Can Foreigners Buy Property in Poland? Permit Rules
Short answer: Anyone can buy a self-contained flat in Poland without a permit. Non-EU buyers need an MSWiA permit for houses and land unless an exemption applies.
Can a foreigner buy an apartment in Poland? For most people the answer is simple. According to the Polish government's business portal (biznes.gov.pl) and the Ministry of the Interior and Administration (MSWiA), buying a standard apartment needs no permit at all, whatever your citizenship. Permits are needed for other kinds of property if you come from outside the European Economic Area. This guide follows the biznes.gov.pl procedure page and the Ministry's pages on gov.pl, read in October 2026. The underlying law is the Act of 24 March 1920 on the acquisition of real estate by foreigners.
Who counts as a foreigner
The government portal defines a foreigner as a person without Polish citizenship, a legal entity based abroad, a company without legal personality that is based abroad and set up under foreign law, and a Polish-based company that is controlled directly or indirectly by foreigners. This last point matters if you plan to buy through a Polish company.
Who needs a permit
The portal says you need a permit from the Minister of the Interior and Administration if you are a foreigner from outside the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. If you are a citizen or business based in one of those countries, you do not need a permit to buy any property in Poland, whatever the origin of the capital. Citizens of the UK, Canada, the US and other countries outside this group are covered by the permit rules.
When no permit is needed, even for non-EU citizens
The portal lists cases where citizenship does not matter:
- A self-contained residential unit (samodzielny lokal mieszkalny): a flat consisting of rooms and ancillary spaces such as a kitchen and bathroom, as defined by the Act of 24 June 1994 on the ownership of premises. A cellar or an attic can belong to it.
- A garage unit or a share in one: if you buy it as the owner of a property or flat, to provide proper living conditions.
- Any property, after living in Poland for at least 5 years from getting a permanent residence permit or EU long-term resident status.
- Property that becomes part of marital joint property: if your spouse is a Polish citizen and you have lived in Poland for at least 2 years from getting permanent residence or EU long-term resident status.
- Property from a person who owned it for at least 5 years, if you are entitled to inherit from them on the day of the purchase, for example a child or grandchild buying from a parent or grandparent.
- A property taken over by a bank as a mortgage creditor after a failed enforcement auction.
- Inheritance: if you are an heir under the statutory inheritance rules of your home country. A testamentary heir who is not a statutory heir needs a permit.
The exceptions to the exceptions
The portal warns that you need a permit even in the cases above if the property is in a border zone, or if it is farmland of more than 1 hectare.
When you do need a permit
A house with a plot of land, a building plot, or a building that is not a self-contained flat will usually fall under the permit rule for non-EEA buyers. The portal says you get the permit if three conditions are met:
1. The purchase does not threaten defence, state security or public order.
2. Social policy and public health considerations do not oppose it.
3. You can show ties with Poland.
How to show ties with Poland
The portal lists these ways: Polish nationality or origin, a Polish spouse, a temporary, permanent or EU long-term resident permit (the temporary permit for victims of human trafficking and for short stays does not count), a seat on the board of a controlled company, or running a business or farm in Poland under Polish law.
Two limits apply. If you buy property for your own living needs, its area cannot exceed 0.5 hectare. If you are a business owner buying for your business, you must show that the purchase answers real needs arising from the nature of your activity.
The promise of a permit (promesa)
You can apply for a promesa, a promise to issue the permit. It does not entitle you to buy, but if you apply for the permit during its validity and meet its conditions, the Minister must issue the permit, except in unusual cases where the facts have changed. The promesa lasts 1 year, and the application needs the same documents as the permit application.
How to apply
The case can be handled in person at the ministry or by post. The ministry is in Warsaw, at ul. Stefana Batorego 5. There is no official application form. The portal says the application must contain all the data in the 1920 Act and in the Interior Minister's regulation of 20 June 2012, and it provides sample templates in DOCX and PDF. You attach a certified copy of your identity document, and other documents depending on your case, such as proof of your right to buy. You can file at any time, but the portal advises you to apply early enough to get the permit before the deadline in your preliminary purchase declaration and before your residence card expires, if that card is what proves your ties with Poland.
Practical tips
- Check first whether you are buying a self-contained flat. If yes, you do not need the permit.
- A house with a garden is a different case. Ask for a promesa before you commit.
- If you are an EU citizen, none of this applies.
- If your plans may change your status, our residence card guide and rental rights guide cover the side of living here before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Canadian or an American buy an apartment in Poland?
Yes. A self-contained flat does not need a permit, whatever your citizenship, according to biznes.gov.pl.
Does an EU citizen need a permit?
No. Citizens and businesses of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein can buy any property without one.
How big a plot can I buy for my own living needs?
Up to 0.5 hectare, when a permit is required.
How long does a promesa last?
One year.
