PESEL number in Poland: how foreigners get one, and PESEL UKR

PESEL is an eleven-digit number in the Polish population register. A foreigner can get one in two ways: automatically, when registering at their home address (zameldowanie), or by a separate application at the municipal office (urząd gminy) if the law requires them to have a PESEL. It is free, and since 1 January 2026 citizens of countries outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland must, with some exceptions, apply in person.

PESEL vs PESEL UKR: what’s the difference

PESEL UKR is not a different kind of number. It is an ordinary PESEL number with a UKR status flag in the register. The flag means the person has temporary protection (ochrona czasowa) in Poland.

The standard PESEL is governed by ustawa z dnia 24 września 2010 r. o ewidencji ludności (the Population Register Act). Since 5 March 2026, PESEL UKR has been governed by ustawa z dnia 13 czerwca 2003 r. o udzielaniu cudzoziemcom ochrony na terytorium Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej (the Act on Granting Protection to Foreigners): the rules were moved there when the special act was wound down.

Option 1. PESEL when you register your address

If you live in Poland and can register at an address, you get a PESEL number automatically. The same gmina that handles your zameldowanie requests it, so there’s no separate application to write.

The law names a valid travel document – your passport – as the basis for entering a foreigner’s details in the register. Your gmina will tell you which other papers you need to register your address.

Option 2. Applying for a PESEL

If you can’t register but you need the number, submit an application for a PESEL number (wniosek o nadanie numeru PESEL). You can do this if specific regulations require you to have a PESEL – for example, in matters with ZUS (social security) or the tax office.

How to apply:

1. Fill in the form on paper and sign it by hand.
2. Submit it at any municipal office, not necessarily where you live. In Warsaw, that means any branch of the Office of Administration and Civil Affairs (Biuro Administracji i Spraw Obywatelskich), and you can book a visit online. The form and the procedure are on the City of Warsaw website.
3. In the application, state the legal basis that requires you to have a PESEL. If an institution such as ZUS or the tax office is asking for the number, ask them to tell you that legal basis.
4. Since 1 January 2026, all foreigners must come in person except citizens of the EU, the EFTA states in the EEA and Switzerland, UK citizens covered by the Withdrawal Agreement, and their family members. The exception is children born in Poland.

Can your employer apply for you

No. The law says plainly that the number is given on the application of the person themselves, and attending in person is now compulsory for citizens of Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova. So a power of attorney for a friend or your employer no longer works for this application. Your employer or agency can show you how to fill in the form and confirm in writing why you need the number.

What documents to bring

• The completed and signed application form.
• A valid passport to prove your identity.
• Documents confirming the details you entered on the form. You show them to the gmina official for inspection.
• A document or letter from the institution, if it is the one asking for your PESEL: this makes it easier to state the legal basis correctly.

Without a valid passport or other travel document, you can’t get either a standard PESEL or PESEL UKR. If your passport is about to expire, sort out a new one first.

How long it takes and whether you pay

Applying for a PESEL is free. The law doesn’t set a deadline in days: the gmina deals with the application without delay (niezwłocznie). If everything is in order, you receive a notice that a PESEL number has been assigned (powiadomienie o nadaniu numeru PESEL).

If something is missing from the application, the gmina will ask you to fix it within 7 days. Miss that and the application is left unprocessed, so you’ll have to apply again.

PESEL UKR: what changed on 5 March 2026

Since 5 March 2026, ustawa z dnia 23 stycznia 2026 r. o wygaszeniu rozwiązań wynikających z ustawy o pomocy obywatelom Ukrainy w związku z konfliktem zbrojnym na terytorium tego państwa oraz o zmianie niektórych innych ustaw (Dz.U. 2026 poz. 203) has been in force. It gradually winds down the special act for Ukrainian citizens. For PESEL UKR, the key points are:

• Temporary protection only. A number with UKR status is given to people entitled to temporary protection in Poland. Anyone who already has a residence permit, refugee status, another form of protection in Poland or temporary protection in another EU country won’t get PESEL UKR.
• 30 days from crossing the border. You apply at any municipal office within 30 days of crossing the Polish border. If you miss this deadline, your temporary protection ends.
• Passport and biometrics. You need a valid travel document and a 35×45 mm colour photo. Fingerprints are taken from age 6, and a specimen signature from age 12.
• The Border Guard checks the details. The Chief Commander of the Border Guard (Straż Graniczna) keeps a register of people who have applied, with their border-crossing dates. If your entry wasn’t recorded at the border – say, you came from another Schengen country – the Border Guard registers your stay on the basis of that same application.

Separately, the law requires anyone who once got PESEL UKR based only on their own statement of identity, without a passport, to confirm their identity with a valid travel document at the municipal office within a set deadline. If that applies to you, check your details with your gmina.

Common mistakes and reasons for refusal

• No legal basis stated. The gmina will ask you to complete the application and, if nothing is fixed within 7 days, leave it unprocessed.
• Sending someone else. Since 2026, an application from a citizen of a country outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland (with some exceptions) won’t be accepted through a power of attorney.
• Turning up without a valid passport. A photocopy or an expired document won’t do.
• Missing the 30 days for PESEL UKR. After this deadline, temporary protection ends.
• Waiting for PESEL UKR while holding a residence card. People with a residence permit get a PESEL under the general rules.
• Paying a middleman. The process is free, and you have to apply in person anyway. We explain how to spot scammers in our article on fake job offers.

As the Warsaw City Office (Urząd m.st. Warszawy) points out, there is no appeal in this matter, so it’s easier to come with a full set of documents straight away.

What you need a PESEL for

PESEL is the identifier Polish institutions use. Without it many things are harder, and some online services aren’t available at all.

• Work and ZUS. Your PESEL number is usually entered in social security documents.
• Taxes. In dealings with the tax office (urząd skarbowy), PESEL also usually serves as your identifier.
• Doctor. Booking a doctor’s appointment and getting an e-prescription is easier with a PESEL number.
• Bank. Banks usually ask for a PESEL to open an account.
• Online services. Government online services such as Profil Zaufany or the mObywatel app usually require a PESEL.

If your status in the register changes – for example, from UKR to another one – your PESEL number itself stays the same.

How STARKO helps

We arrange work permits and help with PESEL and residence cards. Your coordinator speaks Ukrainian and Russian, is available every day and will tell you what to bring to the gmina. Looking for a job in Poland with accommodation? Send us an application and we’ll tell you what you need in your situation.