Poland in the UK

For EU/EEA/EFTA Citizens:

• Citizens of EU/EEA/EFTA countries can enter Poland with a valid passport or ID card.
• Your travel document must be valid for the entire duration of your stay.

Visa-free entry for certain countries

Citizens of the United Kingdom and the countries listed below do not require a visa to enter or transit through Poland if their stay in Poland or the Schengen area does not exceed 90 days within a 180-day period.

Albania (biometric passports only), Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina (biometric passports only), Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Montenegro (biometric passports only), Dominica, Grenada, Georgia (biometric passports only), Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR passports), Israel, Japan, Canada, Kiribati, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica, Macao (SAR passports), Macedonia (biometric passports only), Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova (biometric passports only), Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Samoa, El Salvador, Serbia (biometric passports only; Kosovo-related passports require a visa), St. Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Seychelles, United States, Taiwan (passport must include citizen ID number), East Timor, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Ukraine (biometric passports only), Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, United Arab Emirates.

Countries requiring a Schengen visa

Citizens of the following countries must obtain a Schengen visa to enter Poland or any Schengen Agreement member state:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, DR Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana.

Visa requirements for specific documents

The following individuals also require a visa:

• holders of a Stateless Person Travel Document (New York Convention of 28 September 1954),
• holders of a Travel Certificate (Black),
• holders of a Blue Travel Document (Geneva Convention of 28 July 1951).

• Applications must be submitted in person at the Consular and Polish Diaspora Section of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in London, located at 10 Bouverie Street, EC4Y 8AX, London.
• The nearest tube stations are Blackfriars and Temple.
• To submit a visa application, you must schedule an appointment through the e-Consulate system.
  ATTENTION! Visa applications submitted by fax, regular mail, courier services, or email will not be accepted.
• Please attend at the pre-scheduled appointment date and time displayed on the final page of your visa application. 

As per Decision No. 99 of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dated 27th August 2012, regarding the establishment of consular offices issuing visas in certain countries, the only consular office authorized to issue visas in the United Kingdom is the Consular and Polish Diaspora Section of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in London.

For further information, please contact: london.visa@msz.gov.pl.

The visa application form must be submitted in person. Applications sent by fax, regular mail, courier services, or email will not be accepted.

To book an appointment to submit your visa application, use the e-Consulat system. Follow these steps:

1. Accept General Rules: Agree to the general rules for submitting an application.
2. Select the Service:
   1. Choose the appropriate type of visa (e.g., C-Type Schengen Visa – Family Members of Polish Citizens, Business, Tourism/Visits, Conferences/Sport).
   2. Enter and save your preliminary application.
   3. Ensure all data matches your supporting documents.
3. Confirm the Application: A confirmation request will be sent to your provided email. Confirm it within 48 hours.
4. Complete the Application:
   1. Finish your full visa application within 48 hours of confirmation.
   2. If not completed on time, your booking will be cancelled, and your data deleted.
5. Appointment Selection: If applications exceed available slots, appointments are assigned randomly twice a week (on Sundays and Wednesdays).
6. Appointment Confirmation:
   1. Once booked, you’ll receive an email with your appointment date.
   2. Unselected applications remain in the system for future draws – no need to re-register.

Important Notes

• Ensure your application data matches the details in your documents.
• Consular staff cannot intervene in the appointment selection process.
• Submit your visa application no earlier than six months and no later than 15 days before your planned trip. Applications outside these timelines may be rejected.

Visa registration is free!

1. New Document Submission
   Every visa application requires a new set of documents. Previous visa documents are not retained or reused.
2. Printed Documents Only
   All documents must be printed. Digital versions are not accepted.
3. Required Documents for Schengen Visa

• Application Form: Completed via e-Consulat, printed, and signed.
• Photo:
  • one recent (max. 6 months old) color photo,
  • size 3.5 x 4.5 cm,
  • should be taken against a white background,
  • sharp and printed on quality paper,
  • the photo must show your face en face, with no headwear, and occupy 70-80% of the image.
• Passport:
  • valid for at least three months beyond your planned return,
  • issued in the last ten years, with two blank visa pages,
  • provide any other valid passports you have.
• UK Residence Permit:
  • valid for at least one month after your visa expires,
  • provide additional Home Office documentation if your immigration status exceeds your BRP card validity.
• Health Insurance: Coverage of at least 30 000 EUR, valid across the Schengen Area for your entire stay. Details:
  • must include your name,
  • valid in all EU countries,
  • single or double-entry visas: covers the trip duration,
  • multi-entry visas: covers the first trip; you need to ensure insurance for future trips.
• Travel Proof: Reserved return ticket to the UK or onward travel proof.
• Accommodation Proof: Confirmed hotel bookings, official invitations, or letters from your host with their full address and Polish contact number.
• Financial Proof: Bank statements from the last three months or credit card statements showing name, balance, and monthly limits (in GBP, PLN, USD, or EUR). If supported financially by others, provide:
  • for spouses: marriage certificate, spouse's bank statement, and a support declaration,
  • for parents: birth certificate, parents' bank statement, and a support declaration.

4. For Minors

• original birth certificate;
• passports of both parents/legal guardian;
• signed visa application form by parents/legal guardian.

5. Purpose-Specific Documents

• Family Visits (family members of Polish nationals, who do not qualify for the simplified procedure; book: "C-Type Schengen Visa – Family Members of Polish Nationals"):
  • invitation letter (with full contact details),
  • proof of relationshipapostilled,
  • all documents issued outside the EU/UK must be apostilled.
• Business (book: "C-Type Schengen Visa – Business"):
  • official invitation letter (with all company details, inc. its registration number in the UK),
  • supporting trade/work documents (e.g., pay slips for last three months, documents confirming trade relations, etc.).
• Tourism (book: "C-Type Schengen Visa – Tourism, Visit"):
  • confirmed hotel bookings,
  • all tour details.
• Visits (book: "C-Type Schengen Visa – Tourism, Visit"):
  • invitation letter from a host with a copy of their passport/ID cart/PL residence permit,
  • proof of relationship if applicable (e.g., birth certificate).
• Conferences/Sports (book: "C-Type Schengen Visa – Conference, Sport"):
  • official invitation letter (with all contact details, etc.),
  • event-related documentation.
• Transit (book: "C-Type Schengen Visa – Other"):
  • visa or entry permit for the destination country,
  • confirmed travel tickets.

6. Important Notes

• Additional documents may always be requested by the consul.
• Receiving a visa does not guarantee entry into the Schengen area. The final decision is made by the border authorities of the country where you intend to cross into the Schengen area.
• For further details or specific queries, consult the relevant sections.
• Visa Information System (VIS): The Visa Information System (VIS) facilitates the exchange of visa application data and decisions between Member States. As VIS is now fully operational, foreign travel documents submitted for Schengen visa applications are no longer stamped to confirm application admissibility, as per Article 20 of Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 (Visa Code).

The visa application fee is 75 GBP, payable on the day of your appointment, preferably by card. This fee is non-refundable regardless of the consul's decision.

Schengen Visa Fee Exemptions

The following groups are exempt from paying the visa fee:

• children under 6 years old,
• researchers under 25 traveling to Poland for scientific research,
• spouses of EU citizens (with required documents),
• dependent children of EU citizens under 21,
• dependent parents of EU citizens,
• representatives of non-profit organizations under 25 attending events (e.g., seminars, sports, cultural, or educational events) organized by registered non-profit organizations.

Schengen Visa Fee Reductions

Children aged 6 to 12 years: 38 GBP.

The consul will decide on the visa within 15 calendar days. In exceptional cases, this period may be extended to 30 or 45 days.

You must collect your passport in person, and no appointment is necessary.

Alternatively, your documents can be returned by post if you provide a self-addressed, prepaid Special Delivery envelope.

The collection times are as follows:

Refusal of Visa

If your visa application is refused, you have the right to be informed of the reasons for the decision. If you disagree, you can request a reconsideration of your application.

Steps to Appeal

1. Apply in person: Submit your appeal at the office that issued the decision.
2. Timeline: You must apply within 14 days of receiving the decision.
3. Fee: The reconsideration application fee is 70 GBP.
4. No registration required: Submit your appeal during the following hours: 

Revocation or annulment of Schengen visa

If your Schengen visa is revoked or annulled, and you disagree with the decision, you can request a reconsideration.

Key points:

• You cannot appeal if you personally requested the revocation and the consul agreed.
• Submit your appeal within 14 days of receiving the decision.
• No fee is required for this type of reconsideration.
• Submit the appeal during the following hours:

Complaints about visa decisions

If, after reconsideration, the consul again refuses, annuls, or revokes your visa and you disagree, you can submit a complaint to the Provincial Administrative Court in Warsaw.

Steps to submit a complaint:

1. Forward your complaint through the consul who made the decision.
2. File the complaint within 30 days of receiving the final decision.
3. Fees:

• no consular fee is required;
• administrative court fees apply.

For details about court fees, exemption options, and procedures, visit: bip.warszawa.wsa.gov.pl/133/wpis-sadowy-zasady-dokonywania-wpisu.html