For 2027, the main official fees for working and living legally in Poland are as follows. A work permit costs PLN 200, PLN 400 or PLN 800 depending on its length and type, and a declaration of entrusting work costs PLN 400; these apply to applications filed from 1 December 2025 and are paid by the employer. A temporary residence and work permit costs PLN 440 in stamp duty plus PLN 100 for the residence card, while most other temporary residence permits cost PLN 340 plus the card fee. Permanent residence and EU long-term residence cost PLN 640. A national visa application costs EUR 200 on the consulate pages we checked. For applications filed from 5 March 2026, the residence stamp duty is not refunded if the permit is refused. All figures were checked on 11 November 2026 against official Polish sources, and we found no announced change to these amounts for 2027 in those sources.

Why the fees matter

Paying the wrong amount, or paying into the wrong account, is one of the simplest ways to delay an application. In the online systems, proof of payment is attached to the application, so a missing or incorrect payment can lead to a request to correct defects. Knowing the correct fees also protects workers from paying inflated "official fees" to intermediaries. If someone quotes a fee far above the amounts below, ask for the official page that lists it.

Work authorisation fees

These fees are paid when the employer files an application through praca.gov.pl. The amounts below apply to applications filed from 1 December 2025 (Lubuskie Voivodeship Office).

Zielona Linia's guide describes the PLN 400 declaration fee as the employer's cost (Zielona Linia guide). See how to apply for a Poland work permit online and the declaration of entrusting work for the procedures.

Residence permit fees

Stamp duty

The stamp duty (opłata skarbowa) is paid for granting a residence permit. The amount depends on the type of permit (Wielkopolska Voivodeship Office; West Pomeranian Voivodeship Office).

The voivodeship office in Kielce notes that holders of the Pole's Card are exempt from the fee for a permanent residence permit (Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship Office).

Residence card fees

The residence card (karta pobytu) is a separate payment (Office for Foreigners).

Some voivodeship offices list a reduced card fee of PLN 50 for eligible applicants (Łódź Voivodeship Office). Check with your office whether you qualify before paying the reduced amount.

Two fees, two accounts

The stamp duty and the residence card fee are two different payments, made to different bank accounts. The West Pomeranian office advises entering the type of case and the name of the person concerned in the payment title (West Pomeranian Voivodeship Office). Each voivodeship publishes its own account numbers. Use the details for the office handling your case.

No refund after a refusal

For applications filed from 5 March 2026, the stamp duty is not refunded if the voivode refuses the residence permit or the case is discontinued for any reason (Wielkopolska Voivodeship Office; Lubuskie Voivodeship Office). This makes it more important to choose the right permit and file a complete application. See how to apply for a Polish residence permit online.

Visa fees

National visa fees are paid at the Polish consulate. Consulate pages checked in November 2026 list EUR 200 for a national visa application (Embassy of Poland in Italy; Embassy of Poland in Georgia). The fee is not refunded, whatever the consul decides. A request for the same consul to reconsider a refusal also has a fee, which differed between consulates on the pages we checked: EUR 80 at some posts and EUR 135 at others (Embassy of Poland in Azerbaijan). Payment methods also differ, so read your consulate's page. See how to apply for a Poland work visa after your permit.

Special procedures

CUKR residence card for Ukrainian citizens

For the CUKR procedure, the official information lists the stamp duty for a temporary residence permit of PLN 340 and the residence card fee of PLN 100 as the only costs (Office for Foreigners). See our guide to the CUKR residence card.

PESEL number

Assigning a PESEL number to a foreigner is free of charge (City of Szczecin). See PESEL number for foreigners in Poland.

Example budgets

The examples below add up official fees only. They do not include translations, photographs, travel, insurance or accommodation.

A worker hired from abroad on a work permit, then a single permit

• Work permit for more than 3 months, paid by the employer: PLN 400.
• National visa application at the consulate: EUR 200.
• Later temporary residence and work permit: PLN 440 stamp duty plus PLN 100 card.

A Moldovan citizen hired on a declaration

• Declaration, paid by the employer: PLN 400.
• National visa application: EUR 200, unless the worker's situation allows entry without a visa for the purpose concerned.

A worker already in Poland applying for an EU Blue Card

• Stamp duty: PLN 440.
• Residence card: PLN 100.

Fees that are often forgotten

Changes and replacements

Fees are not only paid at the start. A lost or damaged residence card costs PLN 200 to replace, and PLN 300 for a subsequent loss or damage (Office for Foreigners). If you need an official certificate or submit a power of attorney document, a PLN 17 fee applies to each.

Repeat applications

If an application is refused and you apply again, you pay the stamp duty again. Because the duty is not refunded for applications filed from 5 March 2026, a refused and repeated application can cost twice as much. Getting the application right the first time saves money.

Reconsideration of a visa

A request for reconsideration of a visa refusal has its own fee, which differs between consulates. Budget for it if there is any risk of refusal.

Fees and online systems

In both online systems, the fee is part of the application. Work permit and declaration fees are linked to applications in praca.gov.pl. Residence fees are attached as confirmations in MOS. The Poznań office explains that you must attach confirmation of the stamp duty, in an amount between PLN 340 and PLN 640 depending on the permit, and of the card fee to an application in MOS (Wielkopolska Voivodeship Office). If the confirmation is missing or shows the wrong amount, the office will ask you to correct it, which slows the case down.

Keeping receipts

Keep every payment confirmation until the case is fully closed and the card has been collected. If there is a dispute about whether a fee was paid, or a request to correct defects, the confirmation is your evidence. For employers, keep receipts for permit and declaration fees in the worker's file together with the permit or registered declaration.

Polish terms you will see

• Opłata skarbowa: stamp duty paid for granting a permit.
• Opłata za wydanie karty pobytu: fee for issuing a residence card.
• Wymiana karty pobytu: replacement of a residence card.
• Zwrot opłaty: refund of a fee.
• Tytuł przelewu: payment title or reference.

Fees by stage of a typical journey

The table shows that official fees for a worker who stays several years add up over time. Planning for them from the start avoids surprises.

Unofficial costs to budget for

Official fees are only part of the cost. Applicants often also pay for photographs, certified translations, travel to the consulate, medical insurance for the visa and copies of documents. These are not set by the authorities and vary widely. Get quotes in advance, and be cautious of anyone who presents an unofficial service charge as a government fee.

Who pays what

The employer files and pays for work permits and declarations, because they are the employer's applications. Residence permit fees are paid by the applicant, because the foreigner is the party to the residence case, although an employer may choose to cover them. Visa fees are paid by the visa applicant. If an employer agrees to pay residence or visa fees, put it in writing, and keep receipts in your own name where possible.

Workers should be wary of anyone who asks them to pay the employer's work permit or declaration fee, or who quotes "processing fees" far above the official amounts. Our guide on how to spot a fake job offer for Europe explains common scams.

How to pay correctly

1. Identify the exact procedure and permit type.
2. Find the fee in the official table for that procedure.
3. Use the bank details published by the office handling your case.
4. Enter a clear payment title with the type of case and the applicant's name.
5. Save the confirmation and attach it to the application.
6. Keep a copy until the case is closed.

Will fees change in 2027?

We found no announced change to the amounts above for 2027 in the official sources we checked on 11 November 2026. Fees can change by law or regulation, as they did on 1 December 2025 for work permits. Check the official page on the day you pay. For a wider view of what changes in 2027, including the new minimum wage, see Poland minimum wage 2027: what foreign workers should know.

Fees and refusals: a reminder

Because the residence stamp duty is not refunded after a refusal for applications filed from 5 March 2026, the cheapest application is the one that succeeds the first time. Before paying, check that you are applying for the permit that matches your purpose of stay, that your documents are complete and that your pay meets the rules. Our guides on how to apply for a Polish residence permit online and why work permits are refused in Europe explain the most common problems.

Your next steps

1. Identify every procedure you will need in the next year: permit, visa, residence permit and card.
2. Look up each fee in the official tables linked above.
3. Agree in writing with your employer who pays which fee.
4. Pay to the correct account with a clear payment title, and keep every confirmation.
5. Recheck the amounts on the day you pay, in case of changes.

Paying from abroad

Workers who are still outside Poland sometimes need to pay Polish fees, for example when an employer asks them to cover a residence fee in advance. Bank transfers from abroad can take several days and may carry bank charges, so the amount received may be lower than the amount sent. Make sure the full official amount reaches the correct account, and keep the bank confirmation. Visa fees, by contrast, are paid at the consulate, often in cash and in the currency the consulate specifies, so read the consulate's page for the payment method before your appointment.