Do I Need a Visa to Start a Company in Poland? (2026 Guide)

Byattorney-at-law Piotr Zakrzewski

This is one of the most common questions foreign entrepreneurs ask us — and one of the most misunderstood. The short answer: no, you do not need a visa, a residence permit, or any immigration status to own and run a Polish company. The confusion comes from mixing up two completely separate things: owning a company, and living in Poland. This guide clears it up.

The Short Answer

You can own 100% of a Polish limited liability company (sp. z o.o.), be its sole director, and manage it entirely from abroad — without a visa, without a residence card, and without ever setting foot in Poland. Company ownership and immigration are two different legal questions. Owning a Polish company does not require you to live in Poland, and it does not by itself give you any right to live in Poland either.

An entrepreneur in Mumbai, Istanbul, São Paulo, or anywhere else can form and own a Polish company remotely. Your immigration status in your own country — or in Poland — has no bearing on your right to be a shareholder or director of a sp. z o.o.

Where the Myth Comes From

The “you need residence” myth is widespread online, and it comes from confusing two different business forms under Polish law:

  • Sole proprietorship (JDG) — the individual self-employment form. For this, a non-EU citizen generally does need a residence basis in Poland. This is the form the misleading articles are talking about.
  • Limited liability company (sp. z o.o.) — a separate legal entity, and it is fully open to non-resident foreign owners. No residence required.

This distinction is set out in Polish law. Under Article 4 of the Act on the rules of participation of foreign entrepreneurs, the rules depend on your status:

  • EU/EEA citizens operate on the same terms as Polish citizens — any business form, including sole proprietorship.
  • Non-EU citizens with a Polish residence title (permanent residence, long-term EU resident, Polish Card, spouse of a Polish citizen, and others) also operate on the same terms as Poles.
  • Non-EU citizens without Polish residence — the situation of most of our clients — can operate through capital companies: the sp. z o.o., the simple joint-stock company (PSA), and the joint-stock company (S.A.), as well as limited partnerships. They cannot run a sole proprietorship, but they can fully own and manage a Polish limited liability company from abroad.

So for the sp. z o.o. — which is what the vast majority of foreign founders want — the residence requirement simply does not exist. The law explicitly allows it.

How You Do It Without Coming to Poland

The entire process runs remotely. The key tool is a qualified electronic signature, obtained through a short video verification call. With it, you sign the formation documents, pass resolutions, file with the court register, and manage the company long-term — all online, from anywhere.

No visa appointment, no travel, no in-person notary for the formation itself. This is exactly why a Polish company works so well as a remote EU base for founders who have no intention of relocating. → Full guide for non-EU citizens

Owning a Company vs Living in Poland — Two Different Things

It is worth being completely clear about this, because it cuts both ways:

  • You do not need to live in Poland to own a Polish company. You can run it remotely, indefinitely, from your home country.
  • Owning a Polish company does not, by itself, give you the right to live in Poland. If your goal is to relocate — to move to Poland, obtain a residence permit, work permit, or visa — that is a separate immigration process with its own requirements.

One point worth being blunt about, because it saves people money: setting up a Polish company on its own — without real business activity or investment behind it — does not help you legalise your stay. A company formed purely in the hope that it will support a residence application, but with no genuine operations, turnover, or employment, will not achieve that. Polish authorities look at real economic substance, not the mere existence of a company on the register.

So a “shell” company set up for immigration purposes generally does not deliver the residence outcome people hope for — it simply adds cost and formalities (accounting, filings, annual statements) on top of an immigration process that has its own, separate requirements. If your goal is relocation, the company is not the shortcut it might appear to be.

A Note on Immigration Services

To be transparent about what we do and do not handle: LEXCARTA is a corporate law firm. We form and run Polish companies — we do not provide immigration, visa, or residence-permit services. These are a separate legal specialisation with their own rules and procedures.

If your situation genuinely involves relocation — you want to move to Poland, obtain a visa or residence card, or need a work permit — that is immigration work, not company formation. If you need this alongside setting up a company, we can refer you to trusted immigration specialists who handle these matters. Just let us know, and we will point you in the right direction.

But if your goal is simply to own and operate an EU company remotely — the most common case by far — then immigration does not enter into it at all. You form the company, you own it, you run it from wherever you are.

The Bottom Line

If you want to set up an EU company and run it remotely, you do not need a visa, a residence permit, or any immigration status in Poland. The “you need residence” claim is a myth that stops many founders unnecessarily — and it is simply wrong for the sp. z o.o.

Ready to set up your Polish company from abroad? Check your eligibility or schedule a consultation. We will confirm the right structure for your situation and handle the entire remote setup.

Related: Complete guide for non-EU citizens · Electronic signature guide · Company formation in Poland