Visa and Work Permit in Poland

What information should you prepare before applying?

Before collecting documents, answer these questions. They help determine which documents you need:

• In which country do you live?
• What is your citizenship?
• Do you hold a biometric passport?
• What is the purpose of your stay: paid work, running a business or something else?
• How long do you plan to stay in Poland?
• Do you already hold one of the following documents: a visa, temporary residence permit, permanent residence permit or EU long-term resident permit?
• What are the details of the employer seeking to hire you, including name, address and telephone number?
• Will the employer submit a declaration entrusting work to a foreigner?
• What is the job title and what duties will you perform?

How to obtain a visa for Poland

Passport requirements

Your travel document, usually a passport, must meet three conditions:

1. Validity: at least three months after the planned date of leaving the Schengen Area, or after the last departure date if you plan several visits.
2. Blank pages: at least two blank pages.
3. Issue date: issued within the last ten years.

Documents required for a visa application

• a completed and signed visa application (we can help prepare it);
• a photograph on a white background, facing straight ahead;
• proof of payment of the visa fee;
• travel medical insurance:
  • coverage of at least EUR 30,000;
  • valid throughout the Schengen Area;
  • covering medical repatriation, emergency medical care, urgent hospitalization and death;
• a document confirming the purpose of travel;
• a document confirming accommodation or funds to cover accommodation; and
• a document showing that you are expected to leave the Schengen Area before the visa expires.

Proof of sufficient funds

You must show that you have enough funds for:

• living expenses for the whole stay, equivalent to PLN 75 per day;
• return travel to your country of origin or residence, approximately PLN 2,500, unless you already hold a return ticket; and
• any transit to a third country that has granted you permission to enter.

Alternatively, provide documents confirming that you can lawfully obtain these funds.

How to obtain a work permit in Poland

If you hold a document confirming lawful stay in Poland, you may apply for a single residence and work permit, which covers both matters.

Documents required for the application

• Three copies of the temporary residence permit application, completed according to the instructions:
  • the foreign national completes the application form;
  • the employer completes Annex 1;
• Four recent color photographs (45 × 35 mm, taken within the last six months):
  • showing the head from the top to the upper shoulders;
  • the face occupying 70 to 80% of the photograph;
  • a uniform light background, frontal position, eyes open and looking straight ahead;
  • no head covering, natural expression and closed mouth;
  • natural skin tone, with eyes and pupils clearly visible; and
  • the eye line parallel to the top edge of the photograph;
• A valid travel document, a copy of every page containing an entry plus the original for inspection.

Administrative fees

Additional documents, depending on the circumstances

• Exemption from the work-permit requirement: a document confirming that you meet the conditions, such as a Pole’s Card or a diploma from full-time study at a Polish university;
• Employment certificate from your previous employer, if you previously worked for another employer in Poland;
• Certificate of no tax arrears or a declaration that there are no tax arrears, for work performed under a contract for specific work;
• Proof of health insurance, or confirmation that the insurer covers treatment costs in Poland; and
• Information from the district governor that local labor-market needs cannot be met, but only where required. The employer is responsible for obtaining it.

How we can help

• We will check that your documents are complete.
• We will explain whether you meet the visa requirements.
• We will guide you through the procedure from application to decision.

If you are interested, write to us.

Frequently asked questions

What documents does a non-EU citizen need to apply for a visa to Poland? The application requires a completed and signed form, a photograph on a white background, proof of visa-fee payment, travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000 valid throughout the Schengen Area, proof of the travel purpose, proof of accommodation or funds for it, and evidence that you are expected to leave before the visa expires. Your passport must also meet formal requirements, and you must show sufficient funds.

What passport requirements apply to a Polish visa application? The passport must be valid for at least three months after the planned date of leaving the Schengen Area, have at least two blank pages and have been issued within the last ten years. If any of these conditions is not met, the visa application will not pass formal verification. Check these conditions before starting the application.

How much money must I show for a visa application to Poland? You must show funds equivalent to PLN 75 per day for living expenses and approximately PLN 2,500 for return travel, unless you already have a return ticket. Alternatively, provide documents confirming that you can lawfully obtain the funds.

What documents are required for a single residence and work permit in Poland? Submit three copies of the temporary-residence application (the foreign national completes the form and the employer completes Annex 1), four recent color photographs measuring 45 × 35 mm and taken within the last six months, and a copy of all pages containing entries in your passport, with the original for inspection. The administrative fee is PLN 440, or PLN 340 for a management board member of a sp. z o.o. or joint-stock company who does not hold its shares, plus PLN 50 for the residence card.

When is information from the district governor required for a Polish work permit, and who obtains it? Information that local labor-market needs cannot be met is required only in certain situations, not for every application. The employer is responsible for obtaining it. If you hire someone from outside the EU, check whether this requirement applies before submitting documents.