diff --git a/src/core/DigitalData.MessagingService.Abstraction/EmailAccountDto.cs b/src/core/DigitalData.MessagingService.Abstraction/EmailAccountDto.cs
index 4ad1208..de47b68 100644
--- a/src/core/DigitalData.MessagingService.Abstraction/EmailAccountDto.cs
+++ b/src/core/DigitalData.MessagingService.Abstraction/EmailAccountDto.cs
@@ -35,4 +35,20 @@ public class EmailAccountDto
     public bool SmtpUseSsl { get; set; }
 
     public bool UseOAuth2 { get; set; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// IMAP server hostname (e.g. "imap.example.com").
+    /// Leave empty when this account is send-only.
+    /// </summary>
+    public string? ImapServer { get; set; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// IMAP server port (993 for SSL, 143 for plain/STARTTLS).
+    /// </summary>
+    public int ImapPort { get; set; } = 993;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Use SSL/TLS when connecting to the IMAP server.
+    /// </summary>
+    public bool ImapUseSsl { get; set; } = true;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/core/DigitalData.MessagingService.Abstraction/ReceivedEmailContext.cs b/src/core/DigitalData.MessagingService.Abstraction/ReceivedEmailContext.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..022b3de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/DigitalData.MessagingService.Abstraction/ReceivedEmailContext.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+namespace DigitalData.MessagingService.Abstraction;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Represents an email message received via IMAP.
+/// </summary>
+public sealed class ReceivedEmailContext
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Unique identifier of the message on the IMAP server (UID).
+    /// </summary>
+#if NET
+    public long Uid { get; init; }
+#else
+    public long Uid { get; set; }
+#endif
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Sender address (From header).
+    /// </summary>
+#if NET
+    public string From { get; init; } = string.Empty;
+#else
+    public string From { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+#endif
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Recipient addresses (To header).
+    /// </summary>
+#if NET
+    public IEnumerable<string> To { get; init; } = [];
+#else
+    public IEnumerable<string> To { get; set; } = [];
+#endif
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// CC addresses.
+    /// </summary>
+#if NET
+    public IEnumerable<string> Cc { get; init; } = [];
+#else
+    public IEnumerable<string> Cc { get; set; } = [];
+#endif
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Email subject.
+    /// </summary>
+#if NET
+    public string Subject { get; init; } = string.Empty;
+#else
+    public string Subject { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+#endif
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Plain-text body (may be empty when only HTML is present).
+    /// </summary>
+#if NET
+    public string TextBody { get; init; } = string.Empty;
+#else
+    public string TextBody { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+#endif
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// HTML body (may be empty when only plain-text is present).
+    /// </summary>
+#if NET
+    public string HtmlBody { get; init; } = string.Empty;
+#else
+    public string HtmlBody { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+#endif
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Date/time the message was sent (Date header).
+    /// </summary>
+#if NET
+    public DateTime Date { get; init; }
+#else
+    public DateTime Date { get; set; }
+#endif
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Attachments included with this message.
+    /// </summary>
+#if NET
+    public IEnumerable<EmailAttachmentContext> Attachments { get; init; } = [];
+#else
+    public IEnumerable<EmailAttachmentContext> Attachments { get; set; } = [];
+#endif
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Whether the message has been marked as seen/read on the server.
+    /// </summary>
+#if NET
+    public bool IsSeen { get; init; }
+#else
+    public bool IsSeen { get; set; }
+#endif
+}
diff --git a/src/core/DigitalData.MessagingService.Application/Common/Interfaces/IImapEmailService.cs b/src/core/DigitalData.MessagingService.Application/Common/Interfaces/IImapEmailService.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f1f5f36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/DigitalData.MessagingService.Application/Common/Interfaces/IImapEmailService.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+using DigitalData.MessagingService.Abstraction;
+
+namespace DigitalData.MessagingService.Application.Common.Interfaces;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Service interface for reading emails via IMAP.
+/// </summary>
+public interface IImapEmailService
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Fetches emails from the specified mailbox folder.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="account">Account whose IMAP settings will be used.</param>
+    /// <param name="folder">Mailbox folder name (e.g. "INBOX"). Defaults to INBOX.</param>
+    /// <param name="unseenOnly">When <see langword="true"/> returns only unread messages.</param>
+    /// <param name="maxCount">Maximum number of messages to retrieve (most-recent first). 0 = unlimited.</param>
+    /// <param name="cancellationToken">Cancellation token.</param>
+    Task<IEnumerable<ReceivedEmailContext>> FetchEmailsAsync(
+        EmailAccountDto account,
+        string folder = "INBOX",
+        bool unseenOnly = false,
+        int maxCount = 50,
+        CancellationToken cancellationToken = default);
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Marks a message as seen (read) on the server.
+    /// </summary>
+    Task MarkAsSeenAsync(
+        EmailAccountDto account,
+        long uid,
+        string folder = "INBOX",
+        CancellationToken cancellationToken = default);
+}
diff --git a/src/core/DigitalData.MessagingService.Application/EmailReceiving/Commands/MarkEmailAsSeenCommand.cs b/src/core/DigitalData.MessagingService.Application/EmailReceiving/Commands/MarkEmailAsSeenCommand.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d5d4ee4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/DigitalData.MessagingService.Application/EmailReceiving/Commands/MarkEmailAsSeenCommand.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+using DigitalData.MessagingService.Application.Common.Interfaces;
+using DigitalData.MessagingService.Application.EmailAccount.Queries;
+using DigitalData.MessagingService.Domain.Exceptions;
+using MediatR;
+
+namespace DigitalData.MessagingService.Application.EmailReceiving.Commands;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Command to mark a single IMAP message as seen (read).
+/// </summary>
+public record MarkEmailAsSeenCommand : IRequest
+{
+    public required GetSenderQuery Account { get; init; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// UID of the message to mark as seen.
+    /// </summary>
+    public required long Uid { get; init; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Mailbox folder the message resides in (default: "INBOX").
+    /// </summary>
+    public string Folder { get; init; } = "INBOX";
+}
+
+public class MarkEmailAsSeenCommandHandler(
+    ISender Sender,
+    IImapEmailService ImapService) : IRequestHandler<MarkEmailAsSeenCommand>
+{
+    public async Task Handle(MarkEmailAsSeenCommand request, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
+    {
+        var account = await Sender.Send(request.Account, cancellationToken)
+            ?? throw new NotFoundException(
+                $"No email account found for the given criteria (Id: {request.Account.Id}, Username: {request.Account.Username}).");
+
+        if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(account.ImapServer))
+            throw new InvalidOperationException(
+                $"IMAP is not configured for account '{account.Username}' (Id: {account.Id}). Set ImapServer in EmailAccounts configuration.");
+
+        await ImapService.MarkAsSeenAsync(account, request.Uid, request.Folder, cancellationToken);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/core/DigitalData.MessagingService.Application/EmailReceiving/Queries/FetchEmailsQuery.cs b/src/core/DigitalData.MessagingService.Application/EmailReceiving/Queries/FetchEmailsQuery.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0aaca2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/DigitalData.MessagingService.Application/EmailReceiving/Queries/FetchEmailsQuery.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+using DigitalData.MessagingService.Application.Common.Interfaces;
+using DigitalData.MessagingService.Application.EmailAccount.Queries;
+using DigitalData.MessagingService.Abstraction;
+using DigitalData.MessagingService.Domain.Exceptions;
+using MediatR;
+
+namespace DigitalData.MessagingService.Application.EmailReceiving.Queries;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// Query to fetch emails from an IMAP mailbox.
+/// </summary>
+public record FetchEmailsQuery : IRequest<IEnumerable<ReceivedEmailContext>>
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Identifies the email account to use.
+    /// </summary>
+    public required GetSenderQuery Account { get; init; }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Mailbox folder to read from (default: "INBOX").
+    /// </summary>
+    public string Folder { get; init; } = "INBOX";
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// When <see langword="true"/> returns only unread messages.
+    /// </summary>
+    public bool UnseenOnly { get; init; } = false;
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Maximum number of messages to retrieve (most-recent first). 0 = unlimited.
+    /// </summary>
+    public int MaxCount { get; init; } = 50;
+}
+
+public class FetchEmailsQueryHandler(
+    ISender Sender,
+    IImapEmailService ImapService) : IRequestHandler<FetchEmailsQuery, IEnumerable<ReceivedEmailContext>>
+{
+    public async Task<IEnumerable<ReceivedEmailContext>> Handle(FetchEmailsQuery request, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
+    {
+        var account = await Sender.Send(request.Account, cancellationToken)
+            ?? throw new NotFoundException(
+                $"No email account found for the given criteria (Id: {request.Account.Id}, Username: {request.Account.Username}).");
+
+        if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(account.ImapServer))
+            throw new InvalidOperationException(
+                $"IMAP is not configured for account '{account.Username}' (Id: {account.Id}). Set ImapServer in EmailAccounts configuration.");
+
+        return await ImapService.FetchEmailsAsync(
+            account,
+            request.Folder,
+            request.UnseenOnly,
+            request.MaxCount,
+            cancellationToken);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/infrastructure/DigitalData.MessagingService.Infrastructure/DependencyInjection.cs b/src/infrastructure/DigitalData.MessagingService.Infrastructure/DependencyInjection.cs
index f0a9d56..14d4a91 100644
--- a/src/infrastructure/DigitalData.MessagingService.Infrastructure/DependencyInjection.cs
+++ b/src/infrastructure/DigitalData.MessagingService.Infrastructure/DependencyInjection.cs
@@ -23,8 +23,11 @@ public static class DependencyInjection
         IConfiguration configuration)
     {
         // --- External Services ---
-        // Email Service (using Limilabs Mail.dll - Singleton for use in EmailSenderWorker)
+        // Email Service - SMTP outbound (Limilabs Mail.dll)
         services.AddSingleton<IEmailService, LimilabsEmailService>();
+
+        // Email Service - IMAP inbound (Limilabs Mail.dll)
+        services.AddSingleton<IImapEmailService, LimilabsImapEmailService>();
         
         // PDF Processing Service (using DevExpress.Pdf)
         services.AddScoped<IPdfProcessingService, DevExpressPdfProcessingService>();
diff --git a/src/infrastructure/DigitalData.MessagingService.Infrastructure/Services/Extensions/ImapExtensions.cs b/src/infrastructure/DigitalData.MessagingService.Infrastructure/Services/Extensions/ImapExtensions.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..139ca2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/infrastructure/DigitalData.MessagingService.Infrastructure/Services/Extensions/ImapExtensions.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+using Limilabs.Client.IMAP;
+
+namespace DigitalData.MessagingService.Infrastructure.Services.Extensions;
+
+public static class ImapExtensions
+{
+    public static async Task CloseSafelyAsync(this Imap imap)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            if (imap.Connected)
+                await imap.CloseAsync();
+        }
+        catch { /* Ignore disconnect errors */ }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/infrastructure/DigitalData.MessagingService.Infrastructure/Services/LimilabsImapEmailService.cs b/src/infrastructure/DigitalData.MessagingService.Infrastructure/Services/LimilabsImapEmailService.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a9f7e7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/infrastructure/DigitalData.MessagingService.Infrastructure/Services/LimilabsImapEmailService.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+using System.Text;
+using DigitalData.MessagingService.Application.Common.Interfaces;
+using DigitalData.MessagingService.Abstraction;
+using DigitalData.MessagingService.Domain.Exceptions;
+using DigitalData.MessagingService.Infrastructure.Services.Extensions;
+using Limilabs.Client.IMAP;
+using Limilabs.Mail;
+using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
+
+namespace DigitalData.MessagingService.Infrastructure.Services;
+
+/// <summary>
+/// IMAP email service using Limilabs Mail.dll.
+/// Opens a fresh connection per call — stateless and thread-safe.
+/// </summary>
+public class LimilabsImapEmailService(
+    IEncryptionService encryptionService,
+    ILogger<LimilabsImapEmailService> logger) : IImapEmailService
+{
+    static LimilabsImapEmailService()
+    {
+        Encoding.RegisterProvider(CodePagesEncodingProvider.Instance);
+    }
+
+    // Public API
+    public async Task<IEnumerable<ReceivedEmailContext>> FetchEmailsAsync(
+        EmailAccountDto account,
+        string folder = "INBOX",
+        bool unseenOnly = false,
+        int maxCount = 50,
+        CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
+    {
+        using var imap = new Imap();
+        try
+        {
+            await ConnectAndAuthenticateAsync(imap, account);
+            await SelectFolderAsync(imap, folder);
+
+            // Get UIDs to fetch
+            List<long> uids = unseenOnly
+                ? [.. await imap.SearchAsync(Flag.Unseen, cancellationToken)]
+                : [.. await imap.GetAllAsync(cancellationToken)];
+
+            // Most-recent first; honour maxCount
+            uids.Reverse();
+            if (maxCount > 0 && uids.Count > maxCount)
+                uids = uids.Take(maxCount).ToList();
+
+            var results = new List<ReceivedEmailContext>(uids.Count);
+
+            foreach (var uid in uids)
+            {
+                cancellationToken.ThrowIfCancellationRequested();
+
+                try
+                {
+                    var eml  = await imap.PeekMessageByUIDAsync(uid, cancellationToken);
+                    var mail = new MailBuilder().CreateFromEml(eml);
+                    var flags = await imap.GetFlagsByUIDAsync(uid, cancellationToken);
+
+                    results.Add(MapToContext(uid, mail, flags));
+                }
+                catch (Exception ex)
+                {
+                    logger.LogWarning(ex, "Failed to fetch IMAP message UID={Uid} from folder {Folder}. Skipping.", uid, folder);
+                }
+            }
+
+            await imap.CloseAsync(cancellationToken);
+            return results;
+        }
+        catch (Limilabs.Client.ServerException ex)
+        {
+            await imap.CloseSafelyAsync();
+            throw new AuthenticationFailedException(
+                $"IMAP authentication failed for account '{account.Username}'.", ex);
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex) when (ex is not OperationCanceledException)
+        {
+            await imap.CloseSafelyAsync();
+            throw new InvalidOperationException(
+                $"Failed to fetch emails from IMAP server '{account.ImapServer}'.", ex);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public async Task MarkAsSeenAsync(
+        EmailAccountDto account,
+        long uid,
+        string folder = "INBOX",
+        CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
+    {
+        using var imap = new Imap();
+        try
+        {
+            await ConnectAndAuthenticateAsync(imap, account);
+            await SelectFolderAsync(imap, folder);
+            await imap.MarkMessageSeenByUIDAsync(uid, cancellationToken);
+            await imap.CloseAsync(cancellationToken);
+        }
+        catch (Limilabs.Client.ServerException ex)
+        {
+            await imap.CloseSafelyAsync();
+            throw new AuthenticationFailedException(
+                $"IMAP authentication failed for account '{account.Username}'.", ex);
+        }
+        catch (Exception ex) when (ex is not OperationCanceledException)
+        {
+            await imap.CloseSafelyAsync();
+            throw new InvalidOperationException(
+                $"Failed to mark message UID={uid} as seen on '{account.ImapServer}'.", ex);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Private helpers
+    private async Task ConnectAndAuthenticateAsync(Imap imap, EmailAccountDto account)
+    {
+        if (account.ImapUseSsl)
+            await imap.ConnectSSLAsync(account.ImapServer!, account.ImapPort);
+        else
+            await imap.ConnectAsync(account.ImapServer!, account.ImapPort);
+
+        var password = account.PasswordEncrypted
+            ? encryptionService.Decrypt(account.Password)
+            : account.Password;
+
+        await imap.LoginAsync(account.Username, password);
+    }
+
+    private static async Task SelectFolderAsync(Imap imap, string folder)
+    {
+        if (string.Equals(folder, "INBOX", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+            await imap.SelectInboxAsync();
+        else
+            await imap.SelectAsync(folder);
+    }
+
+    private static ReceivedEmailContext MapToContext(long uid, IMail mail, List<Flag> flags)
+    {
+        var attachments = new List<EmailAttachmentContext>();
+
+        foreach (var att in mail.Attachments)
+        {
+            attachments.Add(new EmailAttachmentContext
+            {
+                FileName    = att.FileName ?? "attachment",
+                Content     = att.Data,
+                ContentType = att.ContentType?.ToString() ?? "application/octet-stream",
+                IsInline    = false,
+                ContentId   = att.ContentId
+            });
+        }
+
+        foreach (var vis in mail.Visuals)
+        {
+            attachments.Add(new EmailAttachmentContext
+            {
+                FileName    = vis.FileName ?? "inline",
+                Content     = vis.Data,
+                ContentType = vis.ContentType?.ToString() ?? "application/octet-stream",
+                IsInline    = true,
+                ContentId   = vis.ContentId
+            });
+        }
+
+        return new ReceivedEmailContext
+        {
+            Uid         = uid,
+            From        = mail.From.FirstOrDefault()?.Address ?? string.Empty,
+            To          = [.. mail.To.SelectMany(m => m.GetMailboxes()).Select(mb => mb.Address)],
+            Cc          = [.. mail.Cc.SelectMany(m => m.GetMailboxes()).Select(mb => mb.Address)],
+            Subject     = mail.Subject ?? string.Empty,
+            TextBody    = mail.Text   ?? string.Empty,
+            HtmlBody    = mail.Html   ?? string.Empty,
+            Date        = mail.Date   ?? DateTime.MinValue,
+            Attachments = attachments,
+            IsSeen      = flags?.Contains(Flag.Seen) ?? false
+        };
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/presentation/DigitalData.MessagingService.API/Controllers/EmailsController.cs b/src/presentation/DigitalData.MessagingService.API/Controllers/EmailsController.cs
index 399d9e7..af57a8e 100644
--- a/src/presentation/DigitalData.MessagingService.API/Controllers/EmailsController.cs
+++ b/src/presentation/DigitalData.MessagingService.API/Controllers/EmailsController.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 using DigitalData.MessagingService.Application.EmailSending.Commands;
+using DigitalData.MessagingService.Application.EmailReceiving.Queries;
+using DigitalData.MessagingService.Application.EmailReceiving.Commands;
+using DigitalData.MessagingService.Application.EmailAccount.Queries;
 using DigitalData.MessagingService.Abstraction;
 using MediatR;
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
@@ -13,6 +16,7 @@ namespace DigitalData.MessagingService.API.Controllers;
 [Route("api/[controller]")]
 public class EmailsController(IMediator mediator) : ControllerBase
 {
+    #region Send
     /// <summary>
     /// Send an email, optionally with file attachments.
     /// Omit the <c>attachments</c> field for a plain send.
@@ -61,4 +65,68 @@ public class EmailsController(IMediator mediator) : ControllerBase
 
         return result;
     }
+    #endregion Send
+
+    #region Receive
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Fetch emails from an IMAP mailbox.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="accountId">Id of the email account (must have ImapServer configured).</param>
+    /// <param name="folder">Mailbox folder to read (default: INBOX).</param>
+    /// <param name="unseenOnly">Return only unread messages.</param>
+    /// <param name="maxCount">Maximum number of messages to return (most-recent first, default: 50).</param>
+    /// <param name="cancellationToken">Cancellation token.</param>
+    /// <returns>HTTP 200 with list of received emails.</returns>
+    [HttpGet]
+    [ProducesResponseType(StatusCodes.Status200OK)]
+    [ProducesResponseType(StatusCodes.Status400BadRequest)]
+    [ProducesResponseType(StatusCodes.Status404NotFound)]
+    public async Task<IActionResult> FetchEmails(
+        [FromQuery] int accountId,
+        [FromQuery] string folder = "INBOX",
+        [FromQuery] bool unseenOnly = false,
+        [FromQuery] int maxCount = 50,
+        CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
+    {
+        var query = new FetchEmailsQuery
+        {
+            Account = new GetSenderQuery { Id = accountId },
+            Folder = folder,
+            UnseenOnly = unseenOnly,
+            MaxCount = maxCount
+        };
+
+        var emails = await mediator.Send(query, cancellationToken);
+        return Ok(emails);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Mark a single IMAP message as seen (read).
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="accountId">Id of the email account.</param>
+    /// <param name="uid">UID of the message on the IMAP server.</param>
+    /// <param name="folder">Mailbox folder the message resides in (default: INBOX).</param>
+    /// <param name="cancellationToken">Cancellation token.</param>
+    /// <returns>HTTP 204 No Content.</returns>
+    [HttpPatch("{uid}/seen")]
+    [ProducesResponseType(StatusCodes.Status204NoContent)]
+    [ProducesResponseType(StatusCodes.Status400BadRequest)]
+    [ProducesResponseType(StatusCodes.Status404NotFound)]
+    public async Task<IActionResult> MarkAsSeen(
+        [FromRoute] long uid,
+        [FromQuery] int accountId,
+        [FromQuery] string folder = "INBOX",
+        CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
+    {
+        var command = new MarkEmailAsSeenCommand
+        {
+            Account = new GetSenderQuery { Id = accountId },
+            Uid = uid,
+            Folder = folder
+        };
+
+        await mediator.Send(command, cancellationToken);
+        return NoContent();
+    }
+    #endregion Receive
 }