The CUKR card for Ukrainians in Poland: what it offers and how to get one
What does the CUKR card offer?
The CUKR card is intended to provide official status for Ukrainians in Poland, as temporary protection expires on 4 March 2027.
CUKR status provides full access to the labour market — without additional permits — or the right to run a business on the same terms as Polish citizens.
With CUKR, Ukrainians will be able to work for any employer without needing a work permit.
With a CUKR card, you can travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
However, when a person obtains CUKR status, they automatically lose their UKR status, i.e. temporary protection due to the war.
How to apply for temporary residence in Poland
On 27 April 2026, a new version of the Case Management Module (MOS 2.0) portal was launched in Poland.
From now on, applications for a temporary or long-term residence permit in the country can only be submitted electronically. This applies to all foreigners, including Ukrainians.
To apply, you must already have a verified profile (‘personal account’), a qualified electronic signature or an electronic identity card.
This means that only a person who already has a PESEL — a tax identification number — can submit an application.
Although applications remain personal, the new system stipulates that without the employer’s involvement, the personal application will not be complete.
A foreigner applying for residence and work must provide the employer’s email address, to which the system sends a unique link.
Via this link, a company representative electronically completes and signs a special form, confirming the terms of employment.
The link remains active for 30 days. If the employer does not respond within this period, further processing of the application will be blocked.
How to obtain a CUKR card in Poland
From 4 May 2026, the portal will feature a separate option for Ukrainians currently in Poland under temporary protection due to the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine.
Individuals holding a PESEL number marked with ‘UKR’ will be able to apply for a CUKR card.
This is a special temporary residence permit for Ukrainians in Poland, which will be issued for three years.
Applications for the CUKR card will only be accepted online, via the MOS system (case management module), available at mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl.
Applications for the CUKR card will be accepted until 4 March 2027, i.e. until the expiry of the temporary protection for Ukrainians in Poland.
The card’s validity period is calculated from the date of issue (printing), not from the date of receipt.
Ukrainians will subsequently obtain a residence permit in Poland on general grounds.
How to apply for a CUKR
Applications for the CUKR are submitted electronically via the MOS portal.
To apply, you must create a user account (‘personal account’) in the MOS system, log in using the national digital identification system, and complete the application form.
The application must be accompanied by a digital passport-style photograph (taken within the last 6 months) and proof of payment of the required fees:
- stamp duty for the grant of a temporary residence permit — 340 zlotys;
- fee for issuing a residence permit — 100 PLN.
To successfully submit the application, it must be signed in one of three ways:
- a qualified electronic signature,
- a trusted profile,
- the applicant’s personal signature or that of a parent, guardian, carer or temporary guardian.
The MOS system will automatically connect to the relevant registers to check whether all your details entered into the registers when you obtained your PESEL UKR number or when your details were updated are present there.
An application for a CUKR card must be processed within 180 days of submission.
When a CUKR application may be refused
Submitting an application for a CUKR card does not guarantee that you will automatically receive it.
An application may be refused in the following cases:
- the person does not meet the requirements for the issue of a CUKR residence permit;
- the person is included in the list of foreigners whose presence in Poland is undesirable;
- the person is listed in the Schengen Information System (SIS) for the purpose of refusing entry;
- the person’s residence in Poland poses a threat to national defence or state security, or to public safety and order;
- the necessary fees have not been paid.
A decision to refuse a card may be appealed by lodging a complaint against the voivode who made the decision with the Head of the Office for Foreigners within 14 days of the refusal.
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