When we think of a travel destination, we often take one specific feature that we are attracted to most into consideration. Some people love to lay down and take a sunbathe on the hot sand while others look for museums, cuisine to get to know the country better. Tastes differ, but what about if we say there is a country anyone can enjoy? That is right, situated in Central Europe, Poland is a country that can adorn everyone's dreams. It is not exactly an obvious holiday destination per se. However, it has all kinds of travel facilities and conditions. You can find beaches in the north where you not only enjoy the sea and beach but also have fun partying. If you are a nature lover, you will be amazed by the glory of the Tatras. These mountains are perfect for hiking and have picturesque spots to get a perfect photo. Poland has many ancient cities like the capital of the country, Warsaw. It is said that to explore a city, you have to walk around it and attend museums, cafes, any places that the culture of the city is rooted in. By the way, Poland is one of the cheapest countries in Europe; therefore you can appreciate the food in the restaurants without worrying about the bill. Furthermore, this favorable environment also affects businessmen. Many of them around the world visit Poland for business purposes. Due to the growing interest in such activities in Poland, we decided to elaborate on a business visa. We will cover Poland business visa appointment, Poland business visa fees, Poland business visa requirements, Poland business visa online application form, Poland business visa processing time, Poland business visa cost, and most essentially, we will answer the question of how to get a Poland visa. Before looking at those issues, we need to be aware of Poland’s visa policy first.
Poland visa policy
Poland visa policy differs from country to country depending on the mutual relations among countries. Poland's visa policy dictates that for some countries, there is no visa needed, while for others visa is required. To make it more explicit, we can divide the countries into two groups regarding their status on visas:
The first group is visa-free countries. They are namely Eu countries, Andora, Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Canada, Croatia, Dominica, El Salvador UK, Ireland, Norway, Iceland, Georgia, Ukraine, Holly see, UAE, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Japan, Kiribati, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela.
Countries that are not on that list are visa-required. If you want to learn more about that, you can check our website and look at Poland's visa policy by clicking the "visa policy" section and choosing Poland.
What about the visa types? What are visa types for Poland?
There are three categories for visas and they are, Short-term visas (Schengen visas), Long-term visas (National visas), and last, Airport transit visas. Long-term visas are Poland employment visa, Poland study visa, family reunion visa, self-employment visa, Au pair visa. Many of the required documents for national visas are the same as short-term visas. The embassy requests additional documents since it grants a long stay, applications are assessed thoroughly.
Short-term visas, as it seems from the name, are visas designed for short stays. There are different types of Schengen visas such as tourist, visiting family or friends, business trips, etc. The visa type we are interested in, which is a business visa, is a short-term visa.
What is a Poland business visa?
This visa type is granted for people who intend to engage in business activities and stay in Poland not exceeding 90 days. However, many people get confused when they come across the term "business activities." They misinterpret it as a visa that allows you to open up a business or work. To get the right to work in Poland, one should apply for an employment visa or work visa depending on the length of the work. If you intend to stay and work for a maximum of 90 days, a work visa might come in handy for you. If you wish to take up employment in Poland for a long period, you need to apply for an employment visa. Bear in mind to get granted this visa, you should be highly skillful.
Business activities include business-related meetings, conferences, training, conducting internal audits, installing equipment, etc.
- Who can apply for this visa? The person who is:
- Going for business-related meetings, trainings, negotiations
- Going to conferences, exhibitions, congresses
- Going for scientific/research events
- Journalist
- Official representative
We identified the main purpose of the business visas. But what about Poland business visa appointment, Poland business visa fees, Poland business visa requirements, Poland business visa processing time, Poland business visa cost? To start answering, let’s first have a look at the requirements.
- Passport. The passport should be valid for a minimum of 3 months after leaving Poland. In the passport, there should be two pages that haven't been used.
- Poland business visa application form. Must be completed by the applicant. It can be filled out online too.
- Two photos are in passport format. The background for the photo should be white. It should include the face clearly. Photos should be colored other than white and black. The size for the photo should be 35x45 mm. The eye line should be leveled to the camera. Applicant should show no facial expression. Colors matching with the background should be avoided.
- Copy of the main page of the passport and copies of former visas (if any) are requested.
- A return ticket booking. It is highly advisable not to possess the ticket before gaining the visa.
- Medical insurance for the travel. The insurance should be able to cover cases worth up to 30 000 euros. Bear in mind that it can be granted online as well.
- A travel itinerary and a letter that demonstrates the nature of the travel. In this cover letter, sources of funding for the trip should be included. If you are sponsored by someone, then the relationship between the sponsor and the applicant should be indicated.
- Flight reservation. Timelines for entrance and exit, flight numbers should be indicated.
- Documents proving the accommodation during the trip. Options are many; it can be hotel booking, an invitation from the host, etc.
- A document that shows the civil status of the applicant. One of the following documents is enough. A certificate of marriage, a certificate of a child, a certificate proving the death of the spouse, etc.
- Applicant should be able to provide himself/herself during the days of travel. Followings are acceptable: cash, a personal bank statement, credit card, a document proving employment, etc.
- The applicant should be invited by a company that resides in Poland, which should be indicated within the invitation letter. In this letter, detailed information on dates, contact details, etc., should be pointed out as well. Also, finance for the expenses should be specified.
- A document or certificate provided by the employer to the applicant, showing approval to the travel.
- In the case that it is not the first time two parties having a connection, association with each other, then documents proving that such activities or events happened before should be presented.
Visa fees and processing time
How to get a Poland visa? This is the main question to answer. Getting a Schengen visa can be frustrating. You need to locate the local Poland embassy, consulate, or visa application center. If there is non in your country, you need to apply to the nearest one. Then one should make an appointment for the visa application. The next step will be to present the required documents and pay the fees. The amount of Poland business visa fees is 80 euros. But this fee is for adults, for minors (children aged between 6 and 12) the amount of fee is equal to 35 euros. For the nationals of Albania, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine, the visa fee is equal to 35 euros as well.
As for the visa processing time, it may vary depending on the country you apply to. However, usually, it is around 5-20 days.
