Effective 28 December 2010, the Polish immigration authorities will no longer issue temporary "bridging " visas.  Previously, these were issued to non-European Union national applicants undergoing a residence permit renewal process whose initial permits expired before the renewal process was completed (but who had submitted correct renewal applications prior to the expiry of the initial permits).   Under the new rules, such applicants will still be permitted to reside in Poland during the renewal process, but instead of receiving a temporary visa, will have their passports stamped as a record of the renewal application.