14 days to file your appeal — and you submit it through the voivode who refused you.
Overview
First-instance decisions on temporary residence, permanent residence and long-term EU resident permits are made by voivodes (regional governors) at the relevant voivodeship office. Work permit decisions are made by the voivodeship marshal (marszałek województwa). Visa refusals for Schengen and national D-type visas are made by Polish consulates or by border authorities. If a voivode refuses your residence permit, you have 14 days from the date of receipt of the decision to lodge an appeal (odwołanie) with the Head of the Office for Foreigners (Szef Urzędu do Spraw Cudzoziemców), submitted via the voivode who issued the negative decision. There is no fee for appealing. After the Head of the Office decides, judicial review is available before the Provincial Administrative Court (Wojewódzki Sąd Administracyjny, WSA) and ultimately the Supreme Administrative Court (Naczelny Sąd Administracyjny, NSA). Verified against gov.pl/udsc-en, udsc.gov.pl/faqudsc, and migrant.poznan.uw.gov.pl as of June 2026.
The Appeal Chain
| Stage | Decision-Maker | Deadline | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| First instance | Voivode (voivodeship office) | — | PLN 340 stamp duty (application stage) |
| Administrative appeal | Head of the Office for Foreigners (UDSC) | 14 days from receipt of decision | No fee |
| Judicial review 1st instance | Provincial Administrative Court (WSA) | 30 days from receipt of UDSC decision | Court filing fee applies |
| Cassation appeal | Supreme Administrative Court (NSA) | 30 days from WSA judgment | Court filing fee applies |
| Refugee status appeals | Refugee Affairs Council (Rada ds. Uchodźców) | 14 days from UDSC decision | No fee |
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See Paid Plans →Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to appeal a Polish residence permit refusal and where do I submit the appeal?
You have 14 days from the date you received the written decision of the voivode. The appeal is addressed to the Head of the Office for Foreigners (Szef Urzędu do Spraw Cudzoziemców, UDSC) but must be submitted through the voivodeship office that issued the decision — not directly to UDSC's Warsaw headquarters. There is no fee for the appeal itself. Since 1 January 2026, the e-Doręczenia system is the primary electronic channel for official correspondence with UDSC. Filing a timely appeal generally allows you to remain in Poland while the appeal is pending.
Who makes the final administrative decision on a Polish residence permit — the voivode or UDSC?
The voivode makes the first-instance decision. If you appeal, the Head of the Office for Foreigners (UDSC) is the second-instance administrative body and makes the final administrative decision. After UDSC, only judicial review by the Provincial Administrative Court (WSA) and then the Supreme Administrative Court (NSA) is available. There is no further administrative appeal beyond UDSC — the courts are the only route after that.
Can I stay in Poland while my appeal against a refused residence permit is being decided?
Yes — if you lodged your appeal within the statutory 14-day period, the obligation to leave Poland is suspended during the appeal process. This is an important protection under the Act on Foreigners: a timely appeal means the decision is not yet final, so your stay is not unlawful. However, if you do not appeal within 14 days and the decision becomes final, you must leave Poland by the deadline stated in the decision — typically 30 days from the day the decision becomes final.
What happens after the Head of the Office for Foreigners upholds the refusal?
After UDSC upholds the refusal, your remaining options are judicial. You may file a complaint with the Provincial Administrative Court (Wojewódzki Sąd Administracyjny, WSA) within 30 days of receiving the UDSC decision. If WSA upholds the refusal, a cassation appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court (Naczelny Sąd Administracyjny, NSA) is possible within 30 days of the WSA judgment. Court proceedings involve filing fees and typically require legal representation. There is no separate Ombudsman route specific to immigration decisions, though general administrative complaints can be lodged.
If my Polish national visa is refused, can I appeal?
For D-type national visas refused at a Polish consulate, there is no independent external appeal body. The only internal review mechanism is a reconsideration request (ponowne rozpatrzenie) submitted to the same consulate, at a cost of EUR 200. Consulates are not always required to give detailed reasons for refusal. If you believe there was a procedural error, you can submit a complaint (Skargi i wnioski) to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but this does not automatically result in a visa being granted.
How is a work permit refusal appealed — the process is different to a residence permit?
Work permits (Type A–E) are issued by the voivodeship marshal's office, not the voivode. Refusals of work permits can be appealed to the relevant Samorządowe Kolegium Odwoławcze (Local Government Appeals Board, SKO) within 14 days. After SKO, judicial review is available in the administrative courts. The appeal process is distinct from the residence permit appeal chain (which goes to UDSC). Applicants with both a unified residence-and-work permit and a separate work permit need to be aware that these are handled by different authorities with different appeal bodies.