PolandBusiness and self-employment

Poland business visa (Schengen type C): requirements for meetings, fairs and training

Schengen visa (type C) for business and professional training

In short

Business meetings, negotiations, trade fairs and short professional training in Poland are done on a Schengen type C visa. You need an invitation from the Polish partner — registered with the voivode or with a notarised signature — and a letter from your own company stating who pays for the trip.

Apply on e-Konsulat (Polish online visa application system) checked 23 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area
Validity
Set by the consul according to the trip; single or multiple entry
Fee
€90Standard Schengen visa fee under the Visa Code: EUR 90 for adults, EUR 45 for children aged 6 to under 12, free under 6; consulates may collect it in local currency. Where the consulate uses an external service provider, its service fee is added. Not refunded if refused.
Funds required
PLN 75 per dayFor a business trip: PLN 75 per day (PLN 300 in total for stays up to 4 days), plus PLN 2,500 per person for the return journey when arriving from a non-EU country.
Processing time
Usually within 15 calendar days of a complete application; up to 45 days in individual cases
Work
Business activities only (meetings, fairs, training); productive work for a Polish company requires a work permit and a work visa
Family
Each family member applies separately with their own form and fee
Where to apply
In person at the Polish consulate responsible for your place of legal residence, or at the visa centre it uses, after registering in e-Konsulat

What counts as a business trip

This visa covers trips to meet partners, negotiate contracts, attend trade fairs or take part in professional training. It does not cover carrying out work for a Polish employer; that needs a work permit and a national work visa.

Invitation and company papers

The Polish company's invitation must either be entered in the register of invitations kept by the voivode under Article 50(1) of the Foreigners Act of 12 December 2013, or bear the inviter's signature certified by a notary in Poland. It must name the organisation that covers costs in Poland.

Your employer adds a letter on letterhead with its contact details, the signatory's name and title, your position and start date, and who pays for accommodation. For a fair, add the entry card or other proof of registration. Professional drivers in international road transport should ask the consulate for its transport-specific checklist.

Required documents

Identity

  • Visa application form completed in e-Konsulat, printed and signed
  • One colour biometric photo 3.5 x 4.5 cm, white background, taken within the last 6 months, face covering 70–80% of the frame
  • If you are not a national of the country where you apply: proof of legal residence there, such as a residence permit valid beyond the planned stay; other civil-status documents as the consulate requests

Travel

  • Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months after the visa ends, with two blank pages, plus a copy of the data page and any other valid passport
  • Flight reservation or other proof of transport and route
  • Proof of accommodation: hotel booking or an official invitation (original and copy)

Money

  • Proof of funds: bank statements for the last 3 months, or credit card statements showing the available limit, or an employer letter with position and last 3 months' salary, or pension proof

Work

  • Invitation from the Polish company entered in the voivode's register (Art. 50(1) Foreigners Act) or with a signature certified by a Polish notary
  • Letter from your company on letterhead: position, start date, who pays accommodation, signatory's name and title
  • Employees: employer letter or leave approval stating your position, start date and the leave granted, with proof of employment as the consulate for your country requests

Insurance

  • Travel medical insurance with at least EUR 30,000 cover, valid in all Schengen states (for a multiple-entry visa: the first trip)

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Work

  • Trade fair entry card or event registration
  • Company owners: business registration and recent tax documents; students: student ID and certificate of enrolment

Family

  • Minors: notarised consent of both parents (or written consent of the other parent or guardian), birth certificate, and copies of the parents' passports and visas if travelling together

Funds and costs

If the inviting or sending company pays, its letter covers the cost question; otherwise show PLN 75 per day plus PLN 2,500 for the return from a non-EU country. Frequent business travellers can ask for a multiple-entry visa; the consul decides the validity.

Processing and fee exemptions

Decisions are usually made within 15 calendar days, extendable to 45. People under 25 who represent non-profit organisations at seminars, conferences, sports, cultural or educational events do not pay the visa fee.

Refusal and reconsideration

A refused applicant may ask the consul who decided to reconsider the case within 14 days of receiving the refusal. The request is lodged where the consulate directs and carries a reconsideration fee set by the consulate. Spouses, dependent children under 21 and dependent parents of the applicant or spouse, and spouses of Polish citizens, do not pay it.

After reconsideration, a complaint can be filed with the Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw within 30 days, through the consul. The consul charges nothing for forwarding it, but court fees apply.

How to apply, step by step

  1. Check that Poland is your main destination (longest stay, or first entry if stays are equal); otherwise apply to the main destination country.
  2. Complete the application form in e-Konsulat, print it and sign it.
  3. Book an appointment through e-Konsulat or, where the consulate uses one, through its external service provider, which may charge a service fee.
  4. Obtain the invitation from your Polish partner and the company letters, then gather the standard documents.
  5. Attend in person at the consulate or visa centre, give fingerprints (unless taken in the last 59 months) and pay the visa fee as the consulate directs.
  6. Collect the passport where you applied once the consul has decided.

Forms

Frequently asked questions

Is a simple e-mail invitation from my Polish partner enough?

No. Poland accepts an invitation registered by the voivode or one whose signature was certified by a notary in Poland.

Can I install machinery for a Polish client on this visa?

Only activities allowed on a business trip are covered. Performing work in Poland generally needs a work permit; check with the voivodeship office before travelling if the task goes beyond meetings or training.

How quickly can I get a business visa?

Plan for 15 calendar days after the appointment, and longer in busy periods; there is no official express service.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Poland

Visits and short stays

Business and self-employment

Study and training

  • Student visa Maximum stay: D visa up to 1 year; residence permit 15 months at first, then the length of studies plus 3 months (max. 3 years)
  • Language course visa Maximum stay: As stated on the D visa, at most 1 year; 90 days in any 180 in other Schengen states
  • Researcher visa Maximum stay: Permit for the duration of the research, from more than 3 months up to 3 years
  • Internship and trainee visa Maximum stay: Intern permit: from more than 3 up to 6 months; D visa up to 1 year

Work

  • Work visa Maximum stay: D visa up to 1 year; single permit from more than 3 months up to 3 years
  • EU Blue Card Maximum stay: 3 months longer than the work contract, from more than 6 months up to 3 years
  • Job seeker visa Maximum stay: 9 months, granted once
  • Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: Up to 3 years for managers and specialists; up to 1 year for trainee employees
  • Seasonal work visa Maximum stay: At most 9 months per calendar year, counted from the first entry into Schengen that year

Family

Residence

Protection

Poland visa guide