Poland is a country of opportunities and prospects. It is Poland that has become attractive to many people from Turkey, India and CIS countries as a place of work or a transit point to reach more developed countries such as Germany, Austria or Switzerland. However, to take the first step to visit Poland, you may need a Polish visa. Today, there are several types of visas to visit Poland, depending on your goals and your nationality. Let's take a look at what types of Polish visas there are, as well as review the entire visa application process for a foreigner in 2023.
Who needs a visa in Poland?
Before you start applying for a visa, it is important to decide whether you really need a Polish visa. The good news is that citizens of some countries do not need a visa to visit Poland. You do not need a visa to Poland if you are a citizen of one of these countries:
However, it is worth understanding that even if you have all the conditions to visit Poland without a visa, it does not mean that you will be able to legally get a job or education.
Types of Polish visa
Visas are issued for a specific purpose. The purpose of the visa is indicated on the visa sticker by one of the following numerical codes: A, B, C, D, FTD, LTV. Additional notes such as: "student", "scholar", "intern", "volunteer" - according to the purpose of the visa. The types of all full visas can be viewed on the official website with their decipherment
We have listed the most common types of visas that we do for our customers on a regular basis:
The Schengen visa marked with the symbol "C" is issued to foreigners who plan to stay in Poland or Schengen countries (during one or more entries) for up to 90 days within 180 days. This period is counted from the date of the first entry. This visa is also issued to foreigners who plan to enter the Schengen area for the purpose of transit (by train or car).
- C1 category visa allows staying in the Schengen area for up to 30 days;
- C2 and C3 visas allow to stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days within six months and a year respectively;
- C4 category visa allows you to stay in the Schengen area also up to 90 days, but its validity varies from 1 year to 5 years.
Each category of visa type "C" can be single entry, double entry or multiple entry (MULTI). With a single-entry or double-entry visa, you can enter Schengen territory only once or twice, respectively. And if your travel plan involves leaving the Schengen area and later returning to it, this fact is indicated in the application form, and then the Consulate will decide whether to issue you a double-entry visa.
The MULTI Schengen visa entitles you to visit the entire area of interest multiple times. Only at first you will have to enter through the country whose consulate has issued you the visa. You can then make further journeys as you wish. MULTI visas are usually issued for 180 days, 1 year, 3 years, etc. However, even here there are pitfalls: keep in mind that the visa type "C" contains two different concepts - it is the total period of validity and the possible period of stay in the Schengen countries. A multiple-entry Schengen visa always has a stay limit, which is usually 90 days per six-month period. This means that with this visa you can visit Schengen countries multiple times, but the total time spent there must be no more than 90 days in six months. In other words, if a Schengen visa is given for a year, and in the first half of the year you have already "spent" your 90 days, then before the second half of the year you have no right to use your remaining limit, which means that entry to the Schengen territory is temporarily impossible for you.
Of course, the most desirable, but more affordable of the above visas is C1, all the others, in simple terms, must be "earned". For example, if you have a C1 visa in your passport at least once in the last three years, then the next time you apply for a visa, especially at the same Visa Application Centre, you can count on a six-month multiple entry visa. It is much easier to obtain this visa if the main purpose of your stay on the territory of Schengen - business. Accordingly, businessmen can also apply for an annual MULTI, and politicians or diplomats, who, due to their activity, often make multiple trips to Europe, can count on MULTI subtype C4.
National visa marked with the symbol "D" - entitling the holder to enter and stay in Poland continuously or several consecutive stays lasting more than 3 months in total. The period of validity of a national visa may not exceed 1 year. The period of stay on the basis of a national visa is determined according to the purpose of stay indicated by the foreigner (if the purpose indicated by the foreigner stipulates that he/she will stay in Poland for less than a year, the period of stay to which the foreigner will be entitled on the basis of the visa will be shorter).
Type "A" is an airport transit visa which authorises a stay in the transit area of the airport zone in any of the Schengen countries, and only. Type "A" visa does not cover movement within the Schengen area.
Type "B" - this type of transit visa is issued to someone travelling through any Schengen country by any land transport. As a rule, its validity period is from 1 to 5 days. However, this type of visa has not been issued since the EU Visa Code of 2010 came into force. Now, if you are only passing through Europe, you will have to apply for a regular "C" visa, in which in the "reason for entry" column will be marked "transit".
Types "FTD" are simplified transit visas issued only for transit between the main territory of Russia and the Kaliningrad region.
LTV" (Limited territorial validity visa) is a short-term visa that allows visiting only the country whose consulate has issued it. Such visa is issued in exceptional cases of humanitarian nature. It has very limited functions: it is not even allowed to transit through the territory of other Schengen countries.
Polish tourist visa
Also known as a Schengen visa, it is one of the most common visa categories. It allows you to visit all Schengen countries, including Poland. If your purpose is tourism, visiting relatives or a business trip for a short period of time, a tourist visa may be ideal.
Business visa
A business visa to Poland for Ukrainians is a C04 category document. The need for it arises for business representatives for business trips abroad. This option allows frequent entry to Poland, but only for a certain short time - 30 days for 3 months or 90 days for 1 year.
This document can be obtained by inviting a partner company or businessmen. The option of a previously concluded contract with representatives of Polish business community is also suitable.
Transit visa to Poland
A transit visa to Poland is intended for travelers who pass through Poland en route to their final destination. It allows you to stop in Poland for a limited period of time during a transit stop.
Working visa to Poland
A work visa to Poland is intended for foreigners who plan to work in Poland. It is a special category of visa that requires fulfilment of certain requirements and procedures. A work visa allows you to legally work in Poland for a certain period of time. In this case, when applying for the visa, you will need an official invitation letter from your employer in Poland.
Student visa to Poland
The student visa to Poland is intended for foreign students who want to study in Polish educational institutions. It entitles you to stay in the country during your studies and can be extended depending on your study program. In this case, you will need to provide one of the proofs of your intention (for example, a document on the applicant's enrolment in a Polish university).
Family visa to Poland
A family visa to Poland is intended for foreigners who want to join family members living in Poland. The term of such a visa is 2 years, during which you are allowed to work, study, receive medical services and enjoy other benefits in this country.
Humanitarian visa for citizens of RB
When applying for a visa you must provide:
a completed and signed national visa application form with a photograph,a valid passport, which was issued within the last 10 years and has two free pages, and which expires not earlier than 3 months after the expiry date of the visa, health insurance valid for the period for which you would like to obtain a visa, a written declaration of desire to obtain a visa to Poland.
A humanitarian visa is issued for a maximum period of 1 year. The issuance of the visa is free of charge. As of 1 December 2020, persons holding a humanitarian visa can legally work in Poland without a work permit.
Visa for citizens of the Republic of Belarus on another basis
But we also ask you to pay attention in cases of tourism visas were issued in the past, but today they are no longer issued. But a work visa was issued and is still issued, even if there was no work visa before.
That is, for the type of visa C (for residence permit) and visa D (in case of permanent residence) you can apply only in Minsk or Hrodna, or in these districts. The Bret district does not take such calls at all, this is what concerns the Schengen Polish visa.
Working visa: this is today a visa that can be opened well, the most open type of visa. It is an excellent visa that can be obtained for a year and you can apply for a residence permit if you plan to stay more than 90 days in the EU zone. With this visa you can also travel anywhere in Schengen. Quick entry, quick opening and you don't need anything except passport and insurance.
For example, in the case of citizens of the Republic of Belarus, there are few places for registration in Minsk, and mostly everyone goes to Moscow for fingerprinting. There are also intermediaries who book a place in the queue for 450 euros. In this case, you do not need to go anywhere, but just need to hand over the documents. Many people also apply for a visitor's visa, that is, you have to make a voivodship invitation. Obtaining such a visa depends on several factors, such as whether you have an acquaintance who sends an invitation, what you need to consider for this.
Important! It is worth considering that if you receive an invitation, the invitation from the employer should not be used for every second citizen of Belarus. The main thing is to know from whom and through whom you take the invitation.
Startup visa or visa for IT. Program Poland. Business Harbour
The program facilitates the smooth relocation of IT specialists, startups and other companies to the territory of the Republic of Poland. Thanks to the program, you can, for example, learn how to quickly and efficiently set up operations in Poland and get help in obtaining a visa. Holders of visas marked Poland.Business Harbour can work in Poland without a permit.
Documents required to obtain a Poland.Business Harbour visa:
1. National visa application form - completed and signed;
2. Up-to-date biometric photographs;
3. Passport - issued within the last 10 years, valid for at least three months after the date of planned return, with at least two free pages reserved for visas;
4. Health insurance for the period of validity of the visa (minimum sum insured - 30 thousand euros);
5. Documentation confirming the purpose of the trip:
for freelancers - a document proving technical education or at least one year of work experience in the IT industry;
for startup founders - a document confirming enrolment in the Startup Hub Poland Foundation program;
if you own a small/medium/large company - a document confirming enrolment in the program by the Polish Investment and Trade Agency.
You can read more about the program here.
We have prepared the second part of the article concerning Polish visas, in which we tell you about important changes, the list of documents for visa issuance to a foreigner, what can be the reasons for visa refusal and much more. You can read the second part of this article here.
