United Kingdom
Poland
Poland visa for British citizens
Entry requirement
British citizens do not need a visa for Poland: stays of up to 90 days are visa-free.
- Maximum stay
- 90 days
- Where to apply
- Nothing to apply for in advance
Checked 7 November 2026 · Passport Index · Confirm at gov.pl
For longer stays: study, work and residence
Poland: visa decisions in the United Kingdom
| Year | Applications | Visas issued | Refused | Refusal rate | Multiple-entry share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2,869 | 2,788 | 73 | 2.5% | 67.4% |
| 2024 | 2,644 | 2,559 | 79 | 3.0% | 66.5% |
| 2025 | 3,703 | 3,185 | 504 | 13.5% | 55.6% |
In 2025, Poland’s embassy and consulates in the United Kingdom (London) received 3,703 applications for short-stay Schengen visas and issued 3,185. The refusal rate was 13.5%. The refusal rate rose by 10.5 points from 3.0% in 2024, a sharp increase. Applications rose by 40% compared with 2024 (2,644).
For comparison, all Schengen states together refused 10.5% of the applications lodged in the United Kingdom that year, from 1.0% at the consulates of the Netherlands to 32.0% at those of Iceland. Poland’s consulates worldwide refused 15.8%. Poland was the 17th most applied-for Schengen state in the United Kingdom.
You apply to the Schengen state that is your main destination (the longest stay or the main purpose; the state of first entry only when there is none), so a lower rate elsewhere is no reason to apply there. The figures cover applications lodged in the United Kingdom, by any nationality: mostly citizens, but also residents from other countries.
Source: European Commission, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, visa statistics for consulates 2023–2025 (© European Union, reused under CC BY 4.0). Short-stay (type C) visas. How these figures are made
Polish citizens travelling to the United Kingdom
PolandUnited Kingdom Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) United Kingdom visa for citizens of Poland
Travel advice for Poland
- US State Department Level 1: Exercise normal precautions
- UK Foreign Office (FCDO) No advice against travel
- German Foreign Office No travel warning
What the US, British and German foreign ministries tell their own citizens about travelling there, in each ministry’s own terms.
Before travelling from the United Kingdom to Poland, it helps to know the official travel advice: the US State Department rates Poland at Level 1, exercise normal precautions (updated 4 June 2025), the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office does not advise against travel to Poland (updated 11 August 2026) and the German Foreign Office has no travel warning for Poland (updated 20 October 2026).
Good to know
How long British citizens can stay in Poland
British citizens may stay in Poland for up to 90 days. Days in Poland count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period across all member states.
Poland and the Schengen area
Visa-free stays of British citizens in Poland count towards the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180-day period, shared with every other member state.
Poland’s neighbours for British citizens
Germany, Lithuania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Belarus and Ukraine admit British citizens visa-free. Russia requires British citizens to obtain a visa in advance.
Polish citizens travelling to the United Kingdom
Polish citizens do not need a visa for the United Kingdom, but they need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) before departure; it covers stays of up to 180 days.
Frequently asked questions
Do British citizens need a visa for Poland?
British citizens do not need a visa for Poland: stays of up to 90 days are visa-free.
How long can British citizens stay in Poland?
British citizens can stay in Poland for up to 90 days, within the Schengen limit of 90 days in any 180.
Do Polish citizens need a visa for the United Kingdom?
Polish citizens do not need a visa for the United Kingdom, but they need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) before departure; it covers stays of up to 180 days.
Can British citizens enter Poland visa-free?
Yes, British citizens can enter Poland without a visa and stay for up to 90 days.
Visa data: Passport Index via passport-index-data, as of 7 November 2026. Rules change, sometimes overnight. Confirm with the embassy or the official government portal before you book.