^{Updated on 20 April 2026}

Entering the territory of Poland:

Citizens of non-EU countries can enter Poland and stay with a Schengen or national visa. The visa is issued by a Polish consulate in your home country.

• Schengen Visa (type C) – allows a stay in the Schengen area of up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
• National visa (type D) – allows entry and a continuous stay in Poland or several consecutive stays totaling more than 90 days. The visa is valid for up to 1 year.

For your information: 

• Visa requirements and application forms + complete list of Polish diplomatic missions abroad are available at the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• Travel in the Union: conditions of entry, travel and residence rules in the EU.
• List of countries, citizens of which are exempted from a visa and the rules of visa-free regime.

UK citizens: After Brexit (1^st January 2021) UK citizens may enter Poland and stay within its territory on a basis of:

• Visa-fee movement
• National visa (type D)
• Separate regulations apply to Brits who are beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement. They have the right to stay in Poland under the current conditions if they were residents in Poland under EU law by the 31^st December 2021 and still live here. It is recommended that all beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement obtain a new residence document. Read more about BREXIT — residency procedures, UK nationals (PDF) here.

Russian citizens: On 19 September 2022, Poland introduced restrictions on the entry of Russian citizens. Currently, only Russian citizens who belong to one of the groups listed on the Border Guards’ website (PL) are allowed to enter Poland. This applies to all road, rail, river, air, and sea border crossings, regardless of the country from which they are entering Poland.
In case of any doubt, please contact the dedicated hotline at +48 22 500 40 00 (from Monday to Friday 8.15-16.15) or via email: zdsc2.kg@strazgraniczna.pl

Temporary Residence Permit (TRC):

The application for a TRC must be submitted no later than on the last day of your legal residence in Poland.
If you intend to apply for the TRC in Warsaw, you should register your profile and the case at the online portal for foreigners – MOS (Case Management Module)

Attention

Under the planned legal changes, applications for residence permits in Poland (temporary, permanent, and long-term EU resident) will be submitted exclusively online through a dedicated portal – MOS 2.0 (Case Management Module), accessible via a web browser from 27 April 2026. You will no longer need to book an appointment or wait in lines; applications can be completed at your convenience. You will also be able to pause the application, save your progress, and edit it later.

The previous system (MOS) was shut down on 17 April 2026.

Please follow the government website – WSC Migrant – for updates

Requiered documents:

• application form for a temporary residence permit, filled in Polish, completed and registered in the MOS system.
• two recent colour photographs (35 mm × 45 mm).
• copy of a valid travel document (passport) – include a photocopy of all pages with stamps and personal information.
• stamp duty: PLN 340.
• confirmation from the Students / Dean’s office of acceptance or continuation of studies, or a certificate of participation in a training course.
• proof of payment of tuition or course fees, if applicable, issued by the Students / Dean’s office.
• transcript of records (grades) issues by the Students / Dean’s office.
• health insurance documents – proof of coverage or a private insurance policy approved by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  *please note the list of approved insurers is updated twice a year (Dec/Jan and Jul/Aug).
• evidence of sufficient funds to cover living costs, return travel to your home country, and tuition/course fees. More information can be found here.
• information about utilities expenses (e.g., electricity, water, waste disposal, heating, sewage) – can be a dormitory accommodation certificate, lease agreement, or a statement of accommodation costs signed by the landlord (PDF PL)

Attention: Documents in a foreign language must be submitted together with a Polish translation prepared by a sworn translator. You can search the sworn translator at the website of the Ministry of Justice.

Fees to pay:

340 PLN when applying for TRC (stamp duty).

Bank transfer details

50 PLN for the plastic TRC card

Bank transfer details

• account:  83 1010 1010 0137 1022 3100 0000
• recipient:  Mazowiecki Urząd Wojewódzki, Biuro Finansów Urzędu, Pl. Bankowy 3/5 Warszawa
• title:  OPŁATA ZA KARTĘ POBYTU + your full name and surname as it’s written

More information about fees can be found here (PL)

Ways of submission:

Create an e-Delivery account – it is essential for delivering letters and communicating with the Department of Foreigners (click the link)  

How to collect a residence card:

The Department of Foreigners will inform you by text/email message about the date of collection of the residence card. You must bring the following items with you on the appointed day:

• the decision
• passport
• confirmation of payment for issuance of the residence card

The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Our website may contain links to external resources; Welcome Point is not responsible for the content or operation of any such external content or websites.