International » Erasmus & exchange students » Visa & residence

EU citizens can enter Poland with his/her ID document (a valid travel document e.g. passport, or another document certifying his/her identity and citizenship). For stay up to 3 months no legalisation of stay will be necessary.

For stays exceeding 3 months, an EU citizen will have to obtain a temporary residence permit (Karta pobytu obywatela UE). In case of students, the residence permit is issued for one year. The residence permit - once issued - will also entitle its bearer to take up work. The residence permit and the right to work also extends to the immediate family - i.e. spouse and children.

This document will be issued by the Department of Citizenship and Foreign Nationals of the Silesian Voivodeship Office.

The following documents are required:

• application for registering the residence completed in Polish + 3 photocopies;
• 4 colour photographs sized 4,5cm x 3,5cm, undestroyed and clear, presenting a person without head covering and dark glasses in such way that the head is shown in left semiprofile, with the left ear visible and the face evenly illuminated;
• 2 photocopies of a valid traveling document or other document confirming identity and citizenship; the original should be available for inspection;
• an official letter of acceptance from the University of Economics confirming the planned period of study/vocational training (the letter can be obtained at the International Relations Office);
• the European Health Insurance Card (+ copy); if you have private health insurance valid in Poland during the whole period of stay you must submit an official Polish translation;
• a letter from the home university stating the amount of the grant or other document confirming that you have enough money to support yourself during the whole stay (it may also be a statement of bank account).

Citizens of the EEA countries are subject to the same conditions as the EU citizens.

The citizens of Switzerland can enter Poland only on the basis of a valid passport.

Charges: registration confirmation – PLN1, paid at the Voivodeship Office in Katowice or directly to the Office bank account: 67 1010 1212 0053 4022 3100 0000, NBP Oddział Okręgowy Katowice

The application for registering the residence must be submitted in person, not later than on the day following the period of three months from entering the Republic of Poland.

The documents must be submitted to:
Śląski Urząd Wojewódzki w Katowicach (Silesian Voivodeship Office in Katowice)
Wydział Spraw Obywatelskich i Cudzoziemców (Department for Citizenship and Foreign Nationals)
Katowice, ul. Jagiellońska 25, room 161
tel.  +48 32 20 77 921
fax  +48 32 20 77 327

Office hours:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 7.30-15.30
Tuesday 7.30- 18.00

A citizen of a non-EU/EEA country can enter the territory of Poland on the basis of a valid travel document (passport) and a visa (if required). A citizen of a non-EU country has to obtain the visa from the consulate of Poland in his/her country of residence (the citizens of the countries listed here who can stay in Poland without a visa for up to 90 days). The short-term visa entitles to stay in Poland up to 3 months, the long-term visa - up to 1 year. The prolongation of visa in Poland is only possible in case of a force majeure or situation impossible to foresee while applying for the visa in the consulate. The visa can be prolonged only once.

It is therefore necessary to apply for a visa in a consulate for the whole planned period of stay in Poland.

Persons who have received a visa for the whole period of stay in Poland are not obliged to apply for a residence permit for their stay in Poland.

To obtain a visa you need the following documents:

• a valid passport;
• visa application form that can be downloaded from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland website;
• recent passport photographs;
• a letter of acceptance from the University of Economics , stating the period of your studies/vocational training in Katowice;
• an official statement from your home institution confirming the amount of grant.

Detailed information on entry regulations applying specifically to your country can be obtained from the Polish Consulate or Embassy in your home country.
Addresses of Polish embassies and consulates are listed here.

Citizens of the countries listed here who can stay in Poland without a visa for up to 90 days, still need to register and obtain a Temporary Residency Permit (Zezwolenie na zamieszkanie na czas oznaczony), as well as temporary stay card (karta pobytu), if their stay exceeds 90 days. They should register at least 45 days before the legal stay ending date.

The documents required for residence registration are:

• residence registration application form completed in Polish + 2 photocopies;
• 4 recent, undamaged, clear colour photographs sized 4.5 x 3.5 cm, taken without a hat or dark glasses and showing an evenly lit three-quarter profile with the left ear visible;
• 2 photocopies of a valid traveling document or other document confirming identity and citizenship; the original should be available for inspection;
  
• birth certificate and its official Polish translation;
• an official letter of acceptance from the University of Economics confirming the planned period of study/vocational training (the letter can be obtained at the International Relations Office);
• documents certifying that the student is covered by health insurance in the Republic of Poland;
• documents confirming steady and regular income sufficient to support one's stay; for example: a letter from your home university stating the amount of your grant or a statement of bank account;
• confirmation of fulfilling one’s tax obligations, issued by a relevant tax office;
• confirmation of temporary residency registration or a copy of residence card provided by the Head of the Student Dormitory if you live in one or from the Office for Civil Affairs (Wydział Spraw Obywatelskich, ul. Młyńska 4) of Katowice;
• documents confirming accommodation costs.

The procedure takes up to 6 weeks.

Charges:
temporary stay card – PLN50, paid at the Silesian Voivodeship Office or directly into the Office bank account: 67 1010 1212 0053 4022 3100 0000, NBP Oddział Okręgowy Katowice

temporary residency permit - PLN340 paid at the Katowice Municipal Council or directly into the Council bank acco unt: 46 1050 0099 5593 0211 1111 1111, ING Bank Śląski Oddział Katowice (the receipt must be attached to the application form).

The application for the temporary residency permit must be submitted not later than 45 days before the legal stay ending date.

The documents must be submitted to:
Śląski Urząd Wojewódzki w Katowicach (Silesian Voivodeship Office in Katowice)
Wydział Spraw Obywatelskich i Cudzoziemców (Department for Citizenship and Foreign Nationals)
Oddział Migracji i Kontroli Legalności Pobytu Cudzoziemców (Room 161)
Katowice, ul. Jagiellońska 25
tel.  +48 32 20 77 921
fax  +48 32 20 77 327

Office hours:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 7.30 – 15.30
Tuesday 7.30 – 18.00