Poland Tourist Visa - Definitive Guide

This Polish tourist visa is issued for individuals travelling to Poland for the purpose of tourism. Being a category of the Schengen, nationals from Schengen region and of other countries that have a visa-exemption agreement with Poland do not require this permit. Also known as the Poland Schengen tourist visa, this permit is issued for a maximum stay duration of 90 days in a 180-day period and can be granted with single-entry, double-entry, or even multiple-entries. Note that if you are only travelling within the Schengen, you do not require multiple entries. 

The Poland tourist visa application from India has to be done at a mission of the Republic of Poland in India. If your state of residence is a North Indian or East Indian states/UT, you must apply at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in New Delhi. If your state of residence is a South Indian or West Indian state/UT, you must apply at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Mumbai.

To ease up the process, the application has to be done online. Before starting the application, you must check if you are eligible to apply for the tourist category. After this, you can proceed to make the application as follows - 

1. Obtain all the documents you will require for the application process. This includes the general documents, as well as the tourist-specific documents. 
2. Visit the ‘e-Konsulat’ application portal of the Polish Ministry of foreign affairs.
3. Select ‘India’, and the respective diplomatic mission as per the jurisdiction. 
4. Proceed to choose the ‘Schengen visa registration’ option. 
5. Register your account and proceed to select the appointment time and date at the respective Polish mission.
6. You must now fill in the application form online with all the relevant details.
7. After completing this, you must print the confirmation page and the completed application form. 
8. With the confirmation page print out, completed application form, and the documents, visit the respective mission for your appointment. You will have to provide your biometrics here as well. You will also have a short interview at the centre. 

Note that if you have travelled to the Schengen region in the past 2 years, or if you are travelling as a part of an organized tourist group, you may submit the application through a third party (as long as they have an authorization letter). In all other cases, you will have to submit the application in person. 

Ensure that you submit only genuine documents and correct information. Providing false information or fake documents can lead to Schengen visa rejection.

To be able to apply for the Poland tourist visa from India, you must meet the following eligibility criteria - 

• You must be living in India while lodging the application. If you are residing in a residence permit in any foreign nation, you may apply it to the corresponding visa authority in that particular country.
• You must possess a valid Indian passport meeting all the regulations.
• The only purpose of your visit must be to take part in tourism and related activities.
• You must possess sufficient funds to cover all your expenses during the entire stay period.
• You must apply for the permit only if Poland-

• 1. Is your only destination, or
  2. Is one of your multiple Schengen destinations, in which case you will be spending the majority of the time here, or, 
  3. Is your port of entry into the Schengen region.

As per the Poland tourist visa requirements for Indian citizens, the following are the list of documents you would have to submit at the embassy or consulate - 

• A valid passport- 

• 1. It must contain at least 2 blank pages.
  2. It should not be older than 10 years.
  3. It should be valid for at least 6 months from the date of travel.
  4. Old passports, if any, are to be attached.
• Appointment confirmation page
• Signed print out of the completed online application form
• A covering letter - 
  1. This must include the applicant's details.
  2. It should clearly mention the source of funds.
  3. It should clearly state the purpose and duration of the visit.
  4. It should be signed by the applicant and addressed to the Embassy of Poland.
• Detailed travel itinerary
• Proof of accommodation -  hotel bookings/invitation to stay/residence bookings, etc 
• Round flight trip bookings
• Medical travel insurance coverage up to at least 30000 Euros
• Proof of occupation - 

• Dimensions: 35mm X 45mm
• Colour: Coloured
• Head must occupy the central position
• Must be captured within the last 3 months
• Background: Solid, plain white or grey
• 80% face coverage
• Neutral expression
• Glasses: Non-thick framed and prescription glasses
• Headgears - only for religious reasons
• Facial hair - permitted

The processing time for this permit is dependent on the number of entries, the validity, the volume of applications at the respective mission, as well as your previous travel history. Normally, you can expect a processing time of about 15 working days. However, this can even take up to 30 days in a few cases, and even up to 60 days in extreme cases.

The fees for the tourist permit includes the biometric charges and any other service charges. The application fee can also vary upon the foreign exchange rates. You must, therefore, check the exact amount before starting the application. 

Note that if you are applying at the Embassy of Poland in New Delhi, you can pay the fees in cash or via bank transfer. However, if you are applying to the consulate of Poland in Mumbai, you must pay the fees in cash or DD in favour of the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Mumbai to the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) in Mumbai.

Once you have successfully made the application, the embassy or consulate will then start processing the application. If they require any additional verification, you will be contacted. Once approved, you can collect the passport from the respective centre. 

After the submission, you can perform the Poland visa status tracking by visiting the website of the respective mission and check for your token number. Once your passport is ready for pick-up, your token number will be displayed. For - 

• Applications made at  Embassy of the Republic of Poland in New Delhi
• Applications made at  Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Mumbai

Once you have successfully picked up the passport from the mission, you must follow the following points to ensure that you have a pleasant journey to Poland. 

• Keep in mind the expiry date, the duration of stay, as well as the number of entries mentioned on the visa sticker. You must not stay longer than the permitted duration.
• Carry all the travel documents while travelling. You will be denied entry into Poland without this. 
• Ensure that you travel to Poland within 6 months of the visa issue date, or as mentioned in the Schengen sticker. After this date, your permit will become invalid and you will not be able to enter the country. 
• While you are travelling within the country, always carry a copy of your travel documents with you. 
• While you are on a tourist permit, you cannot take part in paid work for a Polish company or establishment. 
• You will not be able to extend the tourist visa under normal conditions
• You can move freely within the Schengen zone. And depending on your entry type, you may enter and exit the Schengen multiple times.