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Registering your address in Poland (zameldowanie): deadline and documents

By MałgorzataPublished Updated

If you are not an EU, EFTA or Swiss citizen, the Act on population records requires you to register at your address in Poland no later than the 4th day after you arrive there. You are exempt only if your stay will not exceed 30 days. Registration is free; the certificate for a temporary stay costs 17 zł.

Short answer. Registering for a stay over 30 days gives you a PESEL number automatically. Non-EU foreigners register at the municipal office, not online.

Deadline and who must register

  • Non-EU foreigners: no later than the 4th day counted from arrival at the address (art. 41(3) of the Act on population records).
  • Citizens of EU, EFTA states and Switzerland and their family members: no later than the 30th day.
  • Foreigners whose stay in Poland will not exceed 30 days are exempt (art. 42(2)).
  • The period of temporary stay you declare cannot be longer than your legal stay under your residence document (art. 41(4)).

Temporary or permanent

  • Temporary stay: you live at an address in Poland for a limited time. Permanent stay needs a permanent residence document (for example a permanent residence permit or EU long-term resident permit; art. 43).
  • You cannot have two permanent or two temporary registrations at the same time, but you can have one of each at different addresses.

What to bring

  • A valid travel document or other identity document, and the documents that prove your right to stay in Poland.
  • Proof that you may live at the address, for example a lease, and the confirmation of the owner or other holder of the title to the flat on the registration form.
  • If someone registers you, they need a power of attorney.

How to register

Go to the municipal office (urząd gminy) for the place where you live. Non-EU foreigners cannot register online. You can register in person or through a proxy. The clerk registers you straight away.

Fees

  • Registration itself is free.
  • Certificate of registration for temporary stay: 17 zł (paid to the municipality’s bank account; check the office’s website for the number). The first certificate for permanent stay is free.

What this unlocks

When you register for a stay of more than 30 days, the PESEL number is assigned automatically. See how to get a PESEL and how to set up the trusted profile.

Not legal adviceThis guide explains formalities. It is not legal advice from an attorney and does not replace the official instructions on gov.pl.

Sources

Facts checked against the official MOS portal on 25 Oct 2026. Rules and amounts change, so check the source before you act.

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