The ‘In Progress’ Status in INPOL May Not Mean You Are Safe: A Decision That Emerged Five Months Later in a Session File

Update — 24 August 2026: inPOL is useful for tracking a case and viewing documents, but an official deadline does not begin merely because an entry appears in the portal. According to the Mazowieckie Voivodeship Office, correspondence is also served through an official channel and the period is calculated from the relevant service. The ordinary appeal period for a residence decision is generally 14 days from service.

If you have applied for a residence permit in Poland, you are probably checking your INPOL account regularly.

When you see ‘In Progress’ listed as the status of your application, you naturally assume that your file is still being examined.

But what if the decision was actually made months ago?

What if the decision has been sent to your address, but was returned to the Foreigners’ Office because it could not be delivered, yet you haven’t seen any of this on your INPOL account?

A real-life case we recently encountered has strikingly demonstrated why simply monitoring the INPOL system may not be sufficient when it comes to residence permit applications.

We particularly recommend that anyone in Poland with an ongoing application for a residence card, student residence permit, work residence permit, family reunification or any other type of residence permit reads this article.

A real-life case: The file still appeared as ‘In Progress’ in INPOL

A foreign national recently got in touch with us.

Their residence permit application was ongoing, and they stated that they regularly checked their INPOL account.

The status of the file in the system was consistently:

“In Progress”

in the system.

In other words, according to the information the applicant could see, the application was still ongoing.

Despite logging into his account every day to check:

• there was no clear notification
• a clear notification that a decision had been made,
• or a clear update indicating that the decision had been sent

.

Until one day, when the file’s status changed directly to:

“Closed”

.

Naturally concerned, he got in touch with us.

The Truth Came to Light When We Went to the Foreigners’ Office

We went to the Immigration Office to find out the status of the file and look into the matter.

And it turned out to be a rather serious situation.

According to the information provided to us:

The decision had been issued on 14 March 2026.

The decision had been sent by post to the address of the applicant as stated in the file.

However, the item was not collected and was subsequently returned to the Immigration Office.

We only found out about all this approximately five months later.

The applicant, however, stated that during this period they had been monitoring their case via their INPOL account and believed their application was still ongoing.

It was suggested that there may have been a system update or technical glitch at the Foreigners’ Office.

The outcome, however, remained the same:

The decision had been made months earlier.

“But I Checked INPOL Every Day”

This is precisely the most important lesson this case has taught us.

INPOL is a very useful system.

You can check the status of your file, view certain notifications and track the progress of your application.

However:

Relying solely on the status you see in your INPOL account as your only source of information could be a serious mistake.

The fact that a system is not updated, is updated late, or experiences a technical problem does not mean that the administrative procedure has not actually been carried out.

In other words:

Seeing ‘In Progress’ on INPOL is no guarantee that no decision has been made regarding your case in legal terms.

What if the decision arrives by post?

In administrative proceedings in Poland, ‘doręczenie’ – that is, official service of documents – is of the utmost importance.

When a positive or negative decision is made regarding a residence permit, the decision must be served to you in accordance with the proper procedure.

One of the biggest misunderstandings here is the following:

“If I haven’t physically received the post, the decision is not deemed to have been served on me.”

This is not always the case.

Due to the rules on service of documents under Polish administrative law, it is possible that you may be deemed to have been served legally, even if you have not actually received the item in person, provided certain conditions are met.

For this reason, the ‘awizo’ left in your letterbox is extremely important.

Failing to Check Your Letterbox Is No Minor Mistake

If your residence permit application is still pending, checking your letterbox regularly is one of the most important parts of the application process.

This is because a letter from the Foreigners’ Office may contain:

• a request for missing documents,
• a request for a statement or explanation,
• a request for additional documents,
• a notice of a hearing or proceedings,
• a favourable decision,
• a negative decision

may be issued.

And in some cases, you may only have a few days to respond.

Therefore:

“I checked INPOL; there was nothing there.”

may not always protect you from legal consequences.

How Long Do You Have to Appeal Against a Negative Decision?

Generally, an appeal against a residence decision issued by the Wojewoda may be lodged with the Head of the Office for Foreigners within 14 days of the decision being served.

This time limit is extremely important.

For example, if your decision is negative and you lodge an appeal in time, your case may be reviewed by the second-instance authority.

However, if the decision is deemed to have been legally served on you and you have not taken any action within the 14-day period, the decision may become final.

This is where the importance of tracking your post comes into play.

What happens if I say, ‘I didn’t see the decision; I only found out about it later’?

In this case, it may not be entirely over yet.

Under Polish administrative law, in certain circumstances, a missed deadline may be restored:

przywrócenie terminu

may be requested.

However, for this to happen, the applicant must be able to demonstrate that they missed the deadline through no fault of their own.

Furthermore, action must be taken within a very short period of time following the removal of the obstacle.

Consequently:

“I only found out about the decision five months later; I will now lodge an appeal in the normal way.”

is not correct.

Firstly, it must be examined how the notification was served, to which address it was sent, whether the delivery procedures were carried out correctly, and why the person was not made aware of the decision.

At this stage, we are no longer dealing with a routine case but with a much more serious legal issue.

The Risk Is Even Greater If Your Address Is Out of Date

If you have changed your address whilst your residence permit application is still being processed and have not notified the relevant authority, you may face serious problems.

For example:

You have moved from your old address.

You have moved into your new home.

As you continue to check INPOL, you assume everything is in order.

However, the Immigration Office sends its decision to your old address.

Naturally, you no longer check that letterbox.

Months later, you find out that your file has been closed.

For this reason, notifying the authorities of a change of address is not merely a simple formality.

The Most Dangerous Scenario: A Negative Decision Becoming Final

Now let’s move on to the most serious part of the matter.

Let’s say the foreign national’s legal stay in Poland was based on a residence application that was still pending.

The application had been submitted on time and the necessary formalities had been completed.

In this situation, whilst the application process is ongoing, the person’s stay in Poland may be considered lawful under certain conditions.

However, once the negative decision becomes final, this basis for stay does not continue indefinitely.

If you have no other legal basis for your stay, you may be obliged to leave Poland once the negative decision becomes final.

The official portal for foreign nationals, MOS, also clearly states that if a residence permit is not granted and the individual has no other right to stay, they must leave Poland within 30 days of the decision becoming final, provided no appeal has been lodged within the prescribed time limit.

Failure to comply with this obligation may lead to more serious consequences and trigger the ‘zobowiązanie do powrotu’ procedure, i.e. the obligation to return.

“Will I Be Deported?”

Not every missed court summons automatically means deportation.

This must be emphasised.

However, if a negative decision has become final, the person has no other legal basis for staying, and yet continues to remain in Poland, the situation may become serious.

In such a situation:

• the issue of unlawful residence,
• a return order,
• difficulties with future visa applications,
• and problems regarding re-entry into Poland or the Schengen Area

may arise.

The outcome must be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

What Will Happen Now in the Case We Are Dealing With?

In this individual’s case, we are no longer dealing with a straightforward residence permit application as we were on the first day.

It is also necessary to assess how the decision was served and whether there are any legal avenues available to reinstate the time limit.

In the current situation, the individual’s legal status in Poland must also be examined.

One possible scenario is for the individual to return to Turkey and apply for a visa to re-enter Poland.

However, any unauthorised stay or return procedure that may have occurred in the past could also affect future proceedings.

This is how a tiny piece of paper, which may not have been noticed in the letterbox months ago, can have such serious consequences.

“But what have I done wrong?”

You may well be right to ask this question.

Let’s look at how the situation appears from the applicant’s perspective:

It’s entered into INPOL.

In Progress.

He checks again the next day.

In Progress.

A week later, they check again:

In Progress.

He says he’s checked his postbox.

He cannot see the decision.

They can’t see ‘Decision signed’ in the system.

Months later:

Closed.

And when he goes to the Foreigners’ Office, he finds out that the decision was actually made five months ago.

In such a situation, the person might ask:

“How was I supposed to know this?”

is perfectly understandable.

However, in administrative proceedings, unfortunately, practical reality and a person’s sense of justice do not always lead to the same outcome.

If the postman did not leave a delivery notice, it may be necessary to prove this afterwards.

If the INPOL system has not been updated, the legal consequences of this must be assessed separately.

The fact that the official failed to enter the information into the system may not automatically restore the missed deadline for lodging an objection.

Ultimately, it is often the applicant who faces the legal consequences.

Why is Professional Case Tracking Important?

Sometimes consultancy services consist solely of:

“filling in forms”

.

However, particularly in Polish residence permit applications, professional representation involves much more than that.

Our role is not merely to prepare and submit the application.

Whilst the case is ongoing:

• we monitor official correspondence,
• we check for requests for missing documents,
• we keep documents up to date,
• we investigate any unusual circumstances in the case,
• we liaise with the Immigration Department where necessary,
• we monitor legal deadlines once a decision has been issued,
• we act swiftly to ensure the appeal deadline is not missed in the event of a negative decision.

Most importantly, we strive to identify any unusual circumstances in the case.

If You Have a Solicitor, the Service of Process Can Be Managed More Effectively

The presence of a legally appointed solicitor on the case can provide a significant advantage in terms of the professional handling of official correspondence.

Because in court proceedings, the issue is simply:

“Has my decision been issued?”

is not the only issue.

Sometimes the really important question is:

“Have we been served with a document today to which we must reply?”

.

A one-day delay may seem insignificant.

However, in certain legal timeframes, even a few days can alter the entire outcome of the case.

If Your Application is Still Pending, Make Sure You Do the Following

If you are monitoring your case yourself, do not under any circumstances neglect the following:

1. Check your INPOL account regularly

But do not rely on INPOL as your sole source of information.

2. Check your postbox frequently

In particular, make sure your name is spelled correctly on it.

3. Don’t wait when you see an Awizo

Go to the post office as soon as possible.

4. Notify the post office immediately if you change your address

Do not neglect your official notification obligations on the assumption that ‘my address is on file with INPOL’.

5. If there’s been no activity for a long time, have your file checked

In particular, do not take it for granted if your status unexpectedly changes to ‘Closed’.

6. Take action on the same day you learn of a decision

If the decision is unfavourable, every day counts in terms of lodging an appeal and potentially having the deadline reinstated.

INPOL is a Monitoring Tool; It is Not a Legal Guarantee

This is the most important lesson to be learnt from this real-life incident:

Do not act on the information you see in the digital system with 100 per cent confidence.

INPOL is an important and useful tool.

However, what determines the legal status of your case is solely what you see on the screen:

In Progress / Closed

.

It is far more important to know when the decision was made, how it was served, to which address it was sent, and when it became legally final.

You might say, “I keep track of everything.” But sometimes that may not be enough.

Of course, anyone can submit their own residency application and keep track of their own file.

However, this incident has shown us once again that the matter is not merely about filling in a form.

Sometimes the problem lies in:

• an incorrect document,
• a missing signature,
• an uncollected notification,
• an unupdated INPOL status,
• a letter sent to the wrong address or which could not be collected,
• a missed 14-day appeal period

could be the cause.

And even just one of these could seriously affect the life of someone who has been living in Poland for years.

We’re Here to Ensure Such Problems Don’t Arise

At Kalayci Consulting, our aim is not merely to prepare your residence application.

It is to monitor your case from start to finish.

Because sometimes a consultant’s most important task is not to prepare a new document, but to spot in good time when something is not going to plan.

In this case, the person thought their application had been ongoing for about five months.

In reality, however, the decision had already been made and the post had been returned to the Immigration Office.

Facing such a situation means we are no longer dealing with a simple residence permit application;

but much more serious matters such as the appeal period, legal residence, a potential obligation to return, and future visa applications.

If your residence permit application is still pending, do not rely solely on the ‘green’ or ‘active’ status in INPOL to track your application.

Keep track of your post.

Keep your address up to date.

Take official correspondence seriously.

If anything seems suspicious, do not wait.

Because in residence permit applications, it can sometimes seem as though nothing is happening for months on end.

But legal time limits may well have already started running without you realising it.

Kalayci Consulting

Professional case management for residence, citizenship and immigration law procedures in Poland.

The case described in this article is based on a real incident we encountered recently; no information that could reveal the individual’s identity has been shared. This article is intended for general information purposes only. The legal status of each case must be assessed individually.