Do I need a profil zaufany to submit an application through MOS?

Profil zaufany or qualified signature — the MOS 2 requirement

From 27 April 2026 (the MOS 2 launch date according to the MSWiA announcement), applications for temporary residence permits, permanent residence permits, and EU long-term resident status must be submitted exclusively electronically through the mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl portal. The legal basis is the Act of 21 November 2025 (Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1794), which amends, among other provisions, art. 108 ustawy o cudzoziemcach.

To authenticate and sign an application in MOS 2, you need one of two tools:

• a profil zaufany (ePUAP), or
• a kwalifikowany podpis elektroniczny.

Without either of these, you will not be able to submit an application through the portal.

What submitting an application through MOS 2 provides

Proof of application submission and lawful residence takes the form of a zaświadczenie issued by the wojewoda — there is no longer a stempel in the passport. The date on which proceedings are initiated is the date the application is received (art. 61 § 3 KPA), and compliance with the deadline is determined by the moment of successful electronic submission (art. 57 § 5 pkt 2 KPA).

Important: paper applications after 27 April 2026

Paper applications sent by post after this date will be left without consideration. This means a profil zaufany or qualified signature is no longer optional — it becomes a mandatory requirement.

Exceptions — still submitted on paper

In a few categories, applications are still submitted in paper form (when the foreign national is residing outside Poland):

• ICT and long-term ICT mobility,
• family reunification,
• family member of a Polish/EU/UK citizen.

In these cases, a profil zaufany is not required.

Next steps

Set up a profil zaufany well in advance — identity verification may require a visit to an in-person point or the use of online banking. If you do not have a Polish bank account, consider obtaining a kwalifikowany podpis elektroniczny.