Hoping to chip away at a pandemic-era backlog that still affects thousands of expatriates, Poland’s Office for Foreigners (UdSC) is running a special ‘Information Saturday’ today, 26 September 2026, at its headquarters on ul. Taborowa 33 in Warsaw. Between 09:00 and 15:00 foreigners can collect decisions, submit missing documents, receive free legal guidance and register biometrics without an advance appointment. The event, co-organised with the International Organization for Migration and several NGO volunteers, is the third such clinic this quarter. According to UdSC data, average processing times for first-time temporary-stay permits in Mazowieckie fell from 272 days in 2025 to 198 days this August, but remain well above the statutory 60-day target. Officials say Saturday openings add roughly 1 600 15-minute customer slots per month and free up weekday capacity for more complex interviews. For employers the initiative is more than a courtesy gesture. “Every week of delay means one more set of proxy powers of attorney and payroll complications,” notes Agnieszka Bereś, mobility manager at a U.S. tech firm with 180 expatriate staff in Warsaw. She adds that being able to capture fingerprints outside office hours is particularly valuable for assignees on short implementation timelines. Visitors today can also register for the MOS electronic case-handling portal, which becomes mandatory for all residence-permit applications filed after 1 November 2026. Demonstration booths show how QR-coded appointment slips will eventually replace paper summons, part of a wider drive to bring Poland in line with EU Interoperability Framework rules. While the queues at the venue were modest in the morning, UdSC recommends arriving before 13:00 to guarantee service.
Source: Krajownik.pl events listing
