Updated: 3 September 2026. This article has been checked against the Act on Foreigners and current information and answers published by the Office for Foreigners.
MOS 2.0 - what is the Case Handling Module 2.0?
MOS 2.0 (Moduł Obsługi Spraw 2.0, the Case Handling Module 2.0) is a new ICT system operated by the Office for Foreigners (UdSC), which allows certain residence applications to be submitted online. In practice, this means a shift from paper applications to electronic submission.
Since 27 April 2026, applications for temporary residence permits, permanent residence permits and EU long-term resident permits have, as a rule, been submitted electronically through the UdSC portal. However, some temporary residence cases are excluded from this procedure and still require a paper application.
The operation of MOS 2.0 is governed by Articles 225a-225i of the Act on Foreigners (referred to below as the Act)[1].
Case Handling Module 2.0 - which applications can be submitted online?
Under the Act, MOS 2.0 is used to submit online applications for:
- a temporary residence permit, in particular:
1.1 temporary residence and work;
1.2 temporary residence for the purpose of highly qualified employment (EU Blue Card);
1.3 temporary residence for the purpose of studying;
1.4 temporary residence for the purpose of conducting business; temporary residence due to other circumstances; - a permanent residence permit,
- an EU long-term resident permit.
In cases subject to mandatory electronic submission, an application submitted on paper is left unexamined.
MOS 2.0 - which applications must still be submitted on paper?
Despite the launch of MOS 2.0, not all temporary residence applications can be submitted electronically. Paper applications are still required for temporary residence permits:
- for the purpose of working as part of an intra-corporate transfer;
- for the purpose of long-term mobility of a manager, specialist or trainee employee as part of an intra-corporate transfer;
- where the foreign national whom the application concerns is outside Poland:
3.1 for family reunification;
3.2 for a family member of a Polish citizen, an EU citizen or a UK national covered by the Withdrawal Agreement;
3.3 for a foreign national leading a family life, within the meaning of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, with a Polish citizen, an EU citizen or a UK national covered by the Withdrawal Agreement.
These are statutory exceptions to the rule that residence applications must be submitted electronically.
How to submit an application through MOS 2.0 step by step
Below, we explain what submitting an application through MOS 2.0 looks like in practice.
Step 1. Create an account in MOS
To start the procedure, a foreign national must create an individual MOS account. An account may also be created by:
- a parent of a foreign national who is a minor,
- a guardian of a foreign national,
- a court-appointed representative of an unaccompanied foreign minor.
Creating an account on the MOS 2.0 portal requires registration through login.gov.pl. In practice, this means that you need an active Trusted Profile (Profil Zaufany) and a PESEL number to use the system.
Before starting an application through MOS 2.0, it is therefore worth arranging the following in advance:
- obtaining a PESEL number,
- creating and activating a Trusted Profile.
Practical tip: the MOS account must be assigned to the correct person. Without logging in through login.gov.pl, you will not be able to proceed to the next stages of the application.
Step 2. Select the correct application type
Select the appropriate procedure in the system:
- temporary residence,
- permanent residence,
- EU long-term resident status.
Step 3. Enter your details and attach the documents
After submission, a staff member of the competent voivodeship office checks the accuracy of the details and attachments.
In some cases, simply attaching a scanned document will not be enough. If the application requires an attachment signed by the employer, the institution providing the studies, or the organiser of a traineeship or voluntary service, that document will have to be signed electronically or using a Trusted Profile and sent through MOS. Without the required signature, the system will not allow the application to be successfully submitted.
When completing the application, you will need to provide the email address of the employer or university. The system will send a link to that address so that the relevant attachment can be completed and signed. The link will be valid for 30 days.
Practical tip: attachments should be legible, complete and meet the requirements for the particular case. All paper documents must first be converted into digital form, as a scan or a clear, good-quality photograph. It is also important to note the system’s technical limits: the maximum photograph size is 2.5 MB, the maximum size of any other individual attachment is 10 MB, and all attachments together must not exceed 50 MB. The application photograph should be a JPG file of at least 684 × 883 pixels, with the proportions of 35 × 45 mm. Illegible, incomplete or oversized files may result in a request to remedy formal deficiencies.
Step 4. Sign the application electronically
After entering the details and adding the attachments, sign the application electronically and submit it through the system. In practice, for most users the key tool will be the Trusted Profile, used through login.gov.pl to verify identity and sign electronic documents.
Practical tip: the electronic signature must be made by the authorised person. Help with preparing an application is permitted, but this does not mean that another person can log in and sign the document on behalf of the foreign national using that person’s credentials.
Step 5. Submit the application through MOS
Once signed and submitted, the application enters the system. You can save it in PDF and XML formats and download the Official Acknowledgement of Receipt (Urzędowe Poświadczenie Odbioru, UPO). Technical statuses may also appear in the system, such as “Oczekuje na synchronizację” (Awaiting synchronisation) and “Przesłany” (Sent). The “Przesłany” status means that the application has been transmitted to the system and you should await the next stages of the case.
Practical tip: after submission, you cannot withdraw the application or edit it yourself in MOS. Before signing the form, it is therefore worth carefully checking the accuracy of the details, the completeness of the documents and whether the application matches the appropriate legal basis for residence.
Step 6. Wait for further action by the office
Unfortunately, submitting an application online does not mean that visits to the office are no longer needed. The procedure still requires:
- appearing in person,
- presenting the original documents,
- having your fingerprints taken.
Practical tip: after submitting your application, check your correspondence regularly and respond to requests from the office. Sending the form through the portal does not complete the entire procedure.
What happens after you submit an application through MOS 2.0?
Submitting an application online does not complete the procedure. Once a staff member of the voivodeship office (UW) has checked and approved the application, the foreign national will be able to download a certificate confirming submission of an application for a residence permit from the system. It will replace the stamp previously placed in the passport. However, it does not entitle the holder to cross the border.
As the case progresses, the voivode will ask the foreign national to:
- appear in person,
- present the original of a valid passport,
- provide fingerprints and a specimen signature,
- supplement the information in the application,
- provide additional documents.
Practical tip: after submitting your application, check your correspondence regularly and respond to requests from the office. Sending the form through MOS does not eliminate contact with the voivodeship office or release you from further obligations in the case.
Further correspondence and the decision are served outside MOS.
Is MOS 2.0 mandatory?
Yes. For cases covered by MOS, applications are submitted exclusively electronically through the MOS portal. However, some temporary residence cases are excluded from the system and still require a paper application.
What should you do if MOS 2.0 is unavailable?
If an officially confirmed MOS outage prevents you from submitting an application on the last day of your lawful stay, you must submit it no later than within 3 working days following the day on which the system became available again. The first day of the system’s unavailability is then treated as the submission date.
This is a very important safeguard for people submitting an application near the end of their lawful stay. However, information about system outages, scheduled maintenance and restoration of the portal should be published on the UdSC website[2].
Does MOS 2.0 mean the end of paper applications?
No. MOS 2.0 introduces electronic submission as the rule for many residence applications, but not all of them. Some temporary residence cases still require a paper application.
The most common problems when submitting an application through MOS 2.0
- no PESEL number - without one, creating a Trusted Profile and using the system may be impossible,
- no Trusted Profile - without authentication through login.gov.pl, you cannot complete the entire procedure,
- problems with login.gov.pl - difficulties logging in or signing the application may prevent you from submitting it on time,
- no electronically signed attachment from the employer or university - in some cases, the system will block successful submission without this attachment,
- incorrectly scanned attachments - illegible scans, missing documents or oversized files may cause formal problems,
- incorrect legal basis for residence - selecting the wrong application type may make further handling of the case more difficult,
- mistakenly assuming that everything can be done without visiting the office - a visit to the voivodeship office may still be necessary after submission.
Key information about MOS 2.0 - summary
MOS 2.0 / Moduł Obsługi Spraw 2.0 is a new portal for submitting residence applications online. Since 27 April 2026, applications for permanent residence, EU long-term resident status and, as a rule, temporary residence have been submitted through the UdSC electronic portal, subject to statutory exceptions. Users must create an account, enter their details, attach documents and sign the application electronically. Some cases also require an electronically signed attachment from the employer, university, or organiser of a traineeship or voluntary service. The Act provides protection for the submission deadline in the event of a system outage.
FAQ - frequently asked questions about MOS 2.0
1. What is MOS 2.0?
MOS 2.0 is the new Case Handling Module (Moduł Obsługi Spraw), an ICT system for submitting certain residence applications online in Poland.
2. When did MOS 2.0 launch?
According to official announcements, the system launched on 27 April 2026.
3. Which applications can be submitted through MOS 2.0?
MOS can be used to submit applications for:
- temporary residence,
- permanent residence,
- EU long-term resident status.
4. Do you need a Trusted Profile to use MOS 2.0?
Yes. Registration in MOS and signing the application use the methods available at login.gov.pl.
A qualified electronic signature may be used to sign the application, but it does not allow you to create a MOS account.
5. Do you need a PESEL number to use MOS 2.0?
You log in to MOS through login.gov.pl. Since creating a Trusted Profile requires a PESEL number, in practice you need a PESEL number to use the system.
6. Does an attachment from an employer or university have to be signed electronically?
Yes. If a case requires an attachment signed by the employer, university, or organiser of a traineeship or voluntary service, that document must be signed electronically or using a Trusted Profile and sent through MOS. Without the required attachment, the system will block submission of the application.
7. Can you submit an application through MOS 2.0 without leaving home?
You can prepare and submit an application online, but in many cases you may still need to appear at the office in person, for example to present documents or have your fingerprints taken.
8. Can you correct an application after submitting it through MOS 2.0?
No. Once the application has been signed and submitted, MOS does not provide a way to withdraw it or edit it yourself. Before signing the form, carefully check the details, attachments and legal basis for residence.
9. What happens after you submit an application through MOS 2.0?
After submitting an application, you can download the UPO. Once a staff member of the voivodeship office has checked and approved the application, a certificate confirming submission will appear in the system. This certificate replaces the stamp previously placed in the passport. However, it does not entitle the holder to cross the border. As the case progresses, the voivode will also ask the foreign national to appear in person, present their passport, provide fingerprints or submit additional documents.
10. What should you do if MOS is unavailable?
If an officially confirmed MOS outage prevents you from submitting an application on the last day of your lawful stay, you must submit it no later than within 3 working days following the day on which the system became available again. The first day of the system’s unavailability is then treated as the submission date.
Make sure that the outage has been officially announced by UdSC. Otherwise, the office may refuse to accept the application. If you experience technical problems, contact us.
11. Is MOS 2.0 mandatory?
Yes. For the specified permit categories, applications are to be submitted exclusively electronically through the MOS portal.
12. Can an authorised representative help you submit an application through MOS 2.0?
Yes. Support from a professional representative can be very helpful when selecting the legal basis for residence, preparing documents and checking the application for accuracy.
However, the representative cannot log in to MOS instead of the foreign national using that person’s Trusted Profile, or sign the application using another person’s credentials. Using another person’s electronic identification means or electronic signature may result in a fine, restriction of liberty or imprisonment for up to 3 years. The legal basis is Articles 40 and 40a of the Act on Trust Services and Electronic Identification[3]. UdSC and the gov.pl portal also advise against sharing your login.gov.pl credentials with anyone.
Legal basis
- Act of 12 December 2013 on Foreigners (Journal of Laws of 2025, item 1079, consolidated text)
- Office for Foreigners - questions and answers about MOS
- Act of 5 September 2016 on Trust Services and Electronic Identification (Journal of Laws of 2024, item 1725)
- Office for Foreigners - information about MOS 2.0