First steps in Warsaw

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1. 1. 🏠 Register your address (meldunek)

   Anyone living in Poland registers their address. You can do it online with a trusted profile or at any district office (urząd dzielnicy); a tenant needs the landlord's confirmation. For foreigners, registration also gives you a PESEL number.

   How to register (gov.pl) ↗

2. 2. 🔢 Get a PESEL number

   PESEL is the ID number you'll be asked for by employers, doctors, banks and offices. If registering your address didn't give you one, apply at a district office and bring a document showing why you need it (an employment contract, for example).

   Apply for PESEL (gov.pl) ↗

3. 3. 🇺🇦 Ukrainian citizens: check your statusCitizens of Ukraine

   The special rules for people who came from Ukraine (PESEL with UKR status, the CUKR residence card) changed in 2025 and 2026, and some rights depend on keeping your status active. Check your status and the current deadlines on the city's page for Ukrainian citizens, which also lists information points.

   Official matters for Ukrainian citizens (19115) ↗

4. 4. 🪪 Residence permit (non-EU citizens)Non-EU citizens

   If you're not from the EU and staying longer than your visa, apply for a temporary residence permit before your current stay ends. Applications go through the online MOS system; in Warsaw your case is handled by the Mazowiecki Voivodeship Office. EU citizens staying over 3 months register their stay at the same office.

   Apply online (MOS) ↗

5. 5. 🏦 Bank account and phone number

   Most banks open an account with a passport, and having a PESEL makes it easier. Prepaid SIM cards have to be registered with an ID document, which you can do in the shop. A Polish number and BLIK payments in your banking app make daily life much simpler.

   Why PESEL helps (gov.pl) ↗

6. 6. 🩺 Health insurance and a family doctor

   If you work on an employment contract, your employer registers you for public health insurance (NFZ). Then choose a family doctor (POZ) near home by filling in a declaration at the clinic or online. The Internet Patient Account (IKP) shows your prescriptions, referrals and insurance status.

   Internet Patient Account (pacjent.gov.pl) ↗

7. 7. 🚋 Transport card and Karta Warszawiaka

   For daily travel, a 30- or 90-day ticket on the city card or in a ticket app is cheapest. If you live in Warsaw and file your income tax (PIT) here, you can get the Karta Warszawiaka: cheaper long-term tickets and discounts in city venues.

   Karta Warszawiaka (WTP) ↗

8. 8. 🧾 Income tax (PIT) in Warsaw

   Everyone with income in Poland files a yearly PIT return, usually by 30 April, and the tax office prepares a draft in e-Urząd Skarbowy. Give your Warsaw address in it: part of your tax then goes to the city, and it's what qualifies you for the Karta Warszawiaka.

   e-Urząd Skarbowy (podatki.gov.pl) ↗

City guideCompare two districtsMoving help

This is a guide, not legal advice. Rules change; the linked official pages are what counts.