Visa (Non-EU/EEA citizens [*])

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 short-term visa entitles to stay in Poland up to 3 months, the long-term visa - up to 1 year. The prolongation of a 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. For details please contact the Polish Consulate in your country. 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. Responsibility for obtaining and maintaining legal status remains with the student.

Temporary Residence Card (EU/EEA citizens [*])

An EU citizen can enter Poland with his/her ID document (a valid travel document e.g. passport, or another photo document certifying his/her identity and citizenship). For a stay up to 3 months no legalisation of stay will be necessary. For stays exceeding 3 months (90 days), an EU citizen will have to obtain a temporary residence card (Karta pobytu obywatela UE). Responsibility for obtaining and maintaining legal status remains with the student. For students the residence card is issued for one year. The residence card - 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 Citizen Affairs of the Voivodeship Office (province administration, in Polish "Urzad Wojewodzki"). The charge for issuing of a residence permit is 30 PLN (ca. 7 Euro).

Temporary residence permits will be granted to Union citizens who have health insurance and sufficient resources to cover their expenses without needing social security support. Documents that have to be submitted by the student to the Voivodeship Office in order to obtain the residence permit:

• copy of a travel document (passport or other ID document)
• health insurance document
• official letter of acceptance from the Polish university (with information about the planned period of study)
• declaration about sufficient resources to cover the subsistence costs in Poland
• two photographs (left profile, ear should not be covered)
• application form (Wniosek o zezwolenie na pobyt, in Polish)
• certificate of address registration in Kraków ("zameldowanie" from city council)

Registration of Residence Address (all students)

Upon arrival in Krakow all students must register their residence for the duration of their stay in Poland. Students staying in students’ hostels receive residence forms in the Administration Office and submit them at:
Census Department
(Wydzial Ewidencji Ludnosci)
Al. Powstania Warszawskiego 10
Krakow
Phone: (+48-12) 616-9200
Monday 8.00-16.30
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 8.00-15.00

Students staying in private accommodation should pick up residence forms directly from the Census Department.

Dual citizenship

Polish law states that a person in posession of two passports, one of which is Polish, must enter and exit Poland on the Polish passport. There have been cases of individuals facing fines and travel delays because they ignored this rule. Male students who are worried about potential military conscription should bring a letter from the Polish Consul in the their country of permanent residence that states that they are not permanently resident in Poland and, therefore, are not eligible for military service.

[*] EU/EEA countries:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany,Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.