Immigration Attorney Lewi Masyk-Gola

19/05/2026

Today I visited the Voivodeship Administrative Court together with my Client and his fiancée - and we won the appeal case regarding his Temporary Residence Card.

My Client is a third-country national. He met his fiancée, now a Polish citizen originally from Ukraine, back in 2021 in Ukraine. When the war started in February 2022, they fled seeking safety in Poland. His fiancée was allowed to enter directly, however Ukrainian border guards refused my Client entry. He eventually made his way through Hungary and then arrived in Poland.

Unfortunately, after arriving, he fell into the hands of an “agency” which handled his case improperly - first applying for a work-based TRC, later for a student TRC - leaving him effectively in an irregular legal situation. Additionally, due to the complicated route of entry, he could not benefit from the temporary 15-day entry permission.

After receiving a negative decision, he came to me for help. I explained honestly that his situation was difficult and that the proper legal path would be an application based on family life in Poland, despite the irregular stay. We prepared the case accordingly.

The Head of the Office reopened the proceedings and returned the case to the Voivode. However, the authority argued that my Client still had a wife abroad, from whom he has been separated in practice for over 8 years, and even stated that granting him residence could “hurt the wife’s feelings” (sic!).

We appealed. The second-instance authority repeated the same argument, so we brought the case before the WSA (administrative court).

Today, we won.

The Court had no doubts that my Client has genuine family life in Poland with his fiancée, a Polish citizen. Both administrative decisions were overturned. The case now returns to the Voivode, who must reassess it in line with the Court’s judgment and cannot simply deny the existence of family life.

Before the Court I argued that “family life” under the European Convention on Human Rights is much broader than formal marriage alone. The fact that someone has not finalized a divorce - especially in wartime realities connected with Ukraine - cannot mean they are forbidden from building a new, genuine relationship and family life. The concept of family life under human rights law also protects informal relationships and same-sex partnerships.

Seeing the smiles on my Client’s and his fiancée’s faces after the judgment was genuinely one of the best parts of this work.

If you are in a similar legal situation and need help, feel free to contact me.

Best regards,
Lewi Masyk-Gola
Attorney at law

10/05/2026

🇵🇱 Pracujemy nad zmianami w nadawaniu polskiego obywatelstwa.

Obywatelstwo Polski to przywilej, na który trzeba sobie zasłużyć. Dlatego planujemy wprowadzić zmiany które zagwarantują, że każdy kogo przyjmujemy do naszego narodu jest tego godny:

✅ Test obywatelski, sprawdzający znajomość historii, wartości i zasad naszego kraju oraz stopień integracji z naszym społeczeństwem.
✅ Podpisanie aktu lojalności wobec państwa polskiego.
✅ Wysoki poziom znajomości języka polskiego.
✅ Minimum 8 lat pobytu w Polsce.
✅ Polska rezydencja podatkowa.

07/05/2026

Today I received two terrible messages.

I. The first one was from my client, a woman staying with her husband. She told me that her husband is using violence against her. I do not want to describe what kind of violence, because this post is not about that. You need to remember that if you are a spouse, partner, friend, or any other person close to someone -nobody has the right to use violence against you, especially physical violence.

What to do in such a situation:

1. You should isolate yourself from such a person;
2. You may consider going to the Police and filing a report against that person;
3. You can seek help from foundations supporting victims of domestic violence, for example: https://cpk.org.pl/

These are the first steps. If your TRC is based on staying with such a person, you should consider applying for a new basis of stay as soon as possible.

II. The second case is about my student client, who works for an agency. His manager calls him names. He told me:

“Sometimes he calls me names like ‘Mambo’. I think that’s racist, but I don’t really know what it means. He also swears at other people every day.”

Obviously, nobody should call you such names. “Bambo/Mambo” is a reference to the poem “Murzynek Bambo” written by Julian Tuwim.

Poland has been going through major social changes in recent years. Some people want to be more politically correct, for example by changing expressions like “na Ukrainie” into “w Ukrainie”, or by avoiding the word “murzyn” (black person), claiming it has a meaning similar to the N-word. In my opinion, this comparison is exaggerated, because Poland never had colonies or a history of slavery involving people of color.

However, poems like this were written a long time ago, and today they may be seen as offensive or outdated. Personally, I consider such works outdated because they are based on stereotypical views about people whom most Poles at that time had probably never even met. Tuwim himself was an intelligent poet and a Polish Jew, so he most likely had broader experience and knowledge than the average person of his era.

Still, using words like “Mambo” toward an employee is clearly inappropriate. Between close friends, especially among men in Poland, people often joke, insult each other, or use offensive language without bad intentions, and nobody takes it seriously. But in a workplace environment, such behavior may be considered mobbing or discriminatory conduct.

If you experience such treatment from your employer and find it offensive, you may report it to the Police or to the Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy. You may also consider taking legal action for mobbing or discrimination.

Below is the English translation of Julian Tuwim’s poem “Murzynek Bambo”:

“Little Bambo lives in Africa,
Our little friend with black skin.

He studies hard every morning
From his little African primer.

And when he comes home from school,
He plays and jokes all the time.

Until his mother shouts:
‘Bambo, you rascal!’
And Bambo puffs up his black cheeks.

His mother says:
‘Come and take a bath,’
But he is afraid he will turn white.

Still, his mother loves her little son,
Because Bambo is a good boy.

It’s a pity that cheerful black Bambo
Does not go to school together with us.”

What do you think about this? Do you find this poem offensive by today’s standards?

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

Fundacja Centrum Praw Kobiet to organizacja, której misją jest działanie na rzecz równego statusu kobiet i mężczyzn w życiu publicznym oraz w rodzinie.

06/05/2026

Another positive decision after a court complaint.

My client had been waiting for his work TRC decision since 2022.... He decided to move on from this and asked me for help around mid-April 2026. Today, we received a positive decision on his TRC.

If you don’t want to wait half of your life for a TRC, DM me for help with a court complaint.

Best regards,
Lewi Masyk-Gola

05/05/2026

Another positive outcome for my Client following an appeal.

Did you know that it is possible to file a partial appeal against an administrative decision? In such cases, the Wojewoda may even overturn their own decision if they fully agree with the arguments presented in the appeal.

In this case, my Client initially approached me to accelerate proceedings before the administrative court. We filed a complaint, and within approximately two weeks, a decision was issued. However, the temporary residence permit (TRC) was granted with a restriction tying the Client to a specific employer, despite the fact that he is a graduate and had provided his diploma.

Following my recommendation, the Client decided to submit a partial appeal. Today, just 7 days after filing, the authority reconsidered the case and fully upheld our arguments, amending its own decision accordingly.

As a result, my Client now has greater flexibility and can finally travel to visit his family.

If you are facing a similar situation, feel free to reach out.

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

04/05/2026

Another positive decision - this one was quite challenging.

The client was a student who was allegedly found to have submitted a false statement in his original TRC application. To make matters worse, he missed the initial negative decision because he was living in a dormitory and did not receive the correspondence.

After realizing the situation, he approached me for assistance. I filed an appeal along with a request for reinstatement of the deadline.

The appeal was accepted, and the deadline was successfully reinstated. In the meantime, we identified the reason for the initial refusal - the authority suspected that the client had submitted a false bank statement.

However, today the Head of the Office for Foreigners determined that there was insufficient justification to conclude that the client had made a false statement in this case. As a result, the case has been returned to the Voivode for reconsideration, effectively giving it a new chance for a positive outcome.

My client remains legally in Poland and can continue his studies.

If you are in a similar situation, feel free to contact me.

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

03/05/2026

Controversial topic - is immigration a new form of slavery?

Some foreigners sometimes claim they feel like "slaves" in Poland. Is this claim a little bit true?

Obviously, being a slave has a very precise definition, but if you look at the topic in a more philosophical way, every person on earth is a slave to something. So what is my opinion – is a foreigner some kind of slave to the system?

1. "Spouse slave" – did you know that if you divorce your Polish spouse, your TRC may be revoked? There is a special TRC for divorcees, though. There is also a possibility to revoke permanent residence, which was granted based on a marriage to a Polish citizen, in case you divorce the Polish citizen before 2 years from receiving a positive PRC decision. So it's not slavery per se, but obviously such a foreign spouse is often very dependent on his/her spouse. Sometimes victims of domestic violence ask me for help (usually women).

2. "Economic slave" – on a work-based TRC you are tied to your employer. A lot of these employers are agencies, often run by people of Eastern descent. Some of my clients send me photos of torn feet, telling me they need to wake up at 3 a.m. just to be able to use the bathroom, because so many people are living with them that they cannot use phones at work during working hours, etc. Also, usually if you are a blue-collar worker, your employer handles your TRC process with a power of attorney from you. This means they can cancel your TRC case in your name (I have seen this many times) if you quit the job, for example.

What's worse now, people need to obtain Annex No. 1 on the day of application just to apply. A lot of these agencies take money for this (which is illegal), and it only strengthens the bond between foreign workers and these companies. Obviously, it's a very bad idea to connect your legal status with the mercy of your employer. So it's almost a form of legal dependency where you can get deported just because your employer will not sign your Annex No. 1 for you. It's terrible.

3. However, a foreigner may also have more rights than a Pole in Poland – for example, you will never be forced to defend Poland in case of war, even though you are using the benefits of living in this country. You may also use some other advantages of being a foreigner here (like driving a foreign car without technical inspection in Poland, depending on the rules).

4. Some people are locked in situations without an exit – like my client, who may be deported, but also does not have the right to leave Poland, as issued by a prosecutor. Very complicated and legally questionable situation (see my previous post about this).

Obviously, Poland belongs to Poles, and it is entirely up to the Polish government how the law looks here. I myself consider myself a centrist (on the political spectrum), so it's not like I think everyone should be able to live wherever they want, or that Poland should be only for Poles. But in my opinion, it may be considered some kind of dependency towards foreigners. However, it all depends on the definition of "slave", because in my worldview, the fact that you need to pay taxes, serve in the army, give part of your property to the government, or ask them for permission for many things also puts you in a dependent position (even though in theory you are the citizen and sovereign of Poland - and any law GOV have is coming from citizens).

I welcome you to a discussion about this. How do you feel about it?

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

03/05/2026

I made my first TRC request via the new MOSII this week, and here's my opinion about it (also some FAQ I see from people).

Let's start with FAQ:

1. I already applied before 27 April 2026, do I need to register in MOS once more?

No, you don't need to do this. If your application was received before 27.04.2026 (received, not sent, unless it was with E-doręczenia), you are not obliged to send it once more.

2. I applied with old MOS before 27.04.2026, but I never sent a paper version (or with E-doręczenia). Did I apply in the right way?

Sorry to say this, but you didn't. If you are still legal, apply for a new TRC request ASAP!

3. I'm considering canceling my previous TRC process and applying anew with MOS. I heard it would be faster?!

No - it will not be faster. Stop listening to theorists and those LLC companies calling themselves "lawyers"; they'll tell you any nonsense just to sell you their service. Think about this - who is checking your case? Obviously, the Voivodeship clerks. Do you think they closed old cases and now they are starting from point 0? Obviously not, now they have another system (and old applications) to handle - and it's not made by some AI, but by the same people. Do you think the Polish government hired 100% more clerks from 27.04.2026? I'll answer - no, it didn't. Just keep with the process you already started.

4. Will these MOS applications be considered faster?

IMO - not at all. In fact, it'll probably be even longer.

5. Is it easier to apply now?

Depends on your situation, but in 90% of cases it's not. Why is that?

- You need to do this with an electronic website - which may be considered a good thing, but you either do this on your own, or send your bank credentials (EPUAP account login and data) to someone else.

- The main problem is that the government attached the validity of sending an application to someone else's consent - like an employer or studies. What if you have some problems with your employer or studies (for example, you didn't pay the tuition fees, and they'll not sign your application)? Obviously it's legal nonsense to force a foreigner to depend on somebody else, and actually treat them as some kind of slave here. IMO - legality should never be connected to someone else's will!

- You need to pay all tax fees and take a photo on the day of application. For most people it's not a problem, but some people are so disorganized that they'll never do this on time (believe me, I've seen a lot of people's behavior).

- In the regulations of the website, the head of the Office for Foreigners gave himself the right to ban your account in case you give false information. What does that even mean? For example, this request doesn't even allow you to show that you are illegal in Poland, and though you can apply for an "illegal stay TRC", you need to tick all the boxes. So what do you need to show? I guess you need to tick, for example, "stay on TRC", even though it's not true. In such a case you just made a false statement. Obviously you may add this in the justification, but who knows how they'll look upon this? It was the same issue with paper versions, but on the paper version you could just omit this point, and here you need to tick something, or the system will not let you go further.

Those are my opinions about the new MOS for now.

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

October 22, 2024 Brexit – it’s worth getting a residence permit in the context of EES/ETIAS United Kingdom nationals and their families who are beneficiaries of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement can continue to apply for a residence permit containing an endorsement referring to the Withdrawal Agree...

03/05/2026

For whom does an attorney-at-law really work?

As you probably know, in Poland we have attorneys-at-law (adwokaci / radcowie prawni) and people generally referred to as “lawyers.” From the perspective of the Polish legal system, only attorneys-at-law are considered fully qualified legal professionals, and only they can officially represent you in court. Additionally, every attorney-at-law must be a member of a professional bar association - there is no exception. This means they are bound by strict ethical rules (in contrary to "lawyers", which can basically do anything with your case).

What does this mean in practice? Every attorney-at-law is obligated to act in your best interest.

This sometimes creates a complex situation - for example, when an attorney-at-law works with or is paid by an agency (e.g., representing foreigners). Even if the agency pays the fee, the attorney represents you as the client. In such cases, the attorney has no choice but to act in your best interest, even if it conflicts with the interests of the agency.

In my case, I do not have this issue. However, I sometimes work with partnerships (typically a Polish citizen and a foreign national) who cooperate with me for a shared purpose. There have been situations where such partnerships broke down during or after the legal process.

Some of those individuals later asked me to represent them in a divorce case - even though I had previously represented their partner. In such situations, I cannot take the case without the consent of my former client. I am also not allowed to disclose any confidential information or act against the interests of the person I previously represented - even if the other partner originally paid for the service.

There is also an uncomfortable topic that many people avoid - especially those who treat immigration matters as ideology rather than a professional field. The reality is that, in some cases, individuals may attempt to take advantage of a Polish citizen through marriage, only to later divorce or leave once they achieve their goal. The authorities are aware of this, which is why there are legal provisions allowing them to assess whether a marriage is genuine or entered into for formal or financial purposes.

For example, cases involving a significant age gap (such as a much younger man and a significantly older woman) may raise additional scrutiny. Of course, not every such relationship is fraudulent - but in my professional experience, I have encountered cases that ended this way.

To be fair, this is not a one-sided issue. I have also seen situations where a Polish citizen lost interest in their spouse and sought to end the relationship for personal reasons.

I share these insights because I approach my work professionally -people are people. Some act with integrity, others do not - regardless of nationality. My role is not to judge or impose my moral views, but to represent my client within the boundaries of the law and professional ethics.

In short:
An attorney cannot act against your interests. They cannot later join the opposing side and act against you - unless you give explicit consent. They may, however, withdraw from representing you if trust is broken or if you provide misleading information.

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

03/05/2026

I received a court postanowienie regarding the rejection of my court complaint for one of my clients. Why did this happen? Because when I asked my client for the date on which his previous lawyer received the final decision, he gave me a different date than the actual one.

Why is this so important?

You need to remember - as your representative, I act based on the information I receive from you. For certain filings, you have limited time - for example, an appeal (14 days) or a court complaint (30 days) - and these deadlines are counted from the moment you receive the decision.

If I take over your case after you or a previous representative, I have no way of verifying when the decision was actually received. I cannot check this based on the document itself, because the date on the decision is not the date of delivery - it is only the date when the decision was issued. The deadlines are counted from the date of receipt.

So if you provide incorrect information about the deadline, you risk having your appeal or court complaint rejected.

It is extremely important for you to keep track of all dates - especially the date of receipt. If you are not receiving decisions via e-Delivery (where you can check the exact delivery date), always take a pen and write down the date of receipt on the decision as soon as you get it, before you forget.

Also, as I mentioned before - keep track of all days spent outside of Poland (for example, in an Excel file) for future EU long-term residence (EULT) applications. Keep all your previous decisions for the same reason.

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

30/04/2026

Did you know I have a YouTube channel about legalization in Poland?

To be honest, I haven’t been able to provide you with good YouTube content due to a lack of time and a heavy workload with my clients. However, I’ll soon be changing my place of residence, which will allow me to restart the channel with high-quality content and valuable insights.

If you’d like to follow me on YouTube, feel free to check it out!

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

40 likes, 18 comments. "Basics of TRC procedure"