CUKR residence permit in Wroclaw
ONE PLUS supports CUKR applications in Wroclaw and across Poland, from checking PESEL UKR and filing eligibility through to collecting the finished card. We verify status continuity, passport and biometric data in state registers, prepare the application and documents for MOS 2.0, help with the photo and fees, and monitor official correspondence. If CUKR is not the right fit, we compare it with a residence permit based on work, study, business or family grounds and suggest a safer path.
A CUKR application is filed online only. The applicant must personally sign in to MOS via login.gov.pl, sign and submit the form. We prepare the filing and support the client at every step, but we do not use their Trusted Profile or other login credentials on their behalf.
What a CUKR residence permit is
A CUKR card is a special temporary residence permit in Poland issued for three years. It is intended for Ukrainian nationals and certain family members who live in Poland under temporary protection and hold PESEL UKR.
CUKR was designed as a bridge from temporary protection to a more stable residence document. You do not need to prove employment, income, studies or a business. What matters most is UKR status, its continuity and correct data in state registers.
The card bears the note “Poprzednio posiadacz ochrony czasowej” — “previously held temporary protection”. After you collect the finished document, UKR status automatically changes to CUKR.
From 4 May 2026, applications are accepted only electronically through MOS 2.0.
EU temporary protection extended to 4 March 2028
On 30 July 2026 the European Union officially extended temporary protection for people who left Ukraine because of the war until 4 March 2028.
This is an important decision, but EU-level temporary protection and Polish PESEL UKR are not the same thing. Poland separately sets the rules for confirming UKR status, the related rights and the deadlines for CUKR applications.
As of 5 August 2026, Polish rules still provide for filing a CUKR application by 4 March 2027. Extending European protection to 2028 therefore does not mean you can already postpone a CUKR filing by another year.
We treat the extension as a transitional period. It gives time to choose the next stay basis calmly, but it does not turn PESEL UKR into a permanent status.
If you plan to remain in Poland, work, run a business or later apply for EU long-term resident status, it is worth considering a move to CUKR or another residence permit now. Waiting until temporary protection ends and starting legalisation at the last moment is a risky approach.
Who can apply for a CUKR card
To obtain CUKR, you must meet all of the main conditions at the same time:
- hold active PESEL UKR on the day you file the application;
- have held active UKR status as of 4 June 2025;
- still hold active PESEL UKR when the card is issued;
- have continuous UKR status for at least 365 days;
- hold a valid identity document;
- have the required passport and biometric data in state registers.
UKR status periods are not added together. If the status was lost and later restored, the continuous period usually starts again.
If an adult applicant received PESEL UKR after 4 June 2025, they generally fail the condition of holding status on the set date and will not be able to obtain a CUKR card.
Employment, a set income level, health insurance or a rental contract are not mandatory grounds for CUKR.
CUKR residence permit for children
Children born in Poland after 23 February 2022 may obtain CUKR under separate rules.
At the time of filing and card issuance, the child must hold active PESEL UKR. In addition, the mother must have arrived in Poland after 23 February 2022 and already hold a CUKR card.
Birth in Poland and PESEL UKR alone are not enough. Before filing, the conditions for both mother and child must be checked separately.
A parent, guardian or temporary guardian files the application for a minor.
What a CUKR card gives you
Three years of lawful stay
A CUKR card is issued for three years. During that time you do not need to renew temporary protection or wait for further changes to PESEL UKR timelines.
Full access to work
A CUKR holder may work in Poland without a separate work permit. The card is not tied to one employer or a specific job title.
Ability to run a business
With CUKR you can register a sole proprietorship — a JDG — and run it on the same terms as Polish citizens. You can also set up or develop a company, for example a sp. z o.o.
Travel in the Schengen area
A valid card together with a passport allows travel to other Schengen states for up to 90 days in every 180-day period.
Longer trips abroad
PESEL UKR status can be lost if you leave Poland for more than 30 days. With CUKR, the permit may be lost if you stay outside Poland for more than six consecutive months.
This gives more flexibility to people who need to travel to Ukraine or other countries. At the same time, long absences may affect the continuous stay needed for further legalisation.
Counting time toward EU long-term resident status
The period of stay on a CUKR card counts toward the time required for EU long-term resident status.
For an EU long-term residence card, length of stay alone is not enough. You will later need to meet requirements on income, health insurance, continuous stay and knowledge of Polish.
CUKR also does not grant Polish citizenship automatically. Citizenship is obtained on separate grounds and after meeting additional requirements.
Why staying only on PESEL UKR is a weaker long-term option
PESEL UKR still legalises stay and gives the right to work in Poland. Moving to CUKR is therefore not mandatory for every Ukrainian national.
But PESEL UKR remains temporary protection. Its validity period and the scope of rights depend on further EU decisions and Polish law.
For someone who plans a future in Poland, that status becomes less convenient. It does not offer the same predictability as a residence permit and is not designed for permanent residence.
It is better to use the extension of temporary protection to 2028 for a calm move to a more stable basis, not as a reason to postpone legalisation.
Depending on your situation, you may consider:
- a CUKR card;
- a residence permit based on work;
- a residence permit based on business;
- a student residence permit;
- a family reunification permit;
- permanent residence, if a separate ground exists.
The choice depends on work, income, family, business, future plans and your stay history in Poland.
CUKR or a standard residence permit
CUKR can be a convenient option if you meet the PESEL UKR conditions and want a three-year temporary residence card without being tied to an employer, university or business.
A work-based residence permit may suit someone with stable employment who wants to build further legalisation on professional activity.
A business-based permit is worth considering for entrepreneurs who actually run a business and can meet the requirements of that procedure.
A student permit fits foreigners studying in Poland who can confirm enrolment, funds and insurance.
A family ground may be better for spouses of Polish citizens and other people with qualifying family ties.
Before filing, compare not only the card’s validity period but also the right to work, the ability to run a business, the consequences of long absences and the later path to EU long-term resident status.
Why CUKR is simpler than a standard residence permit
The application is filed fully online through MOS. You do not need an appointment at the voivodeship office to submit a paper package.
If state registers already hold passport data, fingerprints and a signature specimen, biometrics usually do not need to be taken again. A personal visit will still be needed to collect the finished card.
Electronic filing does not guarantee automatic approval. MOS checks whether certain data are present, but it does not correct form errors or assess the case instead of an officer.
If required information is missing from the registers, the system may block submission. You must update the data first and only then return to filing.
How CUKR filing through MOS works
1. Checking eligibility
First verify UKR status on the relevant dates and a continuous period of at least 365 days. It is also important to confirm that the status was not lost because of a long trip abroad.
2. Checking state registers
Registers should contain up-to-date personal data, details of a valid passport, fingerprints and a signature specimen — where required in your case.
Any missing data must be completed before you file.
3. Creating a new MOS account
Old MOS accounts are not migrated to the new system. To file, you need to register a new profile and sign in via login.gov.pl.
To sign the application you need a Trusted Profile (Profil Zaufany), a qualified electronic signature or a personal signature (podpis osobisty).
4. Preparing the application
The applicant completes the electronic form, attaches a digital photo and proof of two separate payments.
We review the data and documents before submission so the application has no inconsistencies.
5. Signing and submitting
The applicant must personally sign and submit the application. You must not give another person access to your Trusted Profile or bank login.
After submission, MOS generates a UPO — the official confirmation that the system received the application. Keep it.
6. Case examination
The voivodeship office checks UKR status, register data, the photo and the fees. If further information is needed, the applicant will receive a message in the system.
7. Collecting the CUKR residence card
Once the card is produced, the voivode notifies you that it can be collected.
You must collect the finished card within 60 days of the notice. If you do not, the document will be cancelled and the status will not change from UKR to CUKR.
What documents are needed for CUKR
The basic set includes:
- active PESEL UKR;
- a valid passport whose data are entered in the register;
- a digital photo in JPG format;
- proof of payment of PLN 340 for the permit;
- proof of payment of PLN 100 for card production;
- a Trusted Profile, qualified electronic signature or personal signature.
The photo must:
- be colour and up to date;
- have been taken no earlier than six months before filing;
- have a resolution of at least 684 × 883 pixels;
- be no larger than 2.5 MB;
- keep the proportions of a 35 × 45 mm photo;
- meet residence permit photo requirements.
The PLN 340 and PLN 100 fees are paid separately to different bank accounts. Two payment confirmations are attached in MOS.
A rental contract, employment certificate, ZUS documents, tax returns or a university certificate are not part of the mandatory basic CUKR set. They may be needed only in specific situations or if you choose a different stay basis.
DocPhoto Online service
We developed DocPhoto Online — a service for preparing a digital photo for MOS 2.0 filing.
The tool adjusts the file to the required size and resolution so it can be attached to the electronic form. The source photo must still meet the requirements: current, colour, taken against a light background and correctly showing the applicant’s face.
Drawbacks and limits of CUKR
CUKR is not right for everyone, so it is important to understand its limits before you file.
If the cardholder stays outside Poland for more than six consecutive months, the permit may be lost.
After you receive the card, UKR status ends, along with rights that exist only under temporary protection. You cannot return to PESEL UKR merely because you want to.
A CUKR card is issued once for three years. The next permit must be obtained on general grounds — for example work, business, study or family circumstances.
If you do not collect the finished card within 60 days of the notice, it will be cancelled.
CUKR does not automatically grant permanent residence, EU long-term resident status or Polish citizenship.
Where to check the case status
After you submit the application, case information appears in your MOS account. There you can check the status, receive messages and save documents related to the filing.
It is important to log in regularly and follow official correspondence. A missed request or a late reply can delay examination of the case.
If the procedure also uses a separate electronic correspondence channel, check that regularly as well.
ONE PLUS legal support
Filing through MOS looks simpler than a paper procedure, but the main risks remain. Problems arise from broken UKR status, missing register data, an incorrect photo, wrong payments or a poorly chosen legal basis.
Tetiana Vyborna, lead specialist at ONE PLUS, has more than 11 years of practical experience with voivodeship offices and foreigners’ cases. We already support CUKR applications through MOS and know which mistakes most often block submission or trigger further office requests.
As part of our support we:
- check eligibility for CUKR;
- analyse PESEL UKR history;
- verify status continuity;
- assess whether register data are ready;
- compare CUKR with other stay bases;
- prepare a personal document checklist;
- help complete the MOS application;
- check the photo and payment confirmations;
- explain how to sign and submit the form correctly;
- monitor official messages;
- prepare replies to office requests;
- support the client until the card is collected.
If a negative decision is issued, we prepare an appeal under the same agreement at no extra charge.
Our role is not only to fill in a form, but to choose the right basis, remove foreseeable problems early and guide the client through the full procedure.
Obtaining a CUKR card with ONE PLUS
If you have PESEL UKR and plan to stay in Poland, do not wait until temporary protection ends. There is time to review the available options calmly and move to a more stable stay basis.
Leave a request and briefly describe your situation: when you received PESEL UKR, whether you had long trips outside Poland, and whether you work, run a business or study.
We will check whether CUKR suits you, compare it with other residence permits and prepare a clear plan for further legalisation.
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