Lost or stolen residence card in Poland: 3-day and 14-day deadlines
Short answer: Report a lost residence card to the police, tell the issuing voivode within 3 days and apply for a replacement within 14 days; the fee is 50 zł, or 100 zł for a culpable loss.
If your Polish residence card (karta pobytu) is lost, stolen or damaged, two deadlines start running at once. You must tell the voivode who issued the card within 3 days, and you must apply for a replacement within 14 days. This guide sets out the steps, the documents, the fees and the processing time, based on the Łódź Voivodeship Office's page on issuing and replacing residence cards and on a Zielona Linia article that cites other voivodeship offices. Both were read on 15 October 2026. The procedure is run by the voivodeship offices, so check the page of the office that issued your card before you act.
First: tell the police and the voivode
Zielona Linia, the Polish public employment information service, names two key actions after a card is lost or stolen:
- Report it as soon as possible at the nearest police station.
- Notify the voivode who issued the card within 3 days of the loss.
The Łódź office says the same for lost or damaged cards: you should notify the voivode who issued the card within 3 days of the loss or damage. If you use the special notification form, you get a free certificate confirming that you reported the loss or damage. That certificate is valid until the next document is issued, but not longer than 2 months from the date it was issued.
Then: apply for a replacement within 14 days
A replacement application is required in four cases: a change of data on the card, a change of your face image that makes identification hard or impossible, loss of the card, or damage to it. The Łódź office says to file within 14 days of the reason arising.
Zielona Linia says the application is filed in person at the voivodeship office that issued the card. If you cannot go in person, send a paper application by post to keep the deadline, and then the date of posting counts. You still have to appear later to give fingerprints. If you do not give fingerprints, the office refuses to start the procedure for the new card.
Documents
The Łódź office lists these for issuing or replacing a card:
- One completed application form.
- Two current colour photographs, 4.5 cm by 3.5 cm, taken within the last 6 months on a plain light background, face taking up 70 to 80% of the picture, no head covering or dark glasses (with exceptions for medical or religious reasons). They are glued to the form.
- A valid travel document, shown in the original, with photocopies of all pages that have visas, notes or stamps.
- A current confirmation of registration at your place of residence.
- Proof of payment of the fee.
- For loss: a police certificate confirming that you reported the loss, and the card loss notification form.
Documents must be in Polish, in original or in photocopy with the original for inspection. Foreign-language documents need a translation by a Polish sworn translator.
Fees
According to the Łódź page:
- Issuing or replacing a card costs 50 zł, with a reduced fee of 25 zł.
- For a culpable loss or destruction, the fee is 100 zł for the first time and 150 zł for a repeat.
- A 50% reduction applies to foreigners in a difficult financial situation, to those staying to study at an upper-secondary school or a university in Poland, and to minors under 16 on the day of the application.
The Łódź page gives its own bank account for the payment. Use the account of the office that handles your case, not Łódź's, unless you are in that voivodeship.
How long it takes
The Łódź office says the card is issued or replaced within one month of receiving a complete set of documents. If the current card was issued by a different voivode, replacement can take up to two months. If extra explanatory proceedings are needed, you are told in writing the new date and the reasons. Zielona Linia gives 30 days from receipt of the full documents. You can only collect the card in person.
If you disagree with the decision, you can appeal to the Head of the Office for Foreigners through the voivode within 14 days of delivery.
Temporary cards cannot be extended
The Łódź page has a warning: a temporary residence card cannot be extended. If your temporary permit is running out, you must file for the next permit, not a card replacement. Our guide to the temporary residence permit explains that route. A replacement is only for lost, damaged or changed-data cases. For a permanent residence or EU long-term resident card that is expiring, the page says to apply for a new card at least 30 days before the old one expires.
Practical tips
- Do the police report first, because the certificate is a required document.
- Write down the date of loss. Both the 3-day and 14-day deadlines count from it.
- Keep a copy of your passport and card, including all pages with visas and stamps.
- Book time for the fingerprint visit. Without fingerprints the procedure will not start.
- Ask the office whether it takes the application by post or through an appointment system.
* Photos: Passports, Citizens and Foreigners Department in Łódź by Rakoon, CC0; police station in Bystrzyca Kłodzka by Jacek Halicki, CC BY-SA 4.0, both Wikimedia Commons
Frequently asked questions
What do I do first if my residence card is stolen?
Report it at a police station, then tell the voivode who issued the card within 3 days. Apply for a replacement within 14 days of the loss.
How much does a replacement card cost?
50 zł, or 25 zł reduced, on the Łódź office page. A culpable loss costs 100 zł the first time and 150 zł after that.
How long does a replacement take?
About one month from a complete application, and up to two months if another voivode issued your card, per the Łódź office.
Can I send the application by post?
Yes, if you cannot go in person, and the posting date keeps the deadline. You still have to appear to give fingerprints, or the procedure will not start.
Can I travel while waiting?
The notification certificate is valid for up to 2 months, but the page does not say it allows border crossing. Ask the office before you travel.
