Description

Poland Schengen Visa Policy

Poland Schengen Visa. Poland is an Eastern European country that operates the same visa policy as 26 other countries that make up the Schengen Area. This policy applies even to non-Schengen countries like Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania, which have separate policies but partially recognize Schengen visas and policies. The Schengen visa policy of Poland determines who can enter Poland with or without visas and how long they can stay.

Under the current visa regime, visitors coming to Poland must obtain a visa unless they are from a visa exempt country.  Visa exempt countries are determined by the European Commission in agreement with member states one of which is Poland.

Since Poland joined the Union, it has maintained this policy and also issued Schengen visas and accepts visas issued by other Schengen countries. Furthermore, Poland also recognizes the same visa-exempt countries as other member states in the Schengen Area. If you are from a visa-exempt country, you don’t need a Schengen visa to enter Poland; what you need is the electronic travel authorization and information system (ETIAS) which is a special entry permit for selected nationalities.

ETIAS is an approval set to go into active service by 2024 and is required from all visa-exempt foreign nationals, including Romania, Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Liechtenstein.

Poland Schengen Visa Exempt Countries

Poland maintains a list of visa exempt countries which is similar to that of other Schengen countries.  This list is made up of countries it has multilateral and bilateral relationships with and their citizens can visit without holding valid visas.

If you are from any of these visa-exempt countries, you can visit Poland and stay for 90 days within a 180 days period. As a visa free visitor you are free to go to any passport free zone in the country but you cannot work or study without a visa.

Poland Schengen Visa ETIAS

The European visa waiver program covers the visa policies and practices of European countries in the Schengen Area, and Poland is one such country. This visa waiver program qualifies visa-exempt nationals for visa-free entry, but under new regulations, they must apply for ETIAS approval before they can enter Poland or any EU country.

Before now, visa exempt visitors only needed valid passports to enter Poland but with the introduction of ETIAS there is a slight rule change. Now, they will need to apply for this online travel authorization in advance before coming to Poland. Also, due to the universal feature of ETIAS visitors can also access other Schengen and non Schengen countries in the EU like Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania.

ETIAS is a pre-screening system for visitors who previously did not need visas.  Once they submit their data to the System, it screens such data across multiple security databases to check for threats; persons who pose one or more threats to the host country will be denied entry. The application form contains sections for travel, passport and itinerary information. There is also a section for security questions which must be answered honestly.  This document is designed for business, tourist and transit visitors. Persons coming to Poland for medical care may also apply for it.

Although it is partially in use now, the plan is for it to become fully active and mandatory for all visitors coming to Europe from visa exempt countries in 2024. The application is available online and there is an application fee attached to it which must be paid with a credit or debit card before you can submit it.

Unlike consular and online visas that take days or weeks to approve, the Europe Travel Information and Authorization System will be processed in 30 minutes or less after submitting the application.

Key Information About Poland ETIAS

Linked To Your Passport: You must travel to Poland with the same passport you used to register for your Etias because they are linked. If you travel with a different passport, you will be denied entry into Poland.

Travel To Several Countries: You can travel to different European countries with the same ETIAS because it is recognized by almost all European countries apart from The Republic of Ireland.

The 90/180 Rule: During your time in Poland and the Schengen Area, respect the 90/180 rule. This rule states that visitors must not spend more than 90 days within 6 months. These rules also apply if they visit different countries, as the number of days spent in all countries will be combined and must be at most 90 days. Spending more time is a violation of the permit.

Primary Destination Rule: The primary destination rule states that you should visit the country issuing the ETIAS before traveling to another Schengen or EU country. In this case, Poland should be your first destination.