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Immigration Attorney Lewi Masyk-Gola, Warsaw (2026)

15/10/2026

LAWYER PROMISES YOU A "GUARANTEED WIN"? CHECK IT OUT!

Here's a reason why no serious lawyer will promise you a "guaranteed win".

This is a case handled for my attorney-at-law friend partner. I took over the citizenship case to speed it up. After we received the court judgment, the Wojewoda finally started to finish the case. I always find it funny that the original deadline given by the Wojewoda was the end of 2027, but after a court complaint, he was able to deal with it faster (so someone else will have to wait even longer, haha - that's how it is).

Anyway, we received a request for additional documents. My Client came back from holidays and lost half of those holidays just to submit them! The documents were submitted together with my attorney-at-law friend (under his supervision), and they had a notarized copy of the passport and confirmation that they had submitted it.

And what was the decision?

The decision was negative because, according to the Wojewoda, the passport was only submitted as a copy...

So, the result is that my Client received a negative decision because he supposedly failed to submit a notarized copy (even though he did). He lost half of his holidays just to receive a negative decision, even though everything was done correctly. Not to mention that he paid 200 PLN+ for notarization at the notary's office...

And whose fault is it? Obviously, the Wojewoda's.

So now, ask yourself - can a lawyer guarantee you a win if something like this happens? Promising a win is just a lie, bad intent, or a sign that the lawyer hasn't seen much yet.

BTW, as you can see, court complaints in citizenship cases work quite well. If you have such a case, DM me for help.

As for this case, I'll appeal the decision, and in 1-2 months, my Client will become Polish, but the damage has already been done. My Client feels that he was cheated by the Wojewoda, and his holidays will never come back - but that's life, right?

Best regards,
Lewi Masyk-Gola
Attorney-at-law

14/10/2026

Another positive court judgment ordering action in a case against the Silesian Voivodeship Office in Katowice!

However, the decision still hasn't been issued.

Why do some applicants receive a decision almost immediately after a court complaint is filed, while others are still waiting even after obtaining a positive court judgment?

Who knows? Unfortunately, there is no consistent answer.

What I can tell you is that a court complaint for inactivity or excessive length of proceedings is one of the legal measures available to push your case forward. While it does not guarantee an immediate decision, it gives you a way to challenge the authority's failure to act.

If you need help speeding up your residence permit proceedings, feel free to DM me.

Best regards,
Lewi Masyk-Gola
Attorney-at-law

14/10/2026

Another positive appeal for my student client!

The client was already represented by a lawyer, but unfortunately, not all the necessary documents had been submitted. She approached me for assistance with the proceedings and the appeal.

We filed the appeal within the statutory deadline and gathered all the necessary supporting documents. After 7 months, we finally received a positive decision!

If you need assistance with an appeal in your residence permit case, feel free to send me a DM.

Best regards,
Lewi Masyk-Gola
Attorney-at-law

14/10/2026

Let's add up some new good advices about your stay in Poland!

📘 Legal Survival Guide for Foreigners in Poland, VOL. 1
By Lewi Masyk-Gola, Attorney at Law

1. Record every entry and exit from Poland (and any other country).
You will be asked about this during TRC, EU Long-Term Residence, and especially citizenship applications. Many people don’t care and later can’t even recall where or when they travelled. Trust me: trying to reconstruct this from passport stamps or flight tickets is extremely time-consuming. And no — you cannot ask the Border Guard to provide this information for you.

2. Keep all your old passports.
If your home country allows you to keep them after renewal, do it. They may be necessary for proving continuity of stay and legal entry dates.

3. Always stay legal — no exceptions.
I've met dozens of people saying, “But I was illegal only for 14 days, and I pay taxes here!” Sorry — nobody cares. The law is the law. Even a few days of illegal stay will destroy your entire case.

4. Trust your lawyer — or find one you can trust.
Once you choose a lawyer, follow their advice. If you don’t trust them, find someone else. Half-following your lawyer while listening to "friends" is a recipe for disaster. Don’t cross-examine your lawyer — if you do, it means you don’t trust him.

5. Always check the law before doing anything.
Before signing contracts, starting TRC or court procedures — check the legal consequences. Don’t act based on “I think it’s fine.” Especially when your legal status is at stake.

6. “Can you make me legal? Money is no issue!”
No — usually, I can’t. See Point 3. Legality isn’t for sale.

7. “I want a lawyer with special connections. Do you know one?”
No — and don’t ask again. Attempting to bribe or “pull strings” in Poland is dangerous and illegal. Even if some “agents” promise TRC in 3 days, work permits in 7, or citizenship in 2 weeks — think! If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
In the end, you’re just scamming yourself.
Like Machiavelli wrote:
“A person seeking to deceive will always find someone who wants to be deceived.”

8. Always tell the truth in legal procedures — especially TRC.
I’ve seen dozens of people give false statements — even “small” omissions like forgetting a minor offense (wykroczenie). Still, the procedure ended negatively because of that.
Even if a lawyer submits your application, you are responsible for its content. Blaming your representative won’t help.
Also remember: attorneys-at-law are your representatives, not prosecutors or judges. I’m not obliged to verify the truth of your story. If you lie to me, you’ll bear the consequences, not me.

9. Always pay your debts.
Some people think they can just leave unpaid rent or loans behind. Don’t forget — in Poland, non-payment may be considered a crime (if done with intent to deceive).
Polish court judgments can be enforced across the EU. Running off to another EU country won’t protect you if you want to live and work legally.

10. Never break penal law.
Ignorance is no excuse. Most criminal laws are based on common sense — so use it. If something is illegal in your country, it's probably illegal here too.

11. Never work without a work permit.
Getting caught working illegally means deportation. Simple as that.

12. “Can you make me a citizen of Poland? I don’t like the language, but I’m rich, so it’s okay?”

No, I’m sorry — but Poles are quite proud of their history and culture. We are not one of the Caribbean nations where you can buy citizenship (with all due respect to those countries).
In Poland, you need to be culturally integrated to become a Pole.
Yes, there is the Presidential path to citizenship, but I don’t think your earnings alone will be recognized as something “great for Poland.”

Sometimes, I recommend the presidential route — but only for specific groups:
People of Polish descent who are not considered Polish,
People who’ve contributed significantly to Polish culture (artists, actors),

People who helped strengthen Polish military capacity (e.g., NATO soldiers who trained our forces after we joined NATO).
Of course, you may try — but I’m always honest: it most likely won’t work.

13. Don’t buy appointment dates for TRC from scammers.
How do they get them? Probably with bots, or by sitting in groups refreshing the website 24/7. Maybe they also have “connections” inside offices — connections you really don’t want anything to do with.
Believe me: going for interviews with prosecutors or police — even as a witness — is not pleasant, especially for an immigrant.
Also, supporting these people is exactly why you're waiting forever for appointments.

14. Don’t use violence against anyone — especially women or their new boyfriends.
I know some people are short-tempered or come from cultures where emotional outbursts are handled differently. But seriously — don’t threaten your ex’s new partner with a knife. You won’t go far in Poland behaving like that.

15. Try to learn Polish culture and language.
Even if you’re a person of color and some people initially act cold toward you — once you try to speak Polish (even broken Polish), you’ll often break the ice.
Even people who may be considered “right-wing” will probably respect your effort.

16. Don’t ignore court dates or letters from immigration.
Claiming “I didn’t know” won’t help.
This isn’t only a foreigner problem — many Poles also throw away official letters and pretend they don’t exist. It’s a cultural flaw rooted in the old saying:
“Co z oczu, to z serca” (Out of sight, out of mind).

17. NEVER submit forged documents.
They will find out — sooner or later. It’s a crime, and it will lead to a negative TRC and far more problems for you. Don’t do it.
📘 Legal Survival Guide for Foreigners in Poland, VOL. 2!

18. Always sign every document – a document without your personal signature is, in practice, invalid, even if the second party has signed it. This applies to rent contracts, employment contracts, and any other document in which you express and confirm your will.

19. If you are illegal – contact an attorney-at-law immediately. Don’t wait for some miracle, believing that doing nothing will magically solve your case. If you don’t want legal assistance – simply leave Poland (and the Schengen Area). In many cases, you will be allowed to leave without deportation or a ban, and then you can apply for a visa and come back legally.

20. Don’t ignore the advice of your attorney-at-law, and don’t believe 100% guaranteed promises. If you have legal representation or are receiving professional advice, listen carefully. If you have trouble remembering information – ask your lawyer to send the consultation summary by email, or ask whether you can record the consultation. Personally, I have no problem with that – I am confident in the advice I give.

21. Don’t attempt to bribe anyone in Poland – especially not officials at the Voivodeship Office or the Police. This is the fastest way to open criminal proceedings against yourself. Bribery is extremely illegal here and very negatively perceived in society.

22. Life as a migrant may be difficult at times, but remember – you have almost the same rights as a Polish citizen. You have the right to live peacefully, to receive at least the minimum legal salary, to be left alone by the state when you follow the law, and to file complaints with the police or authorities when necessary. You got also right to believe what you want, or to express yourself.

23. Always keep copies and written confirmations of every document you submit to government authorities – especially to Voivodeship Offices. Or use the official E-Doręczenia system.

24. Always inform the Voivode (or Head of the Office) about a change of your permanent address. Failing to do so may lead to serious consequences – especially if you miss correspondence about hearings, calls for evidence, or decisions.

25. Don’t be afraid of attorney-at-laws. Even if you committed a crime, you are protected by strict professional confidentiality. I cannot disclose any information about your case unless a court formally forces me to do so (unless you plan mass genocide...).

26. Never miss appeal deadlines in any procedure. Appeals are a normal part of the legal process in Poland, and nobody will punish you for filing one. It is your fundamental right to defend your case properly.

27. Don’t trust “lawyers” working in commercial agencies. The rule is simple: the cheaper and more unrealistic the offer, the more likely you are dealing with a scam. Especially if the company promises legal miracles in two weeks and speaks in a heavy “eastern accent.” Don’t fall for it unless you’re ready to suffer the consequences later.

28. Don’t be aggressive toward Voivodeship office clerks. First – it may be illegal. Second – it will not help your case in any way. Clerks are humans, just like you and me. They will be far more willing to cooperate if you treat them with respect. Believe me – working in immigration administration is probably as stressful for them as it is for you.

29. Be prepared: Polish authorities may be extremely slow. I shouldn’t say it, but you need to get used to it. Especially courts, which practically cannot be forced to speed up proceedings.

30. Don’t marry someone only to obtain residence in Poland. First – authorities actively check for “marriages of convenience.” Second – it is simply disgraceful. Paying someone to marry you is also illegal and will absolutely result in a negative TRC decision anyway.

31. Always pay your taxes – it’s really hard to dodge them in such centralized systems, where you’re constantly under surveillance. Also remember, governments often treat “white-collar criminals” worse than ordinary criminals. If you think you’re above it, check out Al Capone’s story – he thought he could get away with everything too (he did, except for not paying taxes 😉 ). As the Polish saying goes: “pewne są tylko śmierć i podatki." - “Only death and taxes are certain.”

Tune in for Vol. 3!

If you have good ideas that might be added — feel free to comment or message me.

Best regards,
Lewi Masyk-Gola
Attorney at Law

13/10/2026

This week and last week, I received several court judgments in cases concerning complaints about excessive delays in administrative proceedings. However, I’ll be publishing them one by one, day by day, to keep the page a little more active.

In this case, the client had been waiting for a long time (no surprise there, right?). On March 4, I filed a complaint with the administrative court, and the client received the decision on March 9. Yes, just five days later.

Why doesn’t everyone receive their decision so quickly after a court complaint is filed? I’d love to know the answer to that myself.

In any case, we have now received a positive court judgment.

For anyone wondering why point 1 of the ruling states that “the proceedings are discontinued insofar as they concern the obligation imposed on the authority to issue a decision”, the explanation is simple: the authority had already issued the decision by the time the court ruled, so there was no longer any need for the court to order it to do so.

Should you file a court complaint in your own case? In my opinion, yes - especially if you have already been waiting a long time for a decision and your case remains unresolved.

If you need assistance with filing a court complaint, feel free to send me a DM.

Best regards,
Lewi Masyk-Gola
Attorney-at-law

05/10/2026

Another positive appeal from the Head of the Office for Foreigners.

This time, my Client received a negative decision regarding EULT because, supposedly, he had not completed 5 full years of legal stay before applying. Some of his previous TRCs/visas were issued for studies, so those periods counted only at 50%.

I appealed, arguing that the stamp in the passport confirming the pending application is, in principle, something similar to a TRC. Therefore, when you are legally staying in Poland on such a stamp after applying for a TRC, it should not be treated as an extension of the previous student visa, which would cause the period to count only at 50%.

The Head of the Office for Foreigners stated in the justification that I was wrong on this particular point. However, some of my other arguments were successful, and the Head of the Office ordered the Wojewoda to reconsider the case and examine those periods of stay once again.

So now the case goes back to the Wojewoda, and my Client has another chance of getting a positive decision.

There is no clear definition of what the stamp in the passport actually constitutes (or, nowadays, what the corresponding QR code constitutes). Some courts have held that it is a prolongation of the previous TRC/visa, but in my opinion, that interpretation does not make much sense.

If you have an appeal case, feel free to DM me for help.

Best regards,
Lewi Masyk-Gola
Attorney-at-law

05/10/2026

Today I received consultation documents from my client, and he received a negative court judgment. He received negative decisions because, according to the court, his lawyer never submitted the required documents on time.

Later, the lawyer drafted a complaint to the court for my client, but in her own name - as lawyers cannot represent you before the administrative court in such proceedings (only attorneys-at-law can). They can, however, draft the court complaint, which the client then submits in their own name.

The court wrote the following:

"With regard to the issue of understanding the requests addressed by the authority and the language understood by the applicant, it should be pointed out that the official language in the Republic of Poland is Polish, and administrative proceedings are, as a rule, conducted in that language. The Head of the Office for Foreigners is obliged to formulate requests in Polish, while the party is obliged to respond to such requests. Pursuant to the Code of Administrative Procedure, the burden of translating the requests and the responses to those requests rests with the applicant.

In the present case, it should be noted that the complainant was assisted by representatives whom she had chosen herself. Therefore, if she had difficulties understanding the authority’s requests, she should have sought assistance in understanding them from her representative or from persons sufficiently proficient in the Polish language. Consequently, the complainant’s allegations concerning the failure to provide her with information in a language she understood, or the failure to ensure her the possibility of active participation in the proceedings, are not supported by either the facts or the law."

So please keep this in mind:
1. You cannot simply claim that it was not your fault because you chose a representative who failed to do what they were supposed to do.

From the administrative law perspective, the actions - or failures - of your representative will be attributed to you.

2. The fact that you, or your representative (sic!), do not know Polish will not help you.

Why can you have a representative who does not even know Polish?

I have written about this dozens of times, but TL;DR: the Polish Code of Administrative Procedure is almost 60 years old. Many of its provisions come from communist Poland, when you could simply send a family member or neighbour to deal with your administrative case. Today, however, other foreigners may represent you in administrative proceedings.

The law has not necessarily caught up with the reality of modern immigration proceedings.

3. The fact that your lawyer receives documents or correspondence from the authority but never tells you about them does not change the fact that, from the perspective of administrative law, you may still bear the consequences.

So please keep this in mind when choosing your representative.

Choosing the wrong representative can have very real consequences for your case.

Best regards,
Lewi Masyk-Gola
Attorney-at-law

05/10/2026

And another court judgment concerning the delay of Wojewoda Śląski.

The decision was issued a few months ago, but the court judgment has only arrived now. I even checked when the court complaint was filed - it was sent on 11 June 2026, so this one came in less than four months. Quite fast.

For my Clients who filed court complaints with me in Katowice and still don't have a decision or court judgment - why are some cases handled faster than others? I honestly don't know.

This court judgment is one of the fastest ones I have received.

Does a court complaint affect your decision and change it to a positive one? No.

Does it make the case move faster? Yes - especially in Katowice.

Should you also try to speed up your case? Maybe. If you are willing to do so, you can read more about it here:

https://www.facebook.com/AttorneyLMG/posts/pfbid0h9fMbcDJqcRTEkxEAKbvtRKcCDDjGeRgdqui86qjn4QyMevKQK3wGFJY2PZXrnmql

Best regards,
Lewi Masyk-Gola
Attorney-at-law

02/10/2026

Another court judgment, this time concerning the Mazowiecki Urząd Wojewódzki.

My Client received the decision some time ago, and we have now received the court judgment as well. The complaint was filed around March 2026.

It seems that the Mazowiecki Urząd Wojewódzki is no longer issuing decisions immediately after a court complaint is filed. Nevertheless, filing a court complaint is still worthwhile, especially at the beginning of the process.

Best regards,
Lewi Masyk-Gola
Attorney-at-law

01/10/2026

READ THIS IF YOU ARE MY CLIENT FOR A COURT COMPLAINT TO SPEED UP PROCEEDINGS / OR A FUTURE CLIENT FOR SPEED UP!

---

A few words about court complaints, because some Clients have claimed that I am handling these cases incorrectly:

1. Some people receive decisions after filing a court complaint, and for them, the case ends at this stage. Others do not - why? I have no idea, because I am not an employee of the Wojewoda's office.

One thing is certain: I handle all of your cases in the same manner. No one is treated differently - neither better nor worse.

2. A court complaint is made by submitting it through the Wojewoda, who is then supposed to forward it to the court. However, some Wojewodas do not forward the complaint to the court!

What is the penalty for this? A financial penalty imposed on the Wojewoda, usually around PLN 500 (he is being paid with your tax money :)).

Some Clients get angry with me because the Wojewoda did not forward their complaint, and they ask for their money back. Obviously, no court is going to issue a judgment ordering an attorney to return their fee when the attorney did everything correctly in the case.

This is also explicitly provided for in Article 54 [Authority competent to receive the complaint]:

§ 1. A complaint to an administrative court shall be lodged through the authority whose action, failure to act, or excessive length of proceedings is the subject matter of the complaint.

However, in order to avoid extensive delays for my Clients, I submit the complaint directly to the court as a practical workaround. The court then forwards it to the Wojewoda, and the Wojewoda then sends it back to the court.

It doesn't make much sense, but in practice it can be better than having to explain to Clients that I did everything correctly and the authority simply failed to follow the procedure.

3. A court complaint takes 6+ months to be decided. You cannot speed it up.

Please don't get angry with me because I don't answer your messages asking "Is there anything new?" once a week. If I am not sending you a judgment or another note concerning your case, it means that there is nothing new yet.

Asking me repeatedly, threatening me, or calling the court will not make the case go any faster, so please relax.

4. Some Clients receive a positive judgment and still do not receive a positive decision from the Wojewoda. They then become angry because there is a "lack of result", even though the contract was for me to file a court complaint.

The court complaint was successful, but nothing happened afterwards. What can you do then?

Basically, you can file another court complaint, because there are no other legal measures available to force the authority to issue the decision.

Illogical? Stupid? Sure.

But please don't be angry with me. I did everything I could to help you. You are living where you are living, and it is not my fault that the authorities in this country sometimes fail to follow even the legal provisions that are supposed to regulate their actions.

5. "You are not calling the court and asking what is happening with my case!"

Yes, I will not be calling the court to ask about your case.

And why?

First, it will achieve nothing. You are interested in the judgment, not in knowing the current location of your case file or its internal status.

Second, the court communicates with me through official notes/notices. If something is missing, for example, if the court asks for a power of attorney that was already sent, I have to send it again. Obviously, this can prolong the case even when the court is simply mistaken.

Also, these court complaints concerning excessive length of proceedings are generally dealt with in simplified proceedings without a hearing (postępowanie uproszczone). The entire case is therefore handled on paper.

We are not going to court physically. We simply have to wait for the judgment.

Sometimes the court is sending a judgment within 3 days. Sometimes it takes 1.5 months. Sometimes much longer.

There is no fixed rule.

6. You do not need to ask me about your court complaint or judgment every day.

Believe me, I am even more interested in letting you know about the outcome than you are, because I would like to close as many cases as possible - I already have a lot of work.

If I am not writing to you on my own, it means that there is no judgment yet.

And yes - I will let you know about your case.

The only exceptions are if I am dead or seriously ill.

So if you see me posting new things here, for 99% of the time it means that I am perfectly fine and will get back to you one beautiful day. :)

7. The Wojewoda may appeal your positive judgment.

There is nothing you can do about that.

If this happens, the next judgment may take around 9 months to obtain, and it will most likely also be positive, as many similar cases are.

If you do not accept this possibility, then do not file a court complaint. You can simply wait in the queue for your decision indefinitely.

8. If you take this service and pay for it, I send you the power of attorney that I need in order to file your complaint, and then you do not respond to me for weeks, only to inform me later that you have already received a decision and want your money back - I will not refund the fee.

Why?

Because from my side, everything necessary to perform the service was done, and you were the one who caused the delay by not responding.

I cannot be expected to refund a fee because you failed to provide the necessary documents or information and the authority issued a decision during that time.

9. Your personal circumstances are generally not relevant to speeding up the administrative case itself.

The court is not going to speed up the case simply because you have a sick family member, medical treatment abroad, travel plans, financial problems, or other personal circumstances.

What matters for this type of complaint is primarily the objective course of the proceedings, in particular how long the case has been pending and whether the authority has failed to act within the applicable legal timeframe. Under the provisions applicable to TRC proceedings, the statutory timeframe for issuing a decision is generally 2 months.

You may have very serious personal reasons for wanting the decision immediately. I understand that.

However, those circumstances do not automatically give the court a legal basis to order the Wojewoda to decide your case faster.

10. Please do not ask me what you should do if, during the proceedings, you lose your job, have nowhere to live, lose your source of income, or find yourself in another difficult personal situation.

I am sorry to hear when something like this happens. However, please do not direct that frustration at me. I am doing what I can within the scope of the legal service you hired me to provide.

11. If you think I am a cheater, scammer, or liar, if you simply do not like me, my name, the fact that you have to pay for a service ;), or if you believe that I am doing something wrong in your case, even though I am following the proper legal procedure, you are free to take the appropriate legal steps. You can file a civil claim against me or submit a complaint to my professional bar association.

I am always trying to do what I am supposed to do and to provide my services in a professional, respectful, and reasonably friendly manner. I believe I am generally very approachable with my Clients, and I always try to explain their cases, their current status, and what is happening as clearly as possible, within the limits of what I and the authorities can actually know.

I am also confident that I am following the applicable legal procedures correctly, which is supported by the outcome of my previous cases.

One thing is certain: I handle every Client's case according to the same rules. No one is treated better or worse than anyone else.

Please, if you do not like what I have written above, do not use my services for a court complaint - or, for that matter, anyone else's, because the basic procedure will be essentially the same.

Please stop being angry with the people who are trying to help you.

The system can be extremely frustrating, and obviously I cannot force a Wojewoda to issue a decision simply because you are frustrated or because you need the decision urgently. All I can do is use every legal measure available to me - and that is exactly what I am doing.

If that is not enough for you, if you do not like the process, my fee, or me personally, simply do not use this service.

Finally, because some Clients received their decisions faster than expected and therefore did not pay the full fee for the court complaint when using installments, sometimes claiming that the result was simply "luck", I no longer offer installment payments for court complaints, with the exception of my existing/long-term Clients.

Best regards,
Lewi Masyk-Gola
Attorney-at-law

Immigration Attorney Lewi Masyk-Gola

15/10/2026

14/10/2026

14/10/2026

14/10/2026

13/10/2026

05/10/2026

05/10/2026

05/10/2026

02/10/2026

01/10/2026

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