent to your former address. You need to notify the authority of your new place of stay and establish how the proceedings will continue.

To keep track of your application, notify the voivode currently handling the case, establish which authority has territorial jurisdiction and obtain confirmation that the case file has been transferred. If you are considering withdrawing from the existing proceedings, check your legal basis of stay first.

Which voivode must you notify, and by when?

Article 41 § 1 of the Polish Code of Administrative Procedure (Kodeks postępowania administracyjnego, KPA) requires a party to administrative proceedings and their representative to notify the authority of every change of address. This provision does not specify a universal deadline expressed in calendar days. The Mazovian Voivodeship Office recommends reporting a new address without delay.

Send the notification to the voivode handling your case at the time you move. If you applied in Warsaw and then moved to Poznań, notify the Mazovian Voivode. If you moved from Poznań to Wrocław, notify the Greater Poland Voivode. Once the transfer has been confirmed, direct subsequent correspondence to the receiving authority.

Where they differ, state both your actual place of residence and your correspondence address. If an authorised representative acts in the case, take account of the applicable rules for serving official correspondence. Your actual place of stay is relevant to territorial jurisdiction; your correspondence address determines where notices and decisions are delivered.

For applications submitted through MOS 2.0, report an address change to the voivode by a separate paper letter or through e-Doręczenia. The submitted application cannot be edited directly in MOS for this purpose. The notification requirement also applies to cases started before 27 April 2026.

How to transfer a residence permit case to another voivode

Moving to a different voivodeship changes territorial jurisdiction in temporary residence proceedings. Article 104 of the Act on Foreigners links the competent voivode to the applicant’s place of stay. The Greater Poland Voivodeship Office confirms that an existing case can continue after the file has been transferred to the newly competent voivode.

Prepare a written change-of-address notification and a request to transfer the case according to territorial jurisdiction (wniosek o przekazanie sprawy według właściwości miejscowej). Include:

– Your full name, date of birth and case reference number.

– Your previous and new actual addresses and the date you moved.

– Your current correspondence address and contact details.

– A request to forward the file to the competent voivode and confirm the transfer.

You may attach a tenancy agreement, confirmation that accommodation has been provided, or other documents supporting your actual place of residence. Any additional evidence will depend on the circumstances of your case. The Mazovian Voivodeship Office provides a template request for transferring a case ↗.

Keep the e-Doręczenia delivery confirmation or proof of postal delivery. Ask when the file was transferred and what reference number the receiving office has assigned. Continue checking correspondence from the previous office until the transfer is confirmed.

How long does transferring a residence permit case take?

Transferring a case between voivodeship offices adds a separate administrative stage. The previous office prepares the file for transfer; the receiving office registers it, reviews the documents and, where necessary, issues further requests. If the application was already at an advanced stage, moving may substantially delay the decision.

There are no verified nationwide statistics establishing an average transfer time. The timeframe must therefore be assessed using information from the individual proceedings. Allow for a potentially lengthy wait and monitor when the receiving voivode actually registers the file.

Pay particular attention to letters with response deadlines, scheduled appointments and requests for supporting documents. If you move at one of these stages, seek written instructions from the authority that is still handling your case.

When should you consider ending the old case and applying again?

In some circumstances, submitting a new application where you now live may be more practical than waiting for a lengthy transfer. This option may be considered where you have an independent, valid legal basis for staying in Poland, the previous case is at an early stage, and the legal consequences of ending it have been assessed in advance.

Article 105 KPA allows administrative proceedings to be discontinued (umorzenie postępowania) at the party’s request where the statutory conditions are met. A final decision to discontinue brings the existing proceedings to an end. Before submitting a new temporary residence application, assess whether the new proceedings can lawfully be initiated and whether you remain legally in Poland.

If your visa or visa-free stay has already expired

Consider a foreign national who submitted a temporary residence application during a lawful stay, met the formal requirements and is still awaiting a decision after their visa expired. Their continued stay may be lawful under Article 108 of the Act on Foreigners, from the application date until the decision becomes final, provided the requirements of that provision are met.

Once the proceedings have been finally discontinued, the first question is whether another legal basis of stay remains. This is critical for an applicant relying solely on Article 108. Article 299(6) of the Act on Foreigners provides, in the circumstances specified by law, a 30-day period to leave Poland following a final decision discontinuing the case. Article 99(1)(9) provides for refusal to initiate temporary residence proceedings for a person who is obliged to leave Poland in the circumstances set out in Article 299(6).

Ending the original proceedings after the visa has expired may therefore prevent the applicant from initiating a new temporary residence case in Poland. A valid residence permit, visa, special statutory basis of stay or other relevant circumstances require a separate assessment. Before requesting umorzenie, establish the exact dates and legal grounds of your stay, the status of the existing case and whether a fresh application would be admissible.

There is a further practical point for applications already filed: the Office for Foreigners (UdSC) confirmed that applications received by voivodes before MOS 2.0 was launched on 27 April 2026 continue to be processed as previously initiated proceedings.

Why an up-to-date address matters for future residence applications

Under Article 41 § 2 KPA, a letter sent to the former address has the legal effect of service if the party failed to report the change. Missing a request for documents, fingerprints or explanations can affect the course of the case. The Mazovian Voivode specifically warns that, depending on the notice, the consequences may include the application being left without consideration, a refusal or discontinuation of proceedings.

Consequences may also arise later, for example when applying for EU long-term resident status. Article 211 of the Act on Foreigners provides for five years of legal and continuous residence, while Article 212 sets out the rules for counting qualifying periods. If the earlier case ends and a period without a lawful basis of stay follows, that period’s legal classification will matter when assessing a subsequent application. Article 212(2)(5) expressly excludes from the five-year calculation the period granted to comply with the duty to leave Poland under Article 299(6).

When documenting your residence history, retain proof of the address notification, case-transfer correspondence, decisions and evidence of application dates. We explain the calculation further in our article “How to calculate five years of residence for EU long-term resident status”.

Can the authorities verify where you actually live?

Yes. Article 11 of the Act on Foreigners allows the Polish Border Guard (Straż Graniczna) to check circumstances relevant to a foreign national’s residence during proceedings. Such checks may concern the place of residence, family members, employment and other facts relevant to the decision.

If the information collected is inconsistent or raises justified doubts, Border Guard officers may check the premises indicated by the applicant. The Act regulates the procedure, including consent from the resident or another person specified by law. In the circumstances covered by the Act, refusal to permit a check may leave the claimed place of residence unverified.

For that reason, the address given in your notification should reflect where you live. If you reside in Wrocław but receive official correspondence through a representative in Warsaw, make that distinction clear in the documents.

Special rules for CUKR residence cards

CUKR applications are subject to a specific rule on territorial jurisdiction. According to the official MOS guidance, the competent voivode is determined by the applicant’s place of stay on the application date. A later move to another voivodeship does not change that authority’s jurisdiction. The legal basis is Article 42o(1) and (2) of the Act of 12 March 2022 on Assistance to Citizens of Ukraine.

If your CUKR application is still pending, notify the voivode handling it of your current correspondence details. For holders of an issued CUKR card, a separate deadline applies: under Article 42u, a change of place of stay must be reported to the voivode who issued the card within 15 working days.

SKILLDOCS assistance in Warsaw, Poznań and Wrocław

If you moved while your residence permit application was pending, we can review the case file and your legal basis of stay, prepare an address-change notification, a request to transfer the proceedings and further correspondence with the voivodeship office. Before choosing between transferring the file and applying again, we assess the implications of discontinuing the existing case.

We assist with residence legalisation in three cities:

– Residence permits and legalisation in Warsaw.

– Residence permits and legalisation in Poznań.

– Residence permits and legalisation in Wrocław.

Questions about moving while your residence application is pending

Where should I send documents after my case has been transferred?

Once the transfer has been confirmed, use the new case reference and the address of the voivodeship office that received the proceedings. Keep a copy of your original notification and its delivery confirmation.

What if the immigration office has already scheduled an appointment?

Notify the authority currently handling the case in writing, giving the case reference and appointment date. Ask for instructions about attending the appointment and submitting further documents. Until you receive a reply, take account of the existing deadline.

What if I move within the same voivodeship?

Notify the voivode handling your application of your new place of stay and current correspondence address. Territorial jurisdiction remains with the same voivodeship office.

We will review your case status and legal basis of stay, and prepare a request to transfer the file to the competent voivode.

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