Starting July 1, 2026, Poland will begin the next phase of comprehensive digitization of public administration. The state is gradually moving away from traditional paper document flow in favor of electronic registers and digital communication with public offices. These changes apply to Polish citizens, businesses, and foreigners legalizing their stay and work in Poland.
The reform is part of the state’s digital administration strategy and is based on, among other things, the Act on Electronic Delivery, the Act on the mObywatel application, and regulations governing the operation of state registers. The changes aim to reduce the number of paper documents, expedite administrative proceedings, and increase the security of information exchange between citizens and the administration.
An electronic document has the same legal force as a paper document.
One of the most important changes is the granting of full legal force to digital documents available in the application mCitizen. Documents displayed in the app are now treated equally to their physical counterparts when dealing with official matters.
This means that electronic documents can be used, among other things:
- in public administration offices,
- during notarial activities,
- in banks,
- when concluding an employment contract,
- when confirming identity in many public and private institutions.
This solution reduces the need to carry plastic documents and significantly simplifies contact with the administration.
e-Delivery replaces traditional correspondence
The system is playing an increasingly important role e-Delivery, which is becoming the basic channel of communication between public administration and citizens.
In practice, this means that administrative decisions issued by provincial offices, including those legalizing the stay of foreigners, will no longer be sent by registered mail via Poczta Polska. Official correspondence will be delivered electronically to the electronic delivery address (ADE), and electronic confirmation of receipt will have the same legal effects as receipt of registered mail. This significantly reduces the risk of lost correspondence, delivery delays, or problems with delivery notification.
Digital legalization of foreigners’ stay
Major changes also cover procedures conducted by the Office for Foreigners and the foreigners’ affairs departments in voivodeship offices.
Through the Case Management Module (MOS), foreigners can electronically submit applications for:
- temporary residence permit,
- permanent residence permit,
- long-term EU resident residence permit.
The system allows you to complete forms online, attach required attachments, sign documents with a Trusted Profile or a qualified signature, and monitor the progress of the proceedings.
A personal visit to the office remains necessary only when required by law, primarily for the purpose of taking fingerprints, presenting the original travel document or collecting a residence card.
Electronic work permits
Since July, further processes related to the employment of foreigners have been gradually transferred to electronic systems.
This applies primarily to:
- work permits,
- declarations on entrusting work to a foreigner.
Employers submit documents exclusively electronically, with all stages of the process conducted via IT systems. Electronic documents replace paper forms with traditional stamps and signatures.
This is intended to shorten the time it takes to process cases and facilitate the exchange of information between offices, employers and foreigners.
The administration will verify the citizen’s data itself
The new regulations also provide for the expansion of the possibilities of data verification by public administration employees.
Officials gain direct access to the most important state registers, in particular:
- PESEL register,
- Civil Status Register,
- Register of Passport Documents.
This will allow most data to be verified automatically, eliminating the need for citizens to submit additional paper certificates issued by other offices. This solution allows for faster identity confirmation, document validity checks, and detection of invalid or outdated documents during the administrative procedure. For citizens and foreigners, this primarily means reducing the number of documents that must be collected before submitting an application.
What is changing for foreigners?
Those seeking legalization of their stay should remember that an increasing portion of their contact with the administration will be conducted exclusively electronically. This means regularly checking their electronic mailbox, as requests for additional documents, notifications, and administrative decisions will primarily be sent in this format.
Failure to respond to electronically delivered correspondence may have the same legal consequences as failure to collect a traditional registered letter.
What is worth doing now?
Public administration experts recommend that both Polish citizens and foreigners prepare for the new rules of functioning of the administration.
In particular, it is worth:
- update the application mCitizen and check the correctness of all digital documents, including the document Diia.pl in the case of Ukrainian citizens;
- verify validity Trusted Profile, which requires renewal every three years;
- start your own Address for Electronic Delivery (ADE) and regularly check the correspondence received;
- ensure that contact details stored in administration systems are up to date;
- use electronic forms provided by offices instead of paper applications.
Digital administration is becoming an everyday reality
The solutions being implemented are intended to streamline the functioning of public administration, reduce the number of paper documents, and shorten the time it takes to conduct proceedings. At the same time, they mean that internet access, an active Trusted Profile, and the ability to use electronic services are becoming essential elements of contact with Polish offices.
For foreigners planning to stay or work in Poland, this means, above all, the need to track electronic correspondence and use new digital tools, which will be the basic way of conducting administrative matters in the coming years.
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