I want to go to Poland on vacation, what do I need for this? Rules for crossing the Polish border with your own car and requirements for a car when entering Poland Let's relax to the fullest

Modern realities, namely the sharp depreciation of the national currency, force Ukrainians to seriously consider the option of going to Poland to work in order to find decent wages.

Why Poland? Main criteria:

• Relatively easy to obtain permission
• Not far to go
• Easy to understand Slavic language
• Level of remuneration (salary in Ukraine - from 100 Euro / in Poland - from $700 Euro)

GDP in Poland shows record growth among European countries - over 4%. Compare with other countries - in France this figure is 3.7%, in Italy - 0.8%, and in Germany, which is considered the strongest economy in Europe - 0.9%.

Another factor that forced us to look towards Europe was the need to obtain a work patent from January 1, 2015 for “workers” who went to work in Russia (and this is about 6 million of our compatriots), and the fall in the exchange rate of the Russian ruble played an important role role. In short, it has become profitable to earn money abroad and spend it at home.

“To go or not to go?” - that is the question

Since 2007, the registration procedure has been simplified. Citizens of other countries are required to obtain a work permit, but for Ukrainians an invitation from an employer is sufficient. In addition, today Poland is the only European Union country that issues work visas and legally accepts workers from Ukraine.

Neither the Czech Republic, nor Germany, nor Canada, and especially the United States, are waiting for labor migrants from our country, unless you are an outstanding scientist or a specialist of the highest class. Want to make sure? Just call the Ministry of Social Policy and ask which EU country how many work visas have been issued to our fellow citizens over the last year and all questions will disappear by themselves.

Today, everyone affected by the crisis is traveling from Ukraine to Poland - middle managers, executives and teachers; everyone needs work. And here lies the first unpleasant surprise. If you worked in an office in your home country, this does not mean that you will receive a similar position in Poland. Work in their specialty is the lot of technical specialists (programmers, turners, drivers), where knowledge of the language is not the main requirement.

The first job in Poland for a humanitarian or office worker is a laborer or any other job that does not require high qualifications (factories, warehouses, etc.).

However, if you are not used to physical labor, the first time will be difficult for you and many simply cannot cope with the “feeling of self-importance” and return. You shouldn’t judge life and work in Poland by videos from social networks; in reality, everything is much more prosaic. If you are not ready for drastic changes in your life, think again, maybe you shouldn’t be disappointed and it’s better to look for luck at home.

Important! Without language knowledge and experience, earning more than the minimum wage (8-10 zlotys per hour) will be extremely difficult, if not impossible. Yes, there are exceptions, but it’s better not to count on them.

Reviews about earning money in Poland:

I have decent experience in earning money abroad, I’ve been to many places: Italy, Germany, Poland. However, the best option for me was working in Poland on road construction. The work cannot be called easy, but the salary is decent - more than 4,000 zlotys per month (although you had to pay about 600 zlotys separately for accommodation and food). Working hours are from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. I'll probably go again next season. Andrey, 44 years old, Rivne

Who better not to go to work in Poland?

Let's face it! If you have spent your whole life in an office and are afraid of physical labor, if you are waiting for a miracle in the form of a well-paid job where you can “not strain”, immediately upon arrival - Poland is not for you.

Poland is waiting and will not disappoint those who want and love to work. Those who will work and develop, invest in themselves, their education and future are welcome here. I hope these lines will help you make the right decision and prevent another negative review on the Internet.

How to go to Poland to work?

To officially go to Poland to work, a Ukrainian must, which gives the right to stay and work on the territory of the state for 180 days in a year 180/365 (or 90 days in a half-year).

There are few options for obtaining such a visa:

Option 1. Traveling by invitation to work

To obtain a visa at the Polish consulate or embassy in Ukraine, you must provide an invitation to work from a Polish employer with a note from the voivode.

You can obtain such permission:

• By contacting an intermediary (recruitment agency for job search abroad)
• By independently contacting an employer in Poland and convincing him to send you an invitation

Option 2. Obtaining a one-year visa D (360/360) based on a POLE CARD

It is no secret that a significant percentage of the population of Ukraine (especially people from the western and central regions) and Belarus are of Polish origin, that is, their close relatives (parents or grandparents) were Poles by nationality.

If you can confirm the fact of having Polish roots, according to the law you have the right to receive a so-called POLE CARD (KARTA POLAKA), and on its basis a long-term national visa on a free basis.

In addition, the Pole’s card makes it possible to obtain permanent residence under a simplified procedure and subsequently Polish citizenship.

Read more : And is it possible to get such a card without Polish origin?

These are not all the ways to go to Poland to earn money, but the options given are the least expensive in terms of finances and time.

Where to go to work in Poland?

There are enough vacancies for our compatriots. There are offers for both qualified employees and the opportunity to get a job that does not require qualifications. The Poles are happy to hire Ukrainians, because they have to pay less than the local population. Polish workers themselves go to Ireland, Sweden, Austria, where earnings are higher.

Here is a list of the most popular vacancies with working conditions, requirements and average salaries -

September 21, 2016

We travel abroad for various reasons: some people want to see the beauty of other countries, others just like to relax in comfort, and many cross the border to make purchases. But, no matter what our goal is, we always want to save as much as possible and travel cheaper. Read this article about how to reduce transport costs when traveling from Belarus to Poland.

The most economical options

Those who have traveled a lot and with pleasure, and also used different methods for this, know: there is nothing cheaper than hitchhiking. And indeed: by hitchhiking, you can not only save money, but get anywhere practically for free. But there is a high risk of getting into an unpleasant situation, and such trips, to put it mildly, do not add comfort. The most affordable and reasonable options for getting to the border are, of course, trains and buses.

We go through Brest - Terespol (Terespol)

Perhaps the most convenient point for crossing the border. The cheapest way to get to this checkpoint on the Belarusian-Polish border is from Minsk in two steps. The cost of a trip on the Minsk - Brest electric train, which we board first, will be about 8 rubles in new Belarusian rubles. However, there is one nuance: it is better to travel at night (and cheap trains here most often run at night) with a group, since anything can happen in shared carriages. Let us add that the trip to Brest by train will take about 8 hours.

However, Brest is not the final destination of our journey, and now we need to get to the border. To do this, we transfer in Brest to the Brest-Terespol train, a trip on which will cost us about 9 rubles. The time from Brest to Terespol by train is approximately 15–20 minutes. It could be less (the drive is no more than 10 km), but don’t forget about border control (more on this, as well as how else you can get to Poland, in a separate chapter below). In total, a trip abroad by train will cost approximately 17 rubles (round trip, respectively, 34 rubles).

You can check the current train schedule Brest - Terespol and Terespol - Brest on the website rw.by or rozklad-pkp.pl

From other options we immediately exclude the plane, since this is obviously not economical, and nothing flies to Terespol. All that remains is a fast train, a bus (minibus) and an economy taxi. A one-way bus trip from Minsk to Terespol will cost 15–20 rubles, and a round trip, respectively, will cost 30–40 rubles, which is comparable to electric trains. The cost of travel by minibus is the same. On the other hand, it is obviously more comfortable to travel this way than on two electric trains, although this largely depends on personal preferences.

If you take a fast train, you will have to pay more than 30 rubles just one way (the total price for a round trip is 60 rubles), which, of course, is not at all profitable. In addition, this is the cost of traveling in a reserved seat carriage, and in order to reserve seats, you need to buy tickets in advance. And it’s much more expensive than a taxi, which will cost you 200 rubles one way even with an economy class car, and even then only to Brest.

We go through Grodno (Bruzgi) - Kuźnica

Another fairly conveniently located checkpoint, which is located not far from another large city, Grodno, is Bruzgi. However, you don’t need to go specifically to Bruzgi, since in most cases you first need to get to Grodno, and then from there, bypassing Bruzgi, you will reach the Polish border settlement. From here, by the way, you can quickly get to Bialystok - a fairly large administrative center. Now about specific travel options.

By train From Minsk you will have to change trains, since you first need to take an interregional train to Grodno, and then transfer to a train or bus. In August 2016, the railway connection from Grodno to Bialystok was resumed. Below are prices in euros for tickets from Grodno to other Polish cities. By the way, for owners of Pole Cards there is a special price of 4 euros for the section Grodno - Kuznitsa.

In terms of time, this could take us about 6.5 hours: 5 hours to Grodno and another one and a half to Kuznitsa (it will take about 2.5 hours to travel to Bialystok, and 7.5 hours from Minsk in total), but there is one nuance - going through customs, so the trip takes longer. The cost of a one-way trip from Minsk to Kuznitsa, including transfers, is about 11 rubles, to Bialystok - about 20 rubles. In principle, the prices are comparable to a trip through Brest, but there is one advantage - you can immediately get to a large Polish city.

Buses travel from Minsk to Bialystok, and the approximate cost of the trip is about 30 rubles (you can find it a little cheaper). Thus, this method is one and a half times more expensive than the previous option, but you travel without transfers. Comfortable? Undoubtedly. Economical? Not really. In terms of time, however, it turns out to be a little faster (about 7 hours), if customs does not spoil the schedule.

As for Taxi, then the only option here is to travel to Grodno - not a single taxi driver will take you across the border. Therefore, you will have to travel further by bus. The cost of a taxi to Grodno from Minsk is about 160 rubles, which significantly exceeds the amount of all previous options combined.

We go through other checkpoints

There are three other checkpoints separating Belarus and Poland: Berestovitsa - Bobrowniki, Peschatka - Polowce and Domachevo - Slawatycze. However, the location of the last two makes it easy to get to them unless you have your own transport, and they are also very popular among truckers. In any case, for those who want to save as much as possible, traveling through these checkpoints is not the best option. As for the Berestovitsa - Bobrowniki checkpoint, some buses heading to Bialystok and further to Warsaw route pass here, and the cost of a direct bus trip through this checkpoint is approximately the same as in the case of a trip through Grodno.

Shopping buses - is it worth going?

Another financially beneficial way to cross the border is a shopping trip to Poland on a special bus - the so-called shopping bus.

Of course, no one obliges you to make purchases; besides, the obvious advantages of this method undoubtedly include the low price (you can travel for about one and a half times cheaper than a regular one), as well as the delivery of passengers to their homes at the end of the return trip. But this method also has its drawbacks: firstly, it takes a longer time to clear customs, and secondly, you will definitely have to go back on a shopping bus, and at a strictly defined time - one-way trips are not provided in such cases. However, for those who travel to Poland mainly for shopping or just to take a walk, a shopping bus is an almost ideal option in terms of cost, and they will also take you home.

Is it worth going to Poland to work? What advantages and disadvantages should you consider? How do they treat foreign workers there? In this article we will try to talk about all the pros/cons of looking for a job in Poland.

What are the benefits of working/employment in Poland?

Higher standard of living and higher wages

The average nominal salary in the country is 1,000 euros (this is approximately 700-900 euros “net.” But these are only the amounts that Poles can count on. They don’t really like that kind of money, so Poles actively go to work in European Union countries. To to compensate for the lack of jobs, they invite foreigners (Belarusians, Russians, Ukrainians). Foreigners can expect a salary of about 300-500 euros in blue-collar professions and a little higher in “intellectual” professions. This is much higher than the average “net” salary in Belarus. and Ukraine.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Poland needs the “golden hands” of seamstresses, mechanics, installers, finishers, and builders. There are many vacancies in the service sector (cleaners, waiters, kitchen workers). Most vacancies do not require any special skills, higher education certificates, or other documents. Therefore, it turns out to be a kind of “paradise for workers.” Employees engaged in the field of intellectual work (“white collar”) are also in demand. But the same programmers or financiers can work in other Eurozone countries and earn much more.

Language understandable for Belarusians, Ukrainians and Russians

If you know Belarusian or Ukrainian, you will be able to understand 30-40% of the speech by ear without any preparation. As you work, you will “tighten up” the language a little (if you wish), and then you will begin to understand it without any problems at all. The Poles themselves love to work with Ukrainians and Belarusians, since we are close both culturally and linguistically. Not so long ago, Poland began inviting Moldovans to work, and problems arose with them.

Territorial proximity

From Kyiv to Warsaw it is approximately 800 km, from Minsk to Warsaw – a little less than 500 km, from Moscow – 1,200 km. This allows you to quickly get to the country by any means: bus, minibus, plane, train. It turns out that you can get home from Poland in less than 1 day.

Opportunity to obtain Polish citizenship or open a business

If you OFFICIALLY WORK in the country for 5 years without leaving the territory of the state, you can apply for citizenship. You can also open your own business in the country.

Basic medical care is free

Of course, foreign workers want to be sure that everything will be fine. Today, medical care in the country is provided to everyone without exception. So in the event of a work injury, you will not be left without a doctor. From 2018, a special State Trust Fund will begin operating, funds from which will be used to finance medical care for foreign workers.

Favorable conditions for the Pole's Card

Not everyone has them, but only those who have Polish roots (+ confirmed them in the prescribed manner). The cards have been issued since 2008 and offer the following benefits:

• Multiple entry visa to visit the country (which is beneficial for foreign workers).
• Free registration of a permanent residence permit.
• Simplified procedure for getting a job/opening a business (you do not need to obtain any additional permits).

Full access to medicine and education

And from January 2017, the Polish authorities will also give money to those who have received the right to permanent residence. It is envisaged that “financial support” will be provided for 9 months. For the first 3 months you will receive 925 zlotys for pocket expenses, and for the next six months - 555 zlotys.

Legal employment in trusted companies

If you get a job legally, you receive not only a “social package”, but also free accommodation. Of course, the conditions are not five-star, but you won’t have to pay for housing out of your own pocket. Some companies practice the so-called “utility fee”, equal to approximately $100 per person.

High-quality and affordable food products

They cost less than in Russia and Belarus, but their quality is much higher. They say that you can still admire historical and cultural sights. But people who came to earn money simply don’t have time for this. They work 12 hours a day, 6 days a week.

Everything can be described beautifully, but you are making an important decision. Therefore, let’s say right away: there are also disadvantages.

What are the disadvantages of working in Poland? What do you need to be prepared for?

Illegal work and risks

Hiring foreign workers for a Polish employer is fraught with serious difficulties:

• It is necessary to register such an employee, register him, and obtain all documents and approvals.
• It is necessary to conclude a contract with the migrant and pay him the minimum amount established in the country.
• You will have to comply with labor legislation, work and rest hours, work organization and other nuances.

Therefore, it is easier for pracownik fizyczny to work “according to a gray scheme”. There were even cases when workers from Belarus or Ukraine were cheated out of their pay. However, such a risk is always present.

Unpleasant living conditions

High risks and feeling of powerlessness

In Poland you are still a “stranger”. If they make the slightest change in immigration policy or labor legislation, you will suffer. If you break the law, you will simply be “expelled.”

Tough work schedule

Most often, in seasonal work or in “gray” employment, you will work “from dusk to dawn.” There may not be time for a cultural program and banal rest. This is especially true for harvesting cabbage/berries/apples (your employer needs to finish everything as quickly as possible).

We tried to clarify the advantages and disadvantages of employment in Poland in this article. Perhaps you have experience working in Poland?

The Poland shopping visa is Schengen. And getting it is easier and more affordable than a tourist one. It is issued without fail to everyone in Minsk, Brest, Grodno and other cities of Belarus with the collected package of necessary documents. With this visa there is no need to provide a hotel reservation or travel voucher.

Panoramic view of evening Warsaw

And, having visited Poland in this way once, there is a chance to receive in the future.

To be able to obtain a shopping visa, you will need to provide:

In the registration form of the questionnaire, be sure to indicate in the column “Purpose of trip” - “other” - “shopping”.
Additional documents are:

It should be borne in mind that payment of the consular fee is made only by check received at the Polish mission. And you do not need to show it when receiving your passport. This visa will be issued for the first time for a week.

Difficulty obtaining a shopping visa

The main obstacle may be registering the application online. Registration is available only once per month and then only for half an hour. And since there are a large number of people willing to register and fill out the form, the site becomes inaccessible for many.

Travel agencies can help you register and fill out an application form, but for a fee.

Example of a Polish visa for a shopping trip

After all, such a visa is a Schengen visa, which opens doors to neighboring Germany. The main thing is to remember.

How much does it cost and time to obtain a visa for purchases to Poland?

After registering on the consulate website and collecting all the necessary documents, you can go to the nearest general representative office of the country, visa center or accredited travel agency.

The visa is issued within 5-10 days. And if you have documents confirming the urgency, the process goes even faster. The cost of a visa will depend on its type and time of registration.

Detailed map of administrative divisions of Poland

For example, a short-term Schengen visa has a price of 35 euros, and the cost of an urgent permit is 70. The price of a long-term visa is 60. There is no need to pay a Consulate fee for such categories of citizens as:

• Children under 6 years of age;
• Close relatives of people who are;
• Workers of culture, science, education, sports;
• Disabled people and students who came to study or do internships.

All other citizens of Belarus must pay at the established cost.

Bargain shopping in Poland

Those who are interested in fashion and want to buy quality goods at a good price come to Poland for this.
The country is replete with shopping centers with a wide variety of inexpensive goods. In addition to the fact that prices are already lower than in Belarus, Russia and the CIS countries, every season is marked by promotions and sales.

This usually occurs in the months of September, November, January and June. During such periods, discounts on goods reach 70 percent.

But even if you didn’t manage to get in during the total discounts, in Poland there are always stocks and sales at night. And Bialystok is replete with such giants as “Auchan”, “Alfa” and “Galeria Biala”, where there is absolutely everything you need.

Supermarket Galeria Biala

Products for children in Poland are also sold profitably and are of good quality. It is best to visit the CCC, KIDS and BARTEK stores, where there is a large selection of good orthopedic children's shoes. The SMYK chain of stores is very popular.

Poland is located quite close to Russia, and the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation even borders it. In this regard, tourist trips to Poland by car are very popular, and a Polish visa is becoming needed by an increasing number of Russian citizens. They get it according to the standard procedure: Poland has been a member of Schengen since 2004, so you can’t do without a visa for a tourist trip.

For a long time now, all states of the Schengen area, including the Republic of Poland, have entrusted the work of processing to special intermediaries - visa centers. Therefore, obtaining a visa to Poland is possible through these organizations, as well as through the country's diplomatic missions in the Russian Federation - the Embassy and Consulates General in Moscow or other cities.
For those who decide to apply for a visa without refusals, quickly and inexpensively, we recommend the Online visa center.

A Polish visa will be more difficult to obtain than a Schengen visa from another country.

Do I need a visa

If there are any doubts whether Russians need a visa to Poland, then it is better to immediately understand that all guests of this country need it. You cannot get there without special permission, so a visa is required. If the purpose of the visit is, for example, tourism, visiting close relatives, a business trip or an official visit, then you need a document called a Schengen visa to Poland. If you need to stay in Poland for a long time and in the future obtain a residence permit, then you will already need a national visa, not a Schengen one.

Entry with a visa from another country

If the passport already has a valid Schengen visa stamp from any of the 26 states in this zone, then Russians do not need a separate visa to Poland, but in such a situation there are also restrictions. The visa must be opened in the country that issued it and most of the time must be spent there, and you can come to Poland afterwards.

Types of visas

Visa to Poland is Schengen. Now there is only one type of such visa - category C. It is issued to all tourists, Russian citizens who have invitations and go to visit, business travelers, workers whose activities are related to periodic work visits to Poland, for short studies, and so on.

Photo of Polish visa

But there is another type of Polish entry permit - the national visa D. This kind of visa to Poland is no longer Schengen. It has an extended period of validity and period of stay in Poland; it can be used to obtain a residence permit in this state. Issued in cases where a Russian has plans to study/work in Poland, live with a spouse who is Polish, and so on.

Tourist visa to Poland

It is necessary to dwell separately on a tourist visa to Poland, since the majority of our citizens still go to Poland specifically for tourism purposes. There really is something to visit in this country - medieval cities, mountains, health resorts, attractive with their low price and European quality. A tourist visa to Poland is the same as a Schengen visa C. It must be issued according to the general rules for these categories of entry documents. A tourist entry permit is the document that is most often required.

Transit visa to Poland

The topic of tourist transit through the territory of Poland is very relevant for many Russians, because many use a car to travel further to Western Europe. Transit through Poland without separate registration of Polish Schengen is quite possible if you have a visa from the destination country. That is, the traveler will be allowed through the territory of Poland with a visa from France, Italy, Germany, and so on.

If in Poland you need to make a transfer from plane to plane, then provided that you do not leave the international zone of the airport, Polish Schengen is also not needed. If you still need to leave the international zone of the Polish airport, then you cannot do without a transit visa. These points must be taken into account in order to plan your trip correctly.

Entry for residents of Kaliningrad and the region

There is a special visa to Poland for those Russians who live in Kaliningrad and the region. It is called the MPP map for residents of areas on the border. It can be obtained using a simplified version by providing evidence that the applicant has actually lived in Kaliningrad or the region for the last three years; registration takes several days.

Such a visa to Poland for Russians has restrictions on the geography of visit. It allows access only to certain cities and areas bordering the Kaliningrad region: Gdansk, Elblag, Gdynia, Puck and so on.

Required documents

A visa to Poland for Russians in 2019 is issued after submitting a regulated list of required documents. It is quite standard and practically does not differ from the list for other Schengen states. So, obtaining a visa to Poland is possible by providing the following documents:

1. Completed application form for a visa to Poland, the form must be filled out in Latin letters or in Polish (in this case it is better to immediately fill out the form in Polish), you must sign the form in the right places;
2. An original valid passport issued within the last 10 years in the name of the applicant. The passport must be valid for another 90 days after leaving the Schengen territory and have at least 2 blank pages;
3. Two photographs 3.5x4.5 cm;
4. Photocopy of the international passport: those pages where there is a photograph and personal data of the applicant;
5. If available, then other/old passports and their copies;
6. A photocopy of the internal Russian passport addressed to the applicant (not blank pages);
7. Medical insurance that meets the requirements: insurance amount – 30,000 €, policy area – the entire Schengen area;
8. Financial guarantees for the trip, confirming solvency and availability of funds:
   • Bank account statement;
   • Credit card account statement from the bank;
   • A certificate from work indicating both the position and salary;
   • IP certificate;
   • Sponsorship letter from a sponsor who is a close relative. This sponsorship letter must be accompanied by financial guarantees from the sponsor himself, confirming a satisfactory financial position/availability of funds.

A minimum of PLN 100 per person per day of stay is required.

The validity period of financial documents is limited to one month, bank statements must show the movement of money in bank accounts for three months, translation into Polish/English is not required.

The listed documents for a Polish visa are basic and mandatory for everyone. They are served by tourists, business travelers, and invitees.

Additional documents for a tourist visa to Poland:

1. Route confirmation: transport tickets/transport ticket reservations;
2. Booking a hotel/inn or other place to stay. The reservation must be paid at least 50%, the confirmation must contain: address and telephone number of the hotel/inn, names and surnames of tourists, dates of travel. The booking confirmation must be stamped (stamped copies sent by fax are also acceptable).

Additional documents for a Schengen visa to Poland upon invitation from a private person:

1. A notarized letter of invitation containing: names, surnames, addresses, telephone numbers of the guest and the inviting party, passport number of the invitee, dates and purposes of the trip;
2. Confirmation of legal residence in Poland of the inviting party;
3. A copy of the first page of the inviting passport;
4. If the inviting party is not a relative, then you need the original and a copy of the invitation, which are registered in the Voivodeship at the place of residence.

Additional documents for obtaining a visa to Poland upon invitation from an organization or company:

1. An invitation from a partner/company in Poland on company letterhead with a stamp, required signatures, dates, purposes of travel, first and last names, issued/certified in the Voivodeship.

Additional documents for obtaining a Polish visa for short-term study:

1. Certificate of inclusion in the list of students/certificate of enrollment in an educational institution/student card - both an original and a copy are required.

If a Russian citizen travels to Poland at the invitation, it does not matter - from a private person or an official, then the invitation must indicate who will bear the costs and where the invitee will live, and appropriate guarantees must be attached. If this information is not available, then the invitee provides financial documents from item 8 of the main list.

Filling out the application form

The central place in preparing an application for a visa to Poland for Russians is occupied by a questionnaire. A lot depends on how correctly it is filled out. It’s good that the questionnaire itself is in Russian and the questions are extremely clear: if difficulties arise, you can look at the sample. This sample is also available at the visa center itself.

The application form is downloaded to your computer from the visa center website and printed; for convenience, you can fill it out at home. You need to follow simple filling rules:

1. Fill out the form in Latin letters;
2. Write neatly;
3. Provide accurate information;
4. Sign in the right places;
5. Avoid blots.

Photo requirements

A photo to obtain a visa to Poland must also meet the established parameters:

• Size 3.5x4.5 cm, face is located in the center;
• The height of the head in the photo is about 30 mm, the head occupies 70-80% of the entire photo;
• Without edging and on a light background;
• The photo must be no older than six months;
• Without hats, even for religious reasons;
• The glasses in the photo are only acceptable for medical reasons;
• A full-face photo, preferably with open ears.

Traveling with children

No less relevant is the question of how to get a visa to Poland for children. For any minor, a full package of documents is submitted along with adults. For a child you must submit:

1. Birth certificate – copy plus original;
2. Consent/power of attorney to travel if the child is traveling alone, with one parent or with third parties. The consent or power of attorney must be certified by a notary; this will give the child the right to travel alone or with a parent;
3. If consent/power of attorney for the right of departure of a minor cannot be obtained, then papers explaining this circumstance are needed;
4. Copies of Schengen visas and passport pages with parents’ data, if a child visa is issued separately.

To open a visa to Poland for a child, you need to take into account that his visa stamp will be pasted into the parent’s passport if he does not yet have his own passport.

Self-registration

Many tourists ask themselves how to apply for a visa to Poland. With the growing popularity of traveling without travel agencies, this issue is first on the agenda. Independent registration of a Polish visa is carried out either through visa centers of this state, or through its Consulates General located in several constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

The most common and popular way is to use the services of visa centers; they are located in many cities. Obtaining a visa to Poland through the Consulate is possible if, for example, a refusal was received, or you need a national visa, not a Schengen one.

All travelers who apply for a visa to Poland on their own need to know that a new procedure has been in effect since September 2015. This is the provision of biometric data when submitting a visa application. At the visa center or Consulate you will need to submit your fingerprints and take a photograph. Obtaining a Polish visa is now possible only after this procedure. The data will be stored for five years, then you will have to submit it again. Children under 12 years old do not submit fingerprints.

Application through the visa center

A visa to Poland is obtained through a visa center in Moscow and through its branches in other Russian cities. There are quite a lot of them; the full list can be found on the visa center website. To submit an application, you need to follow an algorithm consisting of several simple points:

1. Decide on the purpose of the trip and the required type of entry permit;
2. Collect documents;
3. Download to your computer and fill out the form;
4. Bring a package of papers to the visa center (pre-registration and registration are required, there is an electronic queue);
5. Pay the consular and service fees for services, receive a receipt and attach it to the package of papers;
6. Submit documents and receive an individual number to track the status of your application.

Obtaining a visa to Poland through the Moscow visa center and its regional departments is a streamlined, fast and not at all difficult procedure. Before submitting your papers, you can go to the VC website and read the instructions to be completely sure of the correctness of your actions.

At the visa center you can get insurance (medical policy), take photographs, and also order photocopies of documents, if all this has not been done in advance.

Some are interested in how to obtain a visa to Poland on their own through the Consulate at the Embassy. The same as through the visa center. Appointment and registration is required, as the Consulate only accepts and issues items during certain hours of the working day. There is no electronic queue at the Consulate; you can only register by phone.

Polish visa on your own: reviews 2019

It should be additionally noted that Poland is not the most loyal country to Russians in visa matters (and not only in them). Despite the formally simple list of required papers, there are also strange requirements - a mandatory hotel stamp on the reservation, 50% payment for the stay. And, of course, according to reviews about independently obtaining a Polish visa, the statistics of negative decisions among Poles is higher than among the French, and even more so the Spaniards.

According to reviews from independent travelers, the Polish Consulate often finds fault with shortcomings in papers and may require additional confirmation or financial guarantees. That is, the reviews may give the impression that it is not easy to obtain a visa to Poland on your own. But this is no more difficult than obtaining a visa to Estonia or, for example, Latvia. It so happened historically that these countries are less loyal to Russia, so the collection and submission of documents must be taken seriously and everything must be done carefully, without mistakes.

Visa to Poland on your own: travel by car

A large number of Russian citizens travel to Poland by car, because it is nearby and you can see more sights. Also, the shortest transit route further to Europe is possible only through the territory of Poland.

You can plan a trip by car calmly, since in this case there are no special features; a Polish visa for a trip by car is the same Schengen type C as for other trips. It must be formalized according to the general rules.

A transit route through Poland by car is also possible with a visa from another Schengen country. Border guards, of course, can find fault with something, but this is more likely due to the general situation in relations between countries.

When crossing the Polish border in a car, a stamp with a picture of the car is affixed to the passport, which indicates the fact of the foreigner’s arrival by land and not by any other route.

Registration cost

When asking how much a visa to Poland costs for Russians, you must first understand what kind of visa is required. If it’s Schengen, then the price is one, if it’s national, it’s another. The price of a visa to Poland consists of two components: the consular fee and the visa center fee for services. The current cost is shown in the table below.

In addition to the cost of a visa to Poland, you must also pay the cost of the visa center service fee. It is not the same for different cities, there are two prices. For Moscow, Rostov-on-Don, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Samara, Smolensk, Yekaterinburg and Voronezh, the visa center service fee is 19.5 euros. For Saratov, Novorossiysk, Krasnodar, Perm and Ufa - 23 euros.

It should be emphasized that the price of a Polish visa type C does not depend on how long the document is valid.

Validity periods

In the visa issue, it is important not only how much a Polish visa costs for Russians, but also what its validity period is. Based on EU standards, for a C visa the period is limited to six months, and for a D visa – one year. Number of days of stay: for C – 3 months, for D – 6 months.

In fact, documents may be issued with completely different deadlines. For the first trip, the validity limit will be limited only to the dates of the trip and the visa will be single-entry; then you can count on a multi-month Schengen multiple visa, which is multiple-entry.

Long-term Polish multiple entry visa

The rule is that if the applicant already has at least two Schengen visas in his passport, no matter which state, then he can be approved for a multiple-entry visa to Poland for 2 years. But with such a visa it will still be possible to spend no more than 3 months in every six months in Poland/another Schengen country. A Polish visa for 2 years gives ample opportunities to travel around Europe.

This rule is optional, so you need to be prepared for the fact that they can give you a one-time document.

Photo of national visa to Poland

Registration deadlines

Since the Republic of Poland has been a member of Schengen for a long time, there are special documents that regulate the timing of the issuance of a Schengen entry visa. According to official papers, the period during which a Schengen document is issued is 10 or 14 days; a national D visa is issued a little longer. In practice, the period for obtaining a Polish Schengen type C visa may be limited to a period of 5 or 10 days. If you need to get a visa to Poland quickly in three days, then you just need to pay an additional 70 euros, and your application will be considered out of turn.

In some cases, the visa process takes longer. What this is connected with is not entirely clear, but such situations are still rare.

Refusal to receive

Russians need a visa to Poland, so there are many people at its visa centers who want to apply for an entry permit. However, practice shows that it is possible to get a refusal and the chances of getting it are not zero.