Priya paid PLN 3,500 upfront to a man who called himself a "certified immigration specialist" on Facebook. He had a logo, a WhatsApp number, and a long list of five-star reviews. Six months later her karta pobytu application had never been filed. The urząd had no record of her. Her visa expired in three weeks. We know this story because she found us in a panic — and we had seen it at least a dozen times before. The hard truth about getting legal help for your residence permit in Poland is this: the people who need to ask the most questions are usually the ones who ask none. So here are the questions that could save your case, your money, and your legal status.
Why Vetting Your Legal Help Is Part of Your Application
Poland's immigration system in 2026 has moved almost entirely online. Since April 27, 2026, all applications for temporary residence (zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy) must go through MOS 2.0 — the government's electronic submission portal. This means whoever handles your case now needs a working knowledge of the system, your Trusted Profile (Profil Zaufany), and the current document requirements set by the Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców. A consultant who filed paper applications in 2024 may be completely lost in 2026. Credential-checking isn't bureaucratic box-ticking. It's how you find out whether the person you're about to pay is actually qualified to touch your file.
The fees alone tell you a lot. The stamp duty (opłata skarbowa) for a temporary residence and work permit is PLN 440. The separate card issuance fee is PLN 100. Any firm that can't explain these two line items — or worse, bundles them into a vague total and won't break it down — is already showing you something. See also our breakdown of what happens inside the voivodeship office after you apply, so you understand the process from both sides.
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The 7 Questions You Must Ask Before Signing Anything
Ask these before you pay a deposit, share a document, or sign any contract. A trustworthy firm answers all seven without hesitation.
- "Are you registered in KRS or CEIDG, and can you give me your NIP number?" — Any legal business operating in Poland has a company registration number. You can verify it for free at rejestr.io or the official KRS portal. If they dodge this question, walk away.
- "Do you have a KRAZ licence number for employment mediation?" — If they're also helping you find work or liaising with employers, they need this licence. Check it at stor.praca.gov.pl. Unregistered employment mediation is illegal in Poland.
- "Who specifically will handle my file, and what is their experience with cases like mine?" — Not the company in general. The actual person. Cases from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Philippines each have quirks (apostille requirements, sworn translation rules, employer documentation standards). Generic experience isn't enough.
- "Can you show me examples of past approvals — anonymised?" — A firm with a real track record can show you sanitised decision letters (decyzja) or at least describe the case profile in detail. Anyone who says "we can't share anything due to GDPR" while refusing to give any specifics is using privacy law as a shield.
- "What happens if the office sends a correction request (wezwanie do uzupełnienia)?" — This is where weak firms disappear. A good service includes monitoring your case status in MOS 2.0, catching wezwania before deadlines, and responding on your behalf. Ask them to describe this process step by step.
- "What are ALL the fees I will pay, written down?" — Government fees are fixed: PLN 440 stamp duty for a combined residence and work permit, PLN 100 card fee. Service fees are variable. Get a written breakdown. "We handle everything for a flat fee" with no itemisation is a red flag.
- "What is your refund policy if my application is not submitted?" — Not if it's refused — if it's never filed. Priya's consultant took her money and did nothing. A legitimate firm has a clear written refund clause for the scenario where their service was not delivered.
Red Flags That Should Stop You Immediately
These aren't minor concerns. Any one of these should end the conversation:
- They guarantee approval. Nobody can guarantee a Polish residence permit. The voivodeship office makes the decision. A firm that promises a positive outcome is either lying or describing something that isn't a legitimate application.
- They want cash only, or payment via Western Union, cryptocurrency, or gift cards. Real businesses accept bank transfers. A paper trail protects you. No-trace payment methods protect them.
- They ask you to sign blank forms. This is how fraudulent applications get filed in your name with information you never approved. Never sign a blank or partially completed document.
- Their only contact is a personal mobile number and a Facebook page. No company address, no website with clear ownership, no verifiable business registration. Polish law requires registered businesses to display their NIP and address.
- They promise to get your documents "from connections" at the urząd. The voivodeship office processes applications through a legal procedure. Anyone claiming to have inside access is either deluded or describing corruption — neither is good for your case.
- They are "very busy" and can't give you a timeline. Reputable firms have internal case management. They should be able to tell you when your file will be reviewed, when MOS submission will happen, and what the next step is at any given moment.
Practical tip: Before your first paid consultation, spend five minutes on rejestr.io. Search the company name. Check that the registered address matches what they told you, that the business is active, and that the stated activity includes legal or immigration services. This one check eliminates most fraudulent operators immediately.
What a Legitimate Service Actually Looks Like in 2026
Since MOS 2.0 became mandatory on April 27, 2026, a legitimate immigration service should be able to walk you through submission electronically — either using your Profil Zaufany or by acting as your authorised representative (pełnomocnik) on file. They should know the current document checklist for your specific permit type, be familiar with your voivodeship's processing behaviour, and have a way to track your case status in real time. For reference, the Urząd do Spraw Cudzoziemców publishes the official fee schedule and document requirements — a good consultant should be quoting these numbers, not inventing their own.
Processing times at busier offices like Warsaw (Mazowieckie) currently run 9–14 months for work-based applications. Any firm promising you a decision in 6 weeks without a specific legal basis (like an accelerated procedure) is telling you something that isn't true. If you want to understand what "stuck" actually looks like and how it gets unblocked, read our post on why legalization cases stall in Poland and what unblocks them.
A Quick Word on Price: What's Reasonable in Poland
Service fees for karta pobytu assistance in Poland vary. Very cheap offers ("PLN 200 for everything") typically mean the consultant will collect your documents and disappear when the first complication appears. Very high fees don't automatically mean better service. The question isn't the price — it's what's included.
A reasonable full-service package for a temporary residence and work permit case should include: document checklist specific to your situation, preparation and review of the application, MOS 2.0 submission, monitoring of case status, handling of wezwania (correction requests) within the deadline, and clear communication when the decision arrives. Government fees (PLN 440 stamp duty + PLN 100 card fee) are always paid separately, directly to official accounts — they should never be included in a consultant's service fee or bundled into a cash payment.
If a firm can't give you a written scope of work before you pay, that scope does not exist. This is the most common source of disputes between clients and immigration consultants in Poland: the client assumed X was included, the firm says it wasn't. Get it in writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I just do the karta pobytu application myself without any help?
Yes — and many people do, successfully. The MOS 2.0 portal is designed for self-filers. The challenge is knowing exactly which documents apply to your specific situation (your country of origin, permit type, employer setup, family circumstances), and knowing how to respond if the office sends a correction request. Mistakes at the document stage or missed wezwania deadlines are the most common reasons cases get refused. If your situation is straightforward and you have time to research, self-filing works. If there are any complications — employer change, gaps in legal stay, criminal record query — professional help is worth the cost.
How do I check if an immigration consultant is legally registered in Poland?
Go to rejestr.io or the official KRS portal at ekrs.ms.gov.pl and search by company name or NIP number. This shows the company's registered address, date of registration, stated business activity, and current status. For employment mediation specifically, check the KRAZ register at stor.praca.gov.pl. A firm that won't give you their NIP has no reason to hide it — unless they do.
What if the consultant I paid disappears mid-case?
First, check your case status in MOS 2.0 directly — log in with your Profil Zaufany to see whether an application was actually filed and what its current status is. If no application was filed, you have grounds for a formal complaint and potentially a civil claim for the return of fees paid. Report the firm to UOKiK (the Polish consumer protection authority) and, if you believe fraud occurred, to the nearest police station (komenda policji). Keep all payment records, contracts, and message screenshots. They are your evidence.
Is Legal Solutions a licensed law firm?
Legal Solutions provides immigration case preparation and procedural support — document preparation, MOS submission, case monitoring, and coordination with the voivodeship office. We work with licensed legal professionals for cases requiring formal legal representation. Our team specialises in residence permit cases for foreign workers in Poland, and our track record speaks in approvals, not promises.
What should I do if I realise my current consultant is not doing their job?
Act quickly. Check your MOS 2.0 case status immediately. If your application has been filed, note the reference number and the current stage. If deadlines for responding to a wezwanie are approaching, you or a new representative can respond directly. You can change your authorised representative (pełnomocnik) at any time by submitting a new power of attorney. Don't wait to see if things improve — in immigration, missed deadlines are harder to recover from than changing consultants early.
You've already done the hard part by asking these questions. When your case is your legal status in Poland, who handles it matters as much as the paperwork itself. Legal Solutions — 98% approval rate. Drop us a WhatsApp — we read every message.