Visa: invitation to Poland

Visa — an invitation to Poland. Who can issue an invitation for a visa?

People from many countries outside the European Union need a visa to stay in Poland legally. An invitation can help with obtaining one.

Who can issue such an invitation?

1. A Polish citizen (or a member of their family) residing in the Republic of Poland;
2. A citizen of another Member State of the European Union, a country of the European Free Trade Association, as well as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, or a family member of such a citizen who resides in the territory of the Republic of Poland and has the right of residence or the right of permanent residence in that territory;
3. A foreign national who, immediately prior to the invitation being issued, has been lawfully and continuously present in the territory of the Republic of Poland for at least 5 years, or who holds a permanent residence permit or an EU long-term resident’s residence permit;
4. A legal person or an organisational unit without legal personality having its registered office within the territory of the Republic of Poland (for example, a company).

The inviting party must also have sufficient financial resources to cover the costs associated with the foreign national’s stay in Poland, including the costs of their accommodation and meals, as well as the costs of accommodation and meals for each dependent family member of that foreign national — amounting to at least 515 zł per month of the foreign national’s planned stay for each of these persons.

This amount is lower, at 200 zł per month, if the invited foreign national is:

1. a descendant (i.e. a child, grandchild or great-grandchild of the inviting person);
2. An ascendant (i.e. a parent, grandparent, great-grandparent or great-grandmother of the person extending the invitation);
3. the inviting person’s spouse;
4. A parent of the inviting person’s spouse;
5. a sibling of the inviting person;
6. A child of the inviting person’s spouse.

The inviter must also have sufficient financial means to cover the costs of the invited foreign national’s return journey to their country of origin or residence, or the costs of transit to a third country which will grant entry, in an amount equivalent to the cost of a ticket to that country. However, depending on the destination, these funds must not be less than:

1. 200 zlotys – in the case of countries neighbouring Poland;
2. 500 zlotys – in the case of European Union Member States not bordering Poland, as well as countries of the European Free Trade Association;
3. 2,500 zlotys – for all other countries.

Template for a visa invitation and template for an application to enter the invitation into the register of invitations

However, for a visa invitation issued to a foreign national to be valid, it must be entered into the register of invitations.

The latest template for the invitation, as well as the application form for entering the invitation into the register of invitations, can be found in the Annex to the Regulation of the Minister of the Interior and Administration of 16 March 2023 concerning the invitation template, the application form for entry into the register of invitations, and the amount of funds the inviting party should hold.

How do you complete the invitation template and the application form for entry into the register of invitations?

The invitation itself is a two-page form, the second page of which consists entirely of instructions.

We must complete the first page of the invitation by providing the following information in order:

1. The details of the person extending the invitation;
2. The period for which the inviting person is inviting the invited person;
3. The details of the invitee;
4. The name of the authority that made the entry in the register of invitations;
5. The date and number of the entry in the register of invitations;
6. Validity period of the invitation;
7. Answer to the question: ‘Does the inviting person provide accommodation in their own home?’;
8. Stamp and signature of an authorised official of the authority.

The application to have the invitation entered in the register of invitations is completed in a similar way to the invitation itself, simply by filling in each field, including:

1. The inviter’s basic details (including those relating to their place of residence);
2. The inviter’s identity document;
3. The host’s financial and earning capacity;
4. The inviter’s accommodation arrangements;
5. The number of foreign nationals invited by the host during the year preceding the submission of the application;
6. Basic details of the foreign national being invited (including those relating to their place of residence);
7. The address of the invited foreign national’s accommodation in Poland;
8. The purpose of the invited foreign national’s stay;
9. Attachments to the application;
10. Duration of the invitation (which may not exceed 1 year);
11. Declarations;
12. Date and signature of the inviting party.

A correctly and fully completed application, in Polish, must then be submitted to the relevant provincial office. This can be done in person or by post.

Has your invitation to Poland already been entered into the invitation register? Invitation – visa

Has your invitation already been correctly entered into the register of invitations? Unfortunately, this is not yet sufficient to legally cross the Polish border.

However, this document can be used to obtain a visa, which you will apply for at the consulate.

Only once a visa has been issued will you be able to cross the border legally.

PLEASE NOTE! You should bear in mind that the invitation is issued for tourist purposes. You cannot therefore take up legal employment in Poland on the basis of this invitation.

Are you a foreign national and need help?

Are you a foreign national wishing to stay in Poland legally and have you received an invitation to the country? Or perhaps you are the host who needs help in submitting an application to have the invitation entered into the invitation register? The ‘Firma Dla Każdego’ Foundation may be the solution for you.

The ‘Firma Dla Każdego’ Foundation is a business incubator which, as part of its activities, also assists foreign nationals in need, amongst other things by:

• Handling administrative matters (including assistance with obtaining documents and liaising with provincial authorities);
• Translating foreign documents;
• Providing legal advice;
• Offering health insurance and medical and sports care packages.

Would you like more information about the scope of the ‘Firma Dla Każdego’ Foundation’s work? Visit https://firmadlakazdego.pl/, and be sure to check out the ‘Foreign Nationals’ tab.