Petition to the Pomeranian Voivode to improve residence proceedings
A response dated 24 September 2026 has been received. The office identifies insufficient staffing posts as a cause of delays. Read the letter and next steps.
Petition submitted on June 24, 2026 to the Pomeranian Voivodeship Office. In the register office, its subject was described as “proposals regarding the systemic organization of the process considering cases regarding the legalization of the stay of foreigners in the voivodeship Pomeranian”.
What the June petition requested
The petition concerns the organisation of the Department for Foreigners (WSC). It sets out six areas of proposals:
- More staff capacity. Increase the number of inspectors; report staffing, vacancies and changes since 2020; explain the role of pay, funding requests and measures within the Voivode’s powers.
- Public statistics for each stage. Show where waiting time accumulates, from registration and biometrics to decisions and correspondence; publish stage durations and cases with no action for over 30, 60 and 90 days. We proposed an automated dashboard or, at minimum, monthly reports.
- Measurable FAMI project outcomes. Explain which causes of delays the “Wzmocnienie zdolności Wojewody Pomorskiego…” project addresses, how spending relates to them and how reductions in waiting time will be assessed.
- Earlier biometric appointments. Consider booking at submission or immediately after registration; explain the reasons if this cannot be introduced.
- Monitoring inactive cases. Use data on long gaps in activity for internal oversight and corrective action.
- Fewer repeated document requests. Review practice and prepare guidance on art. 220 KPA so applicants do not resubmit information the authority can obtain itself.
These are our requests. The following is the office’s position; receiving a response does not in itself mean implementation.
How the office responded
Response received: Deputy Voivode Emil Rojek signed the letter dated 24 September 2026, reference WSC-IV.142.1.2026.DK. It explicitly concerns the petition received on 24 June. He recognises the petitioners’ concerns as justified. The office also considers some questions to concern access to public information and says it is responding to the demands in section IV.
Staffing and funding
The letter reports 124.5 filled full-time-equivalent posts, with no vacancies. This covers the whole department, not just inspectors deciding residence cases. It gives staffing figures since 2020 and describes secondments, overtime, traineeships and placements.
The office reports that its 2026 requests to increase the payroll budget did not secure additional funds. At the same time, it does not regard current pay as an obstacle to recruitment or retention. It identifies an insufficient number of posts as the main cause of delays: limited staffing capacity rather than unfilled vacancies.
Waiting stages, statistics and biometrics
According to the office, delays arise during both formal checks and substantive examination. It lacks tools to publish the requested statistics automatically; preparing them would require staff time. The letter does not specify a minimum set of data that could be published regularly or a start date.
The office says managers monitor case progress. Earlier biometric appointments would require diverting staff from examining applications, increasing the wait for decisions. It has therefore not confirmed readiness to change the booking process.
The FAMI project and data access
The FAMI response mainly lists information services: a helpline, in-person advice and email replies. It does not measure their effect on processing times. The relationship between spending and causes of delays, and the outcome measures, remain subjects for further discussion.
The office challenges the wording of our art. 220 KPA request. It says its systems do not provide access to ZUS and Urząd Skarbowy registers and that it does not request documents to which it has public, direct access. No specific registers are named. We report the office’s position without determining the legality of individual document requests.
How the response will help at the meeting
The written response will help at the 28 September meeting with the Deputy Voivode and the administration. We now have more information on many issues, although much still needs clarification. This will make the working meeting more effective.
The meeting will be based on the demands of the second petition, handed over on 7 September. It develops the June proposals through a public backlog reduction plan, measurable targets, deadlines and regular reporting. We still await a response to these demands. We will also put forward our own proposals for addressing the crisis.
The overall update on responses and next steps.
Deputy Voivode’s response dated 24 September 2026 (PDF)Documents
- List of petitions from the Pomeranian Voivodeship OfficePL🌐 Translate - item WSC-IV.142.1.2026.DK
- Full text of the petition (Google Docs)PL
Status as of 27 September 2026. Summaries checked against the letters; letter dates are not receipt dates. Implementation of the measures described by the authorities has not been independently verified.