Visa requirements

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR EU CITIZENS

As a citizen of an EU member state, to enter Poland, you need only a valid travel document or a document confirming identity and citizenship (i.e. your national ID). For a stay longer than three months, you have to register your residence with Voivodship (Provincial Office) [Urząd Wojewódzki].

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR NON-EU CITIZENS

When entering Poland as a non-EU citizen, what you need are a valid travel document (passport) and a visa (if required). Visa As a general rule, you would need a visa to enter Poland. However, foreigners from a number of countries are exempted from a visa requirement when entering Schengen Area for the periods not exceeding 90 days within a 180-day period. 

You can find the list of these countries here: https://udsc.gov.pl/en/cudzoziemcy/obywatele-panstw-trzecich/chce-przyjechac-do-polski/czy-potrzebuje-wizy/ Poland is a part of the Schengen Area, 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).

Visa types “A” type – an airport transit Schengen visa, so it cannot be used by a student coming to Poland
“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 (see below). 

How to get a visa? 1) Find a Polish Consulate or a consular section of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland that can process your application. You can use the MFA’s search engine: https://www.gov.pl/web/diplomacy/polands-missions-abroad 2) Read carefully ALL the information concerning visa application on the consulate’s website and follow ALL the instructions. 3) Set a visa appointment with the consulate. In most cases, you will have to register through the website: https://secure.e-konsulat.gov.pl/ 4) 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. 5) Submit all the documents including a printed and signed application form and the visa fee. Your visa application is complete. It should take up to 15 days for it to be reviewed. Early submission of visa documents is advisable as in some cases procedure may take a considerable amount of time. 

TEMPORATY RESIDENCE PERMIT - NON EU CITIZENS

Every Non-EU citizen living in Poland needs a Temporary Residence Permit. You should apply for it while legally staying in Poland, which means that you can do this after you arrive but before your visa expires. When you receive the permit you will be issued a Temporary Residence Card, an ID card that proves that you have a residence permit. Together with your travel document, it allows you to cross the Polish border as many times as you wish. The first residence permit is issued for a period of 15 months. It can be renewed for periods of up to 3 years but for no longer than the remainder of your studies.

You have to apply for a Temporary Residence Permit with the local Voivodship Office. You can find a complete list of offices here: https://udsc.gov.pl/en/cudzoziemcy/obywatele-panstw-trzecich/chce-przedluzyc-swoj-pobyt-w-polsce/zezwolenie-na-pobyt-czasowy/studia-i-nauka/nauka/ The documents you will need to legalize your stay include an application form, photos and documents proving your identity and citizenship, address, the purpose of stay (a certificate from your school) health insurance and possession of sufficient funds. For detailed information check out the Voivodship Office’s website. The procedure costs 390 PLN in total.

EU CITIZENS EU

citizens do not need to apply for temporary residence permits. They should only apply for registration of their stay with local voivodship office within 90 days of their arrival. They will be issued a cost-free certificate of registration with a non-limited period of validity proving their right to stay in Poland. For detailed information check out the Voivodship Office’s website.

More information: https://go-poland.pl/ / https://nawa.gov.pl/researchinpoland