A-Type airport transit visa
Where to apply?
You can apply at the consular office of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Brussels.
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?
Registration for a visit to the Consular Section of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Brussels in order to submit an application for a visa is possible by phone (tel. +32 2 780 45 02) and by e-mail (address: bebruamb3@msz.gov.pl).
Remember to apply for a visa not earlier than 3 months before a planned departure.
What documents do I need to submit?
Please note!
You can apply for an A-Type visa only if:
- You are planning to stay only in the airport's transit area and are not planning to leave it. The A-Type visa does not authorise you to stay in the Schengen area.
- You are a citizen of one of the countries below: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sri Lanka.
You do not need to apply for an A-Type visa if you:
- hold a diplomatic passport,
- are a member of an EU citizen's closest family,
- hold a C-Type or D-Type visa or a residence permit issued by one of the EU Member States
- hold any of the residence permits listed in Annex V of the Community Code on Visas, issued by Andorra, Canada, Japan, San Marino or the United States of America,
- hold a valid visa of a European Economic Area country or Canada, Japan or the United States of America, or you are returning from these countries after using such visa.
Required documents:
- A visa application form filled via the e-konsulat system, printed and signed;
- A 3.5 x 4.5 cm colour photo. The photo must be:
- sharp, taken against white background and printed on a quality paper.
- newer than 6 months;
- 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.
- 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.
- A copy of the passport page with personal data and the photo.
- A healthcare insurance valid across the Schengen area for the amount not lower than EUR 30,000
- A copy of an ID document to confirm residence within the consular district of your application.
- A document to confirm that you will continue your journey after leaving the transit area (for example, a plane ticket or a visa of the country of destination).
- Any information to prove that you do not intend to make your way into the territory of any of the Schengen area countries.
Additionally, when applying for a visa for a child 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.
- An original and a copy of a birth certificate.
If the child is entered in the parent's or legal guardian’s passport, 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.
- The consul may, but does not have to, invite the applicant for an interview.
- A-Type visa does not allow you to leave the airport transit area.
How much does it cost?
The fee for applying for a visa is 80 euro.
Accepted forms of payment: card (bank contact) or cash.
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?
As indicated by the consul.
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.
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]