Visas for Belarusians travelling to Poland in 2024

What is the procedure for a Belarusian to obtain a visa to Poland? Where should the application be submitted? All visas for Belarusians travelling to Poland in 2024 – we outline the types and options.

Visas for Belarusians in Poland – what are the options?

Belarusians who wish to stay in Poland legally may apply for the following types of visas for Belarusians in Poland:

• A Type C visa, i.e. a Schengen visa,
• A Type D visa, i.e. a national visa,
• A humanitarian visa, i.e. a D21 visa.

In addition, under special conditions, foreign nationals wishing to practise as a doctor, dentist, nurse, midwife or paramedic in Poland may also apply for a visa.

What exactly do these visas for Belarusians in Poland entail? Below are some brief explanations.

Polish visas (and others) for Belarusians – Type C visas

A Type C visa is a Schengen visa, which means it allows foreign nationals to stay not only in Poland but also in other countries within the Schengen Area. What are the conditions of this visa?

With this visa, the length of stay within the Schengen area must not exceed 90 days in any 180-day period. Sounds complicated? Fortunately, the European Commission’s website features a calculator that allows you to quickly and easily work out how much longer you can stay in Schengen Area countries on your Type C visa: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen-borders-and-visa/border-crossing/short-stay-visa-calculator_en.

You can also apply for a Schengen visa at a Polish diplomatic mission, but only if:

• the Republic of Poland is the sole purpose of your visit to the Schengen area;
• Poland is the main destination of your visit to the Schengen area (even if you are visiting more than one country in the area);
• You find it difficult to specify which Schengen country will be the main destination of your visit, but you will first enter the Schengen Area via Poland.

Visas from Belarus to Poland – Type D visa

A Type D visa is, in turn, simply a national visa. Its validity period may not exceed 1 year.

Belarus – visas to Poland – humanitarian visa

We have already covered humanitarian visas for Belarusians in a separate article entitled: ‘Humanitarian visas for Belarusians’. Please refer to that article for detailed information. To summarise briefly: a humanitarian visa is a visa granted on humanitarian grounds, in the national interest or in accordance with international obligations. Since 2020 and the massive wave of anti-government protests in Belarus, visas of this type have been granted on a massive scale to citizens of the Republic of Belarus, due to the exceptional situation within their country.

Where can Belarusians apply for a visa to Poland?

As a general rule, you apply for a visa at the Polish consulate or embassy with jurisdiction over your place of residence.

Visa application centres are located in the following Belarusian cities:

• Minsk (embassy),
• Gomel,
• Mogilev,
• Brest (Consulate General of the Republic of Poland),
• Pinsk,
• Baranovichi,
• Grodno (Consulate General of the Republic of Poland),
• Lida.

It should be noted that citizens of the Republic of Belarus are the only ones specified in the Regulation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of 28 May 2021 concerning the countries in which foreign nationals may submit visa applications to the minister responsible for foreign affairs; consequently, they may submit visa applications directly to the Polish minister responsible for foreign affairs.

Not sure how to obtain a visa for a Belarusian in Poland?

Are you a Belarusian and wish to obtain a Polish visa for Belarusians? The ‘Firma Dla Każdego’ Foundation can support you through this process.

The Foundation assists foreign nationals from various countries (including Belarus) with various types of administrative procedures. The Foundation will also help you with legal matters, insurance and many other issues.

Detailed information on the range of assistance offered by the ‘Firma Dla Każdego’ Foundation to Belarusians (as well as Ukrainians and other foreign nationals) can be found on the website: https://firmadlakazdego.pl/cudzoziemcy/.