PolandVisits and short stays

Poland transit visa: requirements for passing through Poland

Schengen visa (type C) for transit through Poland

In short

If you have to enter Polish territory on your way to a country outside the Schengen area — for example driving through Poland to Ukraine or Belarus, or changing airports — you need a Schengen visa issued for transit, unless your nationality is visa-exempt. Staying only in the international area of a Polish airport needs no visa, except for nationals on the EU airport transit visa list.

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

Key facts

Maximum stay
The time needed for the transit, as printed on the visa
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 transit: 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
No; a Schengen visa does not permit work in Poland
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

When a transit visa is needed

Nationals of countries on the EU visa list need a visa whenever they pass the border check into Poland, even for a few hours. Airport transit visas (type A) are required only for the nationalities on the EU common list; everyone else may remain airside at a Polish airport without passing border control and without a visa.

Extra documents for transit

Besides the standard Schengen documents, show that you can enter the country of destination — a visa or residence permit for it if required — and tickets or a route plan for the onward journey. Drivers should bring vehicle documents and the planned route.

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
  • Visa or residence permit for the destination country, if required, and tickets or route for the onward journey

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

  • 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)

Travel

  • Vehicle registration, driving licence and international insurance (Green Card) if driving

Work

  • 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

Poland's reference amounts apply: PLN 300 for a transit of up to 4 days, plus funds for travel onwards or back. The return amount for travellers from a non-EU country is PLN 2,500 per person.

Application

The procedure is the same as for other Schengen visas: e-Konsulat form and appointment, personal appearance at the consulate or its visa centre, and the EUR 90 fee. If your journey also crosses another Schengen country first, apply to the country you enter first.

  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. Prepare proof that you can enter the next country and the onward tickets or route.
  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

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.

Frequently asked questions

I fly to Warsaw and on to a non-Schengen country on one ticket. Do I need a visa?

Not if you stay in the international transit area at Warsaw and do not pass border control, unless your nationality is on the EU airport transit visa list. If you must collect bags or change airports, you need a Schengen visa (if your nationality is not visa-exempt).

Can I drive through Poland to Ukraine on a transit visa?

Yes, a Schengen visa issued for transit allows the land crossing, provided you also meet Ukraine's entry rules.

Is a transit visa cheaper?

No. The same Schengen fee applies: EUR 90 for adults, EUR 45 for children aged 6 to under 12.

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