Immigration & Residence in Poland

There is no single universal document list -- what you need depends heavily on your basis for residence (work, marriage to a Polish citizen, joining a foreign-resident family member, study, business, etc.). Every route shares a few common elements: a valid passport, a completed application (usually via MOS), a biometric photo, and evidence supporting your specific basis.

No, they're not the same. A national visa (D visa) is issued by a Polish consul abroad and covers entry and stays over 90 days, up to a combined maximum validity of 1 year. A temporary residence permit is issued in Poland itself, by the competent voivode, and is generally needed for an intended stay over 3 months, valid up to 3 years.

Generally yes. Under Art. 108 of the Act on Foreigners, your stay is considered legal from the day you submit a temporary residence application until the decision becomes final -- provided the application was filed on time and any formal deficiencies were corrected within the required deadline.

You must apply to exchange your residence card within 14 calendar days of a change to the data shown on it, a change in your appearance that affects identification, loss, or damage. This is a national deadline, regardless of voivodeship.

Permanent residence (zezwolenie na pobyt stały) is an unlimited-duration residence status, granted on several different legal bases -- there is no single universal pathway. One common route is marriage to a Polish citizen.

EU long-term resident status is an unlimited-duration status requiring at least 5 years of continuous, legal residence in Poland immediately before the application (the accompanying residence card itself is issued for 5 years and needs periodic exchange, but the underlying status doesn't expire).

15 working days, counted from the date your employment with the entity named in your permit ended -- this applies to a temporary residence-and-work permit where the employer is named in the decision.

Not always. Whether an apostille or legalisation is needed depends on the country that issued the document. There is no single universal answer -- treat any claim that "every foreign marriage certificate needs an apostille" with caution.