PESEL and meldunek for a foreigner — why you need them and how to get them

You will get a PESEL automatically and free of charge when you register (meldunek) in Poland for a stay longer than 30 days — the municipal office applies for the number itself. If you cannot register, you can file an application for a PESEL at any municipal office; since 1 January 2026 foreigners from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland do this exclusively in person. Registration deadlines (as of August 2026): citizens of the EU, EFTA and Switzerland — no later than on the 30th day from arrival if the stay will exceed 3 months; other foreigners — no later than on the 4th day, when the stay in Poland is to last longer than 30 days. Costs: registration 0 PLN, issuing of the PESEL number 0 PLN; only the certificate of temporary registration (17 PLN) and a possible power of attorney (17 PLN) are payable. The flat owner’s consent is not required — a lease agreement as legal title to the premises is enough.

What is a PESEL and what do you need it for?

PESEL is an 11-digit identification number in the state population register. In practice you need it almost everywhere: to settle your PIT with the tax office (individuals without a business activity use the PESEL number, not a NIP), for settlements with ZUS, for a visit to a clinic under the NFZ, to set up a profil zaufany (trusted profile) — and therefore for all e-services on gov.pl.

One important caveat: a PESEL does not legalise your stay. It does not replace a visa or a residence card and in itself does not give the right to work in Poland — it is purely a record-keeping number.

How to obtain a PESEL number in 2026?

The first and simplest path: register for a stay longer than 30 days. The PESEL number will be assigned automatically, with no additional application. You will usually receive the number within several days to about two weeks of registration.

The second path — when you cannot register, for example because you do not have a lease agreement yet. Since 1 June 2021 you can file an application for a PESEL number at any municipal office in Poland, indicating the legal basis — most often tax obligations. Since 1 January 2026 foreigners from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland file the application exclusively in person, with a passport or another identity document. The service is free; if you act through a proxy, 17 PLN of stamp duty for the power of attorney is added.

Citizens of Ukraine covered by temporary protection have a separate path — a PESEL with UKR status. Since 5 March 2026 the special act of 12 March 2022 has been replaced by a phasing-out act: existing UKR numbers remain valid, and temporary protection lasts until 4 March 2027. People arriving after 5 March 2026 file an application for PESEL UKR within 30 days of entry; a number granted on the basis of a declaration alone (without a photo document) requires a data update by 31 August 2026 — otherwise the UKR status expires as of 1 September 2026.

Who does the meldunek apply to and within what deadline?

The registration obligation follows from the Act of 24 September 2010 on population records and covers foreigners as well. The deadlines depend on citizenship:

• citizens of the EU, EFTA and Switzerland and their family members — register no later than on the 30th day from arrival, provided the stay in a given place is to exceed 3 months;
• other foreigners — no later than on the 4th day from arrival, unless the entire stay in Poland does not exceed 30 days (a short tourist trip does not require registration).

What about penalties? Since 1 January 2013 Polish citizens and citizens of the EU, EFTA and Switzerland do not face a fine for the lack of registration. Foreigners from outside the EU are formally still subject to a fine for evading the registration obligation (art. 59 of the Population Records Act), although in practice these are rarely applied. Registration is simply worth it anyway — more on that in a moment.

Which documents should you prepare for registration?

For registration of a temporary stay at the municipal office (in Warszawa — at the district office competent for the address of the flat) you need:

1. a completed “Zgłoszenie pobytu czasowego” (notification of temporary stay) form — the template is the same across the country, and in it you declare the expected period of stay (e.g. until the end of the lease);
2. a passport or a residence card;
3. a document confirming legal stay — a visa, a residence card or a stamp confirming entry under visa-free travel (applies to non-EU citizens);
4. the lease agreement — for inspection, as a document confirming legal title to the premises (we wrote separately about what to watch out for in a lease agreement).

A note on e-registration: since 1 January 2026 the “Zamelduj się” service on gov.pl works in combination with the e-Doręczenia system and is available exclusively to citizens of the EU, EFTA and Switzerland and their family members (a profil zaufany is required). Other foreigners handle the matter in person at the office — with a complete set of documents, registration takes place on the spot, during a single visit.

Is the owner’s consent required for the meldunek?

This is the most common misunderstanding in renting. The regulations do not provide for the owner’s “consent” to a tenant’s registration. If you have a signed lease agreement, it is your legal title to the premises — you present it at the office and that is enough. Only if you have no title of your own (e.g. you live with friends without an agreement) does the owner or another person with legal title have to confirm your stay with a signature on the form.

An owner who is worried about a tenant’s registration is worth showing art. 28 sec. 4 of the Population Records Act: registration serves record-keeping purposes only and confirms the mere fact of the stay. It gives no rights to the premises — neither ownership, nor tenancy, nor the right to live there after the agreement ends. A temporary registration also expires automatically at the end of the declared period, without any formalities. It is nevertheless good practice to inform the owner of your intention to register — just as it is to assemble the documents for renting a flat in advance. Foreigners who sign the agreement through an agency have the easiest time: in our rental service for tenants the agreement immediately contains the data needed at the office, so a single visit is enough for registration.

How much do the PESEL and the meldunek cost?

Fee rates (as of August 2026):

Service	Cost
Registration (permanent or temporary)	0 PLN
Issuing of the PESEL number	0 PLN
Certificate of permanent residence registration	0 PLN (issued ex officio)
Certificate of temporary residence registration	17 PLN (on request)
Stamp duty for a power of attorney	17 PLN

So if you do not need certificates or a proxy, you will pay nothing.

What do the meldunek and PESEL give you in practice?

A few specific situations in which these formalities make a real difference:

• Taxes. You file your annual PIT return using your PESEL number; without it, e-Urząd Skarbowy and the Twój e-PIT service are out of reach.
• E-administration. A PESEL is a condition for setting up a profil zaufany, without which it is hard to handle any official matter online.
• Health. At the clinic and the pharmacy the system identifies you by your PESEL number — with it, you can collect an e-prescription using just the number and a code.
• Bank and credit. A PESEL speeds up opening an account and is essential when applying for a mortgage for foreigners.
• A child at school. The address of residence determines the catchment area — the local school has a duty to admit a child from its own district.
• A car. Vehicle registration, and in Warszawa also the resident permit in the paid parking zone, are tied to the address and record data.

An hour spent at the district office therefore pays off quickly. If you rent a flat through allproperty, after signing the agreement we advise which documents to prepare for the registration and which office is competent for your address — this is part of our standard rental service, at no extra charge. And if you are only just looking for a flat in Warszawa, take a look at the catalogue of flats for rent or write to us: you know the terms of cooperation for rentals up front, and we will go through the formalities together. With the 4-day registration deadline for non-EU citizens every hour counts, which is why we work 24/7 — call at any time, including at night or at the weekend, at +48 666 866 468 or +48 692 649 839.