Schengen Visa (type C)

Schengen visas are visas that allow third-country nationals who are not exempt from the visa requirement under Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 of the European Parliament and of the Council to stay in the Schengen Area for a short period. A short-term stay is one that lasts no longer than 90 days in any 180-day period.

Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 of the European Parliament and of the Council of November 14, 2018 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement stipulates that nationals of the third countries listed in Annex I must be in possession of a visa upon entry into the Schengen area. to this Regulation, as well as persons who have been granted stateless or refugee status in countries outside the Schengen area.

The Uniform Schengen Visa is valid in the Schengen Area and permits its holder to remain in the territory of all of the Schengen Area Member Countries for a maximum of 90 days during a 180-day period.

The permitted duration of stay on a Schengen visa is calculated based on the number of days of permitted stay, the visa’s validity period, and the number of permitted entries into the Schengen Area.

In the case of a multiple-entry visa, the foreign national may enter the Schengen Area multiple times, and the total duration of stay may not exceed the number of days indicated on the visa sticker during the visa’s validity period. Schengen visas with a validity period of more than 180 days are issued exclusively as multiple-entry visas with a stay period of 90 days within each 180-day period during the visa’s validity.

A consul may issue visas for one, two or more entries. In the case of a Schengen visa, when the validity period of the visa exceeds six months, the visa is granted with the right to multiple entries.

What documents are needed when applying for a C-type visa? ► A travel document (passport document) which: is valid for at least three months after the planned date for leaving the Schengen Area or, in the event of multiple visits, after the planned date for the last leave of the Schengen Area, contains at least two blank pages, was issued during the last ten years; ► A filled out and signed visa application; ► A photograph; ► A proof of visa payment; ► A medical travel insurance: whose coverage amounts to not less than EUR 30,000 valid throughout the Schengen Area, covering the entire period of the person’s intended stay or transit (or, in the case of applicants for a multiple-entry visa, covering the period of the first intended visit), covering all expenses that may arise in connection with the need to return for medical reasons, a medical emergency, urgent hospitalisation or death; ► Supporting documents: A document confirming the purpose of travel; A document confirming possession of adequate financial resources to cover the costs of living during the planned stay and to cover the costs of return to the country of origin or residence, or to cover the costs of transit to a third country, which will certainly give permission for entry, or documents confirming that the applicant can legally obtain such funds; A document concerning accommodation or possession of financial resources to cover the costs of accommodation; A document that permits to assess whether the applicant will leave the Schengen Area before the visa expires. Supporting documents may be different depending on the country where a visa application is submitted. For more details, please contact the relevant consular post.

no earlier than 6 months and no later than 15 days before the planned date of entry, subject to the condition that in in the case of seafarers, it is possible to submit an application 9 months before the planned date of entry.

to the competent consulate due to the place of residence (as a rule). The application must be submitted byfrom the Polish consul, when: the main purpose of travel is the territory of Poland; when crossing the external Schengen border occurs through the Polish border, and the Member State that is the main destination of travel cannot be determined.

In special and urgent situations (e.g. death of a close person, accidents, humanitarian reasons) when it is impossible to submit a visa application at the consulate, it is possible to submit a visa application at the border.

In some consular locations, it is required to register the visa application or make an appointment with the consul through e-Konsulat system: https://secure.e-konsulat.gov.pl Some Polish consulates also use the possibility of submitting an application through an external service provider. Detailed information can be found on the websites of individual Polish consulates.

If the purpose of the stay could not be fulfilled within the period of authorized stay specified in the visa issued to the foreign national, or if the foreign national is unable to leave Polish territory due to force majeure, it is possible to extend their Schengen visa or national visa. The stay may be extended once. An exception applies if the foreign national is hospitalized and their health condition prevents them from leaving Polish territory.

An application to extend the validity period of an issued visa or the duration of stay covered by that visa must be submitted in person no later than on the last day of legal stay in Poland in order for the proceedings to be initiated. In the case of applications submitted after the deadline, the provincial governor will refuse to initiate the proceedings. Competent authority the provincial governor competent for the foreigner’s place of residence in Poland;