VISA PROCEDURE

Entry requirements for EU citizens

The citizens of EU member state to enter Poland need only a valid travel document or a document confirming identity and citizenship (i.e. your national ID). However, if you wish to travel abroad during your stay in Poland you should have a passport with you, as it is necessary to visit some of Poland’s neighbors that don’t belong to the EU.

For a stay shorter than three months there are no formal requirements. However, your studies will take longer. For such a stay a registration of residence is necessary. You should register with Voivodship Office.

Visa-free travel

If you are a citizen of one of the countries outside the EU - linked below, you can visit Poland without a visa, but you cannot stay longer than three months.

The list of Visa – free countries you can find here

If you are planning a longer stay you should apply for a residence permit.

Entry requirements for non-EU citizens

The two main documents you will to enter Poland if are not a EU citizen are a valid travel document (passport) and a visa (if required).

Visa

As a general rule you need a visa to enter Poland. Poland is a part of the Schengen zone, so you can apply for a Polish visa and travel all around Europe (excluding the United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia and states outside of the EU).

There are several types of visas to choose from:

„A” type – valid only for airport transit; does not entitle the holder to leave the airport transit zone

“C” type – a short-term Schengen visa allowing the holder to stay in the Schengen territory for up to 90 days in 180 days period

“D” type – a long-term national visa issued for up to one year allowing travel around the Schengen area for up to 90 days in a 180 days period A visa can only be extended in exceptional situations. Should you need to stay in Poland longer than specified in your visa please do apply for the temporary residence permit.

Five easy steps to get a Visa

Find a Polish consulate that can process you application. You can use the MFA’s search engine http://mfa.gov.pl

Read carefully ALL the information concerning visa application on the consulate’s website and follow ALL the instructions.

Set a visa appointment with the consulate.

In most cases you will have to register through the website: http://www.e-konsulat.gov.pl

Prepare the necessary documents, including: application form, travel document (passport), biometric photo, health insurance, sufficient means to support yourself, documents confirming the purpose of your stay.

The specifics of the required documentation may vary among consulates, so confirm them with the consulate’s website!

Submit all the documents including a printed and signed application form and the visa fee. Your visa application is complete. It will take at least 14 business days for it to be reviewed. Processing of visa applications filed in other countries may take more time.

Note! Parents or legal guardians should apply on behalf of applicants younger than 18 years old.

Visa fee

The fee varies between 0 and 70 euro, depending on the type of visa and the citizenship of the applicant. The fee is non-returnable, even in the case of an unsuccessful application.

Sources (visit for more information!):

http://www.migrant.info.pl/Visas.html

http://www.msz.gov.pl/en/travel_to_poland/visa/

http://www.go-poland.pl/visa-application