Poland tourist visa
Krakow's old town, the Baltic coast, the Tatra mountains: a Poland tourist visa is your way in, and it opens far more than Poland alone. It is a Schengen Type C (uniform) short-stay visa, which lets an Indian passport holder move across the entire Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, whether the plan is sightseeing or a short private visit. You lodge the application in person at a VFS Global centre, and the Polish mission in India takes the decision.
Choose Poland as your route when it is your only or main Schengen destination, or the first country you enter in the zone. Which Polish office handles your file comes down to where you live: the Embassy in New Delhi takes the northern, central and eastern states, and the Consulate General in Mumbai takes the western and southern ones. Once your application is complete, a decision usually follows within 15 calendar days, and it stays entirely with the consulate.
Who this visa is for
- ✓Indian passport issued within the last 10 years, valid at least 3 months beyond your intended departure from the Schengen area, with at least two blank pages.
- ✓Poland is your only or main Schengen destination, or your first point of entry into the Schengen area.
- ✓You apply at the Polish mission with jurisdiction over your state of residence – the Embassy in New Delhi or the Consulate General in Mumbai.
- ✓Travel medical insurance with a minimum of EUR 30,000 cover, valid across the Schengen area for the entire stay.
- ✓Proof of sufficient funds for the trip and demonstrable ties to India (employment, business or regular income).
- ✓The trip is genuine short-stay tourism within the 90-days-in-180 limit; personal appearance for biometrics is required for applicants aged 12 and over.
Visa options for Poland
Single-entry Schengen (Type C)
Permits one entry into the Schengen area for the approved dates; the visa is used up once you leave, even if unused days remain.
Double-entry Schengen (Type C)
Allows two separate entries into the Schengen area within the visa's validity, subject to the 90-days-in-180 limit.
Multiple-entry Schengen (Type C)
Allows several entries within the validity period; frequent, well-documented travellers may be granted longer multiple-entry visas at the consulate's discretion.
Documents typically required
- ✓Completed Schengen visa application form, signed by the applicant, with the applicant's covering letter stating the purpose and duration of travel.
- ✓Two recent colour photographs, passport type, 35mm x 45mm, white background, taken within the last 6 months.
- ✓Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid 3+ months beyond departure, with two blank pages, plus copies of the data pages and of any earlier Schengen visas.
- ✓Confirmed return/flight tickets; if visiting several Schengen states, proof of intra-Schengen travel (flight, train or car rental).
- ✓Original document confirming accommodation in Poland (and each Schengen state visited) for the whole intended stay.
- ✓Travel medical insurance certificate, minimum EUR 30,000 cover, valid throughout the Schengen area and covering emergency treatment, hospitalisation and repatriation for the entire stay.
- ✓Proof of financial means: original private bank statements showing movement over the last 3 months (stamped and signed by the bank) and Indian income tax return acknowledgments for the last two assessment years.
- ✓Employment proof: last 3 months' pay slips, employment contract and employer's leave approval (employees); company registration with GST number (self-employed/business owners); or pension statements (retired applicants).
- ✓Residence proof (ID) confirming you live in the jurisdiction of the mission where you apply.
- ✓For minors: consent to travel from any non-accompanying parent/guardian and proof of family ties (e.g. birth certificate), attested/apostilled by the MEA.
Your exact checklist depends on your profile — we confirm it during your case analysis. Every visa decision rests with the embassy or consulate.
The Polish mission that handles your file is set by your state of residence. The Embassy in New Delhi covers Delhi NCR, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and the other northern, central and eastern states; the Consulate General in Mumbai covers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the other western and southern states. Every document must be in English or Polish, and you may apply no earlier than 6 months and, as a rule, no later than 15 calendar days before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Do you guarantee the visa?
No one can guarantee a Schengen visa – the decision rests solely with the Polish embassy or consulate. What we do is give you a frank, honest assessment of your profile and build the strongest, best-documented application possible so it is decided on its merits. Over the last 2-3 years our applications have seen a success rate of around 97%.
Should I apply through the New Delhi embassy or the Mumbai consulate?
Your state of residence decides this, not you. The Embassy in New Delhi takes applicants from the northern, central and eastern states – Delhi NCR, Punjab, UP, Rajasthan, West Bengal and others; the Consulate General in Mumbai takes the western and southern ones – Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and others. Either way, you lodge the application in person at the VFS Global centre for that mission.
Do I have to apply through Poland?
Apply through Poland when it is your only Schengen destination, your main one (where you spend the most days), or the first country you enter in the zone. If another Schengen country is really your main destination, that country's mission is the one to approach.
How long does the Poland Schengen tourist visa take?
Once your application is complete, the consulate normally decides within 15 calendar days. If extra checks are needed it can stretch to 45 days, so apply with room to spare – though not earlier than 6 months before you travel.