C-Type Schengen Visa
Where to apply?
You can apply at the consular office in Sydney.
Do I have to apply in person?
Visa application form must be submitted in person. Diplomatic mission does not accept application forms sent via fax, regular mail or e-mail.
How to book an appointment?
You can book your appointment to apply for a visa via the e-konsulat system.
What documents do I need to submit?
You can apply for Schengen visa if you are: permanent resident of Australia (or long-term visa holder), citizen of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Vanuatu or Solomon Islands. Citizens of Australia can travel to the countries of the Schengen zone, including Poland, up to 90 days without a visa.
1. A visa application form filled via the e-konsulat system, printed and signed.
2. A 3.5 x 4.5 cm colour photo. The photo must be:
a. sharp, taken against white background and printed on a quality paper,
b. newer than 6 months,
c. taken en face, clearly showing the eyes and face from both sides from the top of the head to the top of the shoulders with the face covering 70-80% of the photo. The photo must be taken without any headwear.
3. Passport issued within last ten years, valid for at least three months from the expected return date, with at least two blank pages for visas. If you have another valid passport, you should attach it to the visa application form.
4. A copy of the passport page with personal data and a photo.
5. Healthcare insurance valid across all countries of the European Union for the amount not lower than EUR 30,000. The insurance must be valid for the entire stay in Schengen Zone and must include all expenses related to emergency medical hospital treatment, including COVID-19, return to the country of residence due to medical reason and death (repatriation of body). If you apply for a multiple-entry visa, it should cover the date of the first entry.
Information of the Minister of Foreign Affairs about the insurers and the services they provide which meet the necessary conditions referred to in Article 25 (1) (2) (a) and Article 25 (1b) of the Act of 12 December 2013 on Foreigners, is available on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs https://www.gov.pl/web/diplomacy/visas
The examples of companies which meet the necessary requirements:
- AIG
- Allianz
- AVA
- AXA
- Budget Direct (Zurich Australian Insurance Ltd)
- Bupa (Insurance Australia Limited)
- Cover More (Auto and General Services)
- Europ Assistance
- ING
- Swiss Care
- World Care.
6. Copy of an ID document to confirm residence within the consular district of your application.
7. Proof that you have enough means of subsistence in the form decided by the mission: It could be: an original income certificate from the employer or a bank account statement for the last three months or a pension slip or a certificate of registration; in case of an individual entrepreneur or one-man firm a valid e-ticket together with a confirmation of prepaid accommodation. In case of minors, a written declaration of the legal representative regarding the coverage of all costs is additionally needed.
8. A proof of accommodation (for example, an official invitation or a hotel booking or reservation).
9. A document to confirm the purpose and the conditions of your planned stay in Poland
- Official Invitation from a person to be visited registered at the District Authority Office in Poland (Urząd Wojewódzki) - required when physical or legal person invites the applicant to the Republic of Poland and is going to provide accommodation and financial support
- For business: an official business letter from a company in the Republic of Poland. ev. other Schengen countries and from employer stating the purpose of the visit.
- In case of tourist visit: the booking from the travel agency; or in case of individual visit: prepaid reservation of accommodation.
- For conferences: invitation letter issued by the hosting organization, confirmation of the participation issued by the hosting organization, receipt of payment of the registration fee.
- In case of an entry for an educational or other scientific or professional training purpose: the certificate of the receiving institution, the certificate of the envisage place of accommodation in the Republic of Poland.
- In case of an entry for the purpose of medical treatment: the certificate from the receiving health institution, including reference to the fact that expected coverage of the medical treatment is available, and other certification of the coverage of the medical treatment, as well as the confirmation of the accommodation in Poland.
- For the purpose of cultural / sports activates: accreditation proving the participation in the sport event or contract with the Polish sport club, or the certificate issued by the delegating sport club / Olympic Committee / Ministry of Sport / Ministry of Culture etc.
- For work: a Work Permit obtained by the applicant issued by his/her prospective employer and a promise of an employment contract. Accommodation and medical insurance paid in advance for at least the first month.
10. Round trip air ticket and detailed travel itinerary with dates and flight numbers specifying entry and exit of the territory from Schengen states. If more than one entry is required, a reason must be provided.
11. Valid re-entry visa to Australia (current VEVO system print out)
12. Marriage certifiicate, if maried - a marriage certificate in English or Polish or if prepared in other language, together with its transalation into English or Polish.
13. Confirmation of current employment or school / university enrolment
14. Proof of payment
Additionally, when applying for a visa for a minor you should present:
- Written consent of the child’s parent(s) to apply for a visa, confirmed by a notary. If there is only one guardian, it should be proved by a birth certificate, a court decision on exclusive parental custody or a death certificate of the other parent.
- Originals and copies of parents' passports.
- Original and a copy of a birth certificate.
- A written declaration of the legal representative regarding the coverage of all costs
If a child is entered in their parent's or a legal guardian’s passport, please submit a separate visa application. The visa will be pasted into the parent's or the legal guardian's passport.
Please note:
- You must apply for a visa in a consular office or the embassy’s consular department in the consular district of your place of residence.
- Usually, the above documents are enough to receive a visa, however, the consul may require additional documents.
- Apply for a visa not earlier than three months before your planned journey.
- The consul may, but does not have to, invite the applicant for an interview.
- You may be banned from entering any of the Schengen States if you present forged documents or provide false information.
- Receiving the visa does not guarantee that you will enter the Schengen area - the final decision is always made by the authorities of the country where you intend to cross the Schengen area border.
The Visa Information System (VIS) is designed to exchange data on visa applications and related decisions between Member States. Due to the fact that he has achieved full operational efficiency, the travel document of a foreigner applying for a Schengen visa is not stamped with a stamp confirming the admissibility of the application referred to in art. 20 of Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas (Visa Code).
How much does it cost?
The visa fee is 147 AUD.
The visa application fee is non-returnable, whatever the consul's decision.
What is the waiting time?
The consul will make the decision on the visa within 15 calendar days. Exceptionally, the time to make the decision can be extended up to 30 or 60 days.
How to collect the documents?
For the return of the submitted orginal documents, choose one of the following options:
- Pick up in person from Consulate
- A self-addressed prepaid envelope enclosed with application
How to appeal?
If you do not agree with the consul's decision, you may ask to have your visa application re-considered. You must apply for the reconsideration in the office that issued the decision within 14 days of its delivery.
The application fee in this case is 128 AUD.
You can apply at the Consulate General in Sydney.
Revocation or annulment of Schengen visa
If you have received a decision to revoke or annul your Schengen visa that you do not agree with, you have the right to ask for a reconsideration. However, if you have applied yourself for your Schengen visa to be revoked and the consul has agreed, you are not entitled to appeal.
You should apply for reconsideration within 14 days of receiving the decision to annul or revoke your Schengen visa at the consular post that issued the decision.
You can apply at the Consulate General in Sydney.
If you apply for reconsideration after your Schengen visa was revoked or annulled, you do not have to pay the consular fee.
Complaint about refusal to issue Schengen visa, decision to revoke or annul Schengen visa and the consul's activities in this respect
If the consul who examines your reconsideration request issues a new decision to refuse, annul or revoke your visa which you do not agree with, you have the right to submit a complaint to the Provincial Administrative Court in Warsaw. The complaint should be forwarded through the consul who made the decision, within 30 days of receiving the decision taken as a result of the re-examination .
You do not pay a consular fee for submitting a complaint to the consul, but you have to pay fees for proceedings before administrative courts. Therefore, you have to note that the court will ask you to pay the court fee. More information on the amount of court fees when appealing with the administrative court, possibility to apply for an exemption from the costs and the language of the procedure, is available at:
https://bip.warszawa.wsa.gov.pl/133/wpis-sadowy-zasady-dokonywania-wpisu.html
Legal basis
Rozporządzenie Parlamentu Europejskiego i Rady (WE) nr 810/2009 z dnia 13 lipca 2009 r. ustanawiające Wspólnotowy Kodeks Wizowy (kodeks wizowy)
Ustawa z dnia 12 grudnia 2013 r. o cudzoziemcach (Dz. U. z dnia 30 grudnia 2013 r. poz. 1650 z późn. zm.)
Ustawa z dnia 25 czerwca 2015 r. Prawo konsularne (Dz. U. z dnia 31 sierpnia 2015 r. poz. 1274)
[ewentualna umowa dwustronna o ułatwieniach wizowych]