Visa field guide · PL
Plan your Poland application
e-Konsulat books both visa types; UDSC and the Voivodship Office handle residenceSee the common routes, understand the hand-offs, then confirm every requirement on the official website.01 / ROUTES
Choose the route that matches your trip
These are starting points—not an eligibility decision. Open the official route before you apply.- ↗Schengen short-stay visa (C)
Visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period when Poland is the main destination.
- ↗National long-stay visa (D) & residence permit
A visa valid up to one year, followed by a Temporary Residence Permit filed at the local Voivodship Office for longer stays.
02 / JOURNEY
What the application journey usually looks like
The exact order can vary by visa, nationality and application location. “If asked” steps are conditional.- 01Choose the C or D route
e-Konsulat handles the online part for both the Schengen C visa and the national D visa; the in-person part still happens at the consulate or visa centre.
- 02Register in e-Konsulat and select the travel-purpose category
The portal asks applicants to register a preliminary form and choose a purpose category before an appointment slot is confirmed.
GUIDELENS HELPS HERE - 03Book the consulate or authorised visa-centre appointment
Consulates and authorised visa centres publish their own accepted-document lists for the same visa type.
- 04Submit documents & biometrics in person
Data on the form must match your supporting documents exactly, including spelling.
IF ASKED - 05Track the decision through e-Konsulat
After booking and paying online, the application and documents must still be submitted in person.
- 06Apply at the Voivodship Office for residence if staying beyond the visa
Non-EU nationals who intend to stay beyond the D visa apply for a Temporary Residence Permit at the Voivodship Office for their place of stay; EU citizens instead register residence there within 90 days.
03 / BEFORE YOU START
Four things to know before you start
- Official portal
- e-Konsulat (e-konsulat.gov.pl) is the online system for booking and pre-filing both the C and D visa categories.
- Registration before booking
- Applicants complete a preliminary form with personal details, purpose and travel dates before the system confirms an appointment.
- Long-stay visa duration
- Poland's national D visa can be issued for up to one year and separately allows up to 90 days of Schengen travel within that period.
- Residence after arrival
- Longer stays are handled by the local Voivodship Office, with the Office for Foreigners (UDSC) acting as the national coordinating authority and appeal body.
04 / PRACTICAL GUIDE
Poland-specific visa notes
Poland runs one online system for both visa categories, but the identity of the receiving consulate and the later residence process are strictly local.- 01
e-Konsulat is the single online step for both visa types
Applicants register at e-Konsulat, fill in a preliminary application with personal and travel details, and the system schedules the in-person appointment where the full documents are submitted; the printed, signed form still has to be brought to that appointment.
Poland · study.gov.pl visa-application overview ↗ - 02
Local consulate pages set the exact registration steps
Individual Polish missions publish their own instructions for using e-Konsulat and the accepted document list for their consular district, so the procedure described on one country's consulate page should not be assumed to apply everywhere.
Poland in Nigeria · Registration procedure for submitting a visa application ↗ - 03
UDSC and the Voivodship Office run residence, not the consulate
Once in Poland, a Temporary Residence Permit application is filed and personally signed at the Voivodship Office responsible for the applicant's place of stay, with the Office for Foreigners (UDSC) as the national authority handling appeals against a voivode's decision.
Office for Foreigners (UDSC) · Voivodeship offices contact ↗ - 04
Keep the Schengen rule in view
For a multi-country trip, apply to the country that is the main purpose or longest stay. Use the first country only when stays are equal. The 90 days in any 180-day period are counted across the whole Schengen area.
European Commission · Applying for a Schengen visa ↗
05 / PREPARE
Information worth gathering before you open the form
Not every item applies to every route. Use the official checklist generated for your application.Passport and previous travel-document details
Travel dates, itinerary and accommodation
Travel medical insurance for the Schengen stay
Evidence of funds and the purpose of the trip
Employment, study or sponsor information where relevant
Translations and route-specific documents requested locally
06 / OFFICIAL
Continue with the official authority
You remain responsible for reviewing and submitting your application.