Getting a visa for Poland is relatively straightforward, especially since the country sits within the Schengen area. Citizens of the EU, the EEA, and Switzerland can live in Poland without a visa, although anyone who stays for longer than three months must register with the authorities. Nationals of many visa-exempt countries, among them the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, can enter for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without one. Everyone else needs a Schengen visa before travelling.
All travellers entering Poland should have a passport valid for at least three months past the date of departure from the Schengen area, and it must have been issued within the last 10 years.
The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) operates across the Schengen area. Non-EU travellers have their facial image and fingerprints recorded on entry and exit, and the old passport stamp has been retired. Residence permit holders are exempt from this step. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), an online travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers, launches in late 2026.
Schengen visas for Poland
You’ll need to apply for a Schengen visa to Poland at the Polish embassy or consulate in your home country before you travel. All documents must be in English or Polish. The standard processing time is 15 calendar days, although it can stretch to 45 days when a case calls for closer examination or further documents.
If you’re applying for a Schengen visa to travel to Poland for business, you may need to include a letter of invitation from the Polish business party and a letter from your local employer stating the purpose of your visit.
You’ll also need to demonstrate sufficient financial resources to cover your stay and provide evidence of your intention to return to your home country.
Useful links
Residence permits for Poland
If you wish to stay in Poland for longer than 90 days for work, study, family, or business reasons, you’ll need to apply for a temporary residence permit. Applications run through the MOS portal (Moduł Obsługi Spraw), the online system operated by the Office for Foreigners. The portal handles temporary and permanent residence permits, as well as EU long-term resident status, and these must be filed electronically rather than on paper at a Voivodeship Office. A few categories are handled on paper instead, among them intra-corporate transfers and certain family reunification cases lodged from outside Poland. You sign your submission with a trusted profile or a qualified electronic signature, then attend an in-person appointment to have your fingerprints taken.
Temporary residence permits are granted for a maximum of three years and can be subsequently renewed. By law, a decision must be issued within 60 days of a complete application. Waits often run longer in practice, especially in busy regions like Mazovia, which takes in Warsaw; the British government openly cautions applicants that permits can take longer than the stated time. Aside from the required documentation, you’ll need to demonstrate sufficient financial resources to support yourself and provide proof of valid health insurance coverage for Poland. Permits tied to work come with extra conditions, and intra-corporate transfers in particular have their own rules.
Once your application is approved, you’ll receive a residence card. It confirms your identity and legal status for the rest of your stay in Poland.
Useful links
- Office for Foreigners: Residence Permit Information
- Migrant Information Portal
- Immigration Poland
- MOS Portal: Online Residence Permit Applications
- UK Government: Living in Poland
Visa requirements can change at short notice, and you should contact your respective embassy or consulate for the latest details.