The CUKR card is a karta pobytu (residence card) valid for 3 years for Ukrainian citizens who have held UKR status – temporary protection in Poland – without a break for at least a year. Since 4 May 2026 you can only apply online through the Moduł Obsługi Spraw (MOS, the online service for foreigners’ cases), and as of August 2026 the Office for Foreigners (UdSC) gives 4 March 2027 as the deadline. It costs PLN 440.
Officially it is a temporary residence permit (zezwolenie na pobyt czasowy), and the card carries the note “Poprzednio posiadacz ochrony czasowej” (former holder of temporary protection). CUKR is the status code in the PESEL register that replaces UKR once you receive the card.
Who qualifies for a CUKR card
According to the UdSC, you must meet all four conditions at the same time:
- You had a valid PESEL UKR on 4 June 2025.
- You have a valid PESEL UKR on the day you apply.
- You will still have a valid PESEL UKR on the day the voivode issues the card.
- You have held UKR status without a break for at least 365 days.
Periods of UKR status do not add up. If you lost your status and got it back, only the last unbroken period counts. If you first got UKR status after 4 June 2025, you do not qualify for CUKR.
Your details in the PESEL UKR register must be complete: name, date of birth, sex, citizenship, passport series, number and expiry date, fingerprints, and a specimen signature for anyone aged 12 or over. If anything is missing, MOS will not let you submit the application, and you need to add the missing details at any urząd gminy (municipal office). How PESEL and PESEL UKR are issued is explained in our article about PESEL in Poland.
By law, people who got PESEL UKR without a passport had to confirm their identity with a valid travel document at the urząd gminy by 31 August 2026. Anyone who did not do so loses UKR status from 1 September 2026, and without it you cannot get a CUKR card.
For a child who came from Ukraine after 23 February 2022 and meets the same conditions, a parent applies without waiting for their own card. A child born in Poland can get CUKR if the child’s mother already has a CUKR card.
CUKR application deadline
Applications have been accepted since 4 May 2026. The UdSC pages and the MSWiA guidance give the deadline as 4 March 2027.
On 5 August 2026 an EU Council implementing decision (decyzja wykonawcza Rady (UE) 2026/1912) of 30 July 2026 came into force, extending temporary protection until 4 March 2028. However, as of August 2026 the UdSC pages on the CUKR card still give 4 March 2027 as the deadline for applying. Don’t leave your application until the last few weeks: processing can take months, and you also need UKR status on the day the card is issued.
How much the CUKR card costs
- PLN 340 – stamp duty (opłata skarbowa) for the temporary residence permit.
- PLN 100 – the fee for issuing the residence card itself.
These are two separate payments to two different bank accounts, and both must be made before you apply. Before paying, check the current account details on the website of your urząd wojewódzki (voivodeship office). There are no exemptions from these fees, and if you don’t pay, the voivode will refuse the card. Access to MOS itself is free.
How to apply in MOS: step by step
Below are the steps as the UdSC describes them in the CUKR procedure and in its questions and answers.
- Check your details in the register. If your passport has changed or your fingerprints are missing, go to the urząd gminy first.
- Pay PLN 340 and PLN 100. Keep confirmations of both payments.
- Create a new MOS account. The new system has been running since 27 April 2026. Even if you had an account in the previous version of MOS, you need to create a new one.
- Log in through login.gov.pl yourself. Never give your login details to anyone, not even people who offer to “apply for you”.
- Fill in the form and attach the files. You need a digital photo and the payment confirmations. The photo must be 35×45 mm, no more than 6 months old, at least 684×883 pixels and no larger than 2.5 MB.
- Sign the application. You can use a trusted profile (profil zaufany), a qualified electronic signature (kwalifikowany podpis elektroniczny) or a podpis osobisty (personal signature on an e-ID card).
- Save your documents. After submitting, save the application as a PDF or XML file together with the official receipt (Urzędowe Poświadczenie Odbioru, UPO).
There is no separate visit to the voivodeship office for fingerprints: they are taken from the register. The voivodeship office will only invite you once the card is ready.
How long it takes and how to collect the card
According to the UdSC, the card should be issued within 180 days of applying, but waiting times differ between voivodeships. When the card is ready, the voivode sends you a notice. You must collect it in person within 60 days, otherwise the permit will not be granted and the card will be cancelled.
If you are refused, you can appeal to the Head of the Office for Foreigners (Szef Urzędu do Spraw Cudzoziemców) within 14 days of receiving the decision. The PLN 340 stamp duty is not refunded after a refusal.
What happens to your UKR status
- While you wait. Applying does not take away your UKR status. You can work on the same terms, but you must not leave Poland for more than 30 days.
- Once the card is issued. Your UKR status automatically changes to CUKR. You lose the benefits linked to UKR status, including free accommodation in collective accommodation centres. Benefits under other laws, such as 800+, continue if you meet their conditions.
- If you have another case pending. When you apply for CUKR, any ongoing proceedings for a temporary residence and work permit are closed automatically. If CUKR is then refused, you will have no open case left.
CUKR card or staying with UKR status
| Question | CUKR card | UKR status |
|---|---|---|
| Valid until | 3 years from the day the card is issued | 4 March 2028, under the EU decision |
| Work | Any employer, no permit and no notification to the labour office | No permit, but the employer files a notification within 7 days |
| Leaving Poland | If you are away from Poland for 6 months or longer in one go, the voivode will revoke the permit | Status is lost after more than 30 days away |
| Cost | PLN 440 | Free |
A CUKR card gives you a longer and more predictable period of stay, and with your passport it lets you travel in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. A card holder must notify the voivode of every change of address within 15 working days. UKR status is free, but it depends on EU decisions and limits trips abroad more strictly.
What to do if you don’t qualify for CUKR
- While your UKR status is valid, keep to its conditions, above all the 30-day rule for trips abroad.
- Consider a regular residence card on general grounds. How to apply for one is explained in our article on getting a residence card via MOS.
- Don’t apply for CUKR “just in case”: if you don’t meet the conditions, you will be refused, and the PLN 340 stamp duty will not be refunded.
How STARKO helps
We arrange work permits and help with PESEL and residence cards. Our coordinator speaks Ukrainian and Russian, is available every day and will help you work out which documents you need. Looking for legal work in Poland? Send us a request, and a manager will contact you within one working day.
Frequently asked questions
What is the deadline to apply for a CUKR card?
As of August 2026 the official UdSC and MSWiA pages give a deadline of 4 March 2027. The extension of temporary protection in the EU until 4 March 2028 has not changed this date on the CUKR pages, so it is better not to put it off.
Can I work while my CUKR application is being processed?
Applying does not take away your UKR status, so until the card is issued the UKR rules apply: you can work, and your employer notifies the district labour office. You must not leave Poland for more than 30 days during this time.
How long does it take to get a CUKR card?
According to the UdSC, the card should be issued within 180 days of applying, but the real waiting time depends on the region. When the card is ready, the voivode lets you know, and you must collect it in person within 60 days.
Do I need a job to get a CUKR card?
No. The UdSC states that having a job is not a condition for applying for a CUKR card.
What if my CUKR card application is refused?
You can appeal to the Head of the Office for Foreigners within 14 days of receiving the decision. The PLN 340 stamp duty is not refunded after a refusal.
Can I get a CUKR card with NUE status?
No. Without a valid PESEL UKR you cannot apply in MOS, and you also need UKR status on the day the card is issued.