Your Right to Appeal
If your TRC is rejected, you have 14 calendar days from receiving the negative decision to file a free appeal (odwolanie) to the Head Office for Foreigners (Urzad do Spraw Cudzoziemcow). Your legal stay continues throughout the appeal.
The appeal is addressed to the Head Office but submitted through the Voivodeship Office that issued the rejection. It must be filed in writing — by paper mail or e-Doreczenia. Appeals cannot be submitted through MOS.
Appeal Process
| Stage | Deadline | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| File odwolanie | 14 days from receiving rejection | Free |
| Head Office decision | 90 days by law (often longer) | Free |
| Court complaint (skarga) | 30 days from Head Office decision | 200 PLN |
The Head Office can: overturn the rejection and grant TRC, send the case back for re-examination, or uphold the rejection.
Burman Robinson, which has filed over 800 TRC appeals since 2017, reports that procedural violations by the office are present in the majority of rejections they analyze — such as failure to properly serve document requests or insufficient investigation. These form strong legal grounds for reversal.
Common Rejection Reasons
Incomplete documentation not completed within deadline
Insufficient financial proof — below 1,010 PLN/month (single) or 823 PLN/person (family)
Invalid insurance — coverage below 50,000 EUR or expired policy
Employer issues — Appendix 1 errors, company not meeting requirements, salary below minimum
Loss of purpose — no longer enrolled (student), no longer employed (work), business inactive
Missed fingerprinting — did not appear when called
Security concerns — flagged by ABW or Border Guard
After the decision: check all personal data (name, date of birth) for errors. Errors can be corrected through “oczywista omylka pisarska” procedure.
Sources: Act on Foreigners; KPA Art. 127-140; gov.pl/web/udsc-en; mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl; practitioner experience.
Last updated: March 2026. Part of TRC Guide.
Last updated: March 2026. Part of TRC Guide — free, independent immigration information.