Polish visa - general information

Visas issued by Polish consular offices can be divided into two groups: Schengen visas and national visas.

Schengen visa:

Schengen visa type "A":

With this kind of visa you can only enter international transit zone of one or more airports in Schengen countries, without entering Schengen zone.

Schengen visa type "C": 

This visa allows you to stay on the territory of the whole Schengen area, or in one (or more) Schengen countries. The period of stay is up to 90 days in 180-day period. 

Polish national visa:

Marked with the letter "D". A long stay visa. Allows you to enter Poland and stay there during a period of time longer than 3 months, but not longer than one year (it depends on the purpose of stay you've in your visa application). With this kind of visa you can not only stay in Poland, but also move within the territory of the Schengen zone for up to 3 months within 6 months period.

Regardless of the above, both Shengen and national visas are marked with the numbers from "1" to "25". These symbols point out the purpose of issuance:

01 - tourism

02 - visit

03 - participation in sport events

04 - running economic activity

05 - being employed on the basis of "statement of intention to entrust work to a foreigner" (applies to citizens of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia or Moldova)

06 - being employed on the basis of other document than described in point 05

07 - carrying out cultural activity or participation in conferences

08 - performing statutory functions by representatives of foreign state authority or an international organisation

09 - studies of I or II degree, uniform master’s degree studies or studies of the III degree

10 - vocational training

11 - education or training other than in points 09 and 10

12- teaching

13- carrying out scientific research

14- transit
15 - air transit
16 - medical treatment

17 - joining or staying with EU, EFTA or Swiss Federation citizen

18 - participation in cultural or educational exchange, humanitarian aid programme, or students' summer employment programme

19 -migration of the closest family member of the repatriate

20 - execution of the card of the Pole's rights
21 - repatriation
22 - enjoying temporary protection
23 - arrival for humanitarian reasons, according to national interest or international obligations
24  - execution of temporary residence permit for family reunion
25 - a purpose other than specified above

Points 19-22 apply only to polish natonal visas

Legal basis: 

• The Regulation of the Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration of April 22, 2011, on visas for foreigners
• Regulation (EC) No. 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of July 13, 2009 establishing a Community Code on Visas
• COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 539/2001 of 15 March 2001 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement
• The Act of 30 December 2013 on foreigners (Journal of Laws of 2013., item 1650)

An example of Polish national visa