When you need a work visa

A work visa is issued to a foreigner who is to work on the basis of (Art. 60 para. 1 of the Act on Foreigners):

  • a declaration on entrusting work entered in the register of declarations (point 5),
  • a seasonal work permit (point 5a),
  • a work permit or another document concerning employment - in other cases of work (point 6).

It can be a Schengen visa or a national visa (Art. 58). A national visa is valid for one year at most (Art. 59 para. 3). A visa does not replace a work permit or a declaration - they are separate documents. See: work permit and declaration on entrusting work.

Georgia, Colombia, Venezuela from 15 August 2026

Citizens of the states in Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 usually enter without a visa. A Member State may, however, provide for exceptions for persons carrying out a paid activity during their stay (Art. 6 para. 3 of that Regulation). Poland has done so for citizens of Georgia, Colombia and Venezuela. From 15 August 2026 they need a visa when they enter in connection with being entrusted with work (§ 2 and 3 of the regulation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of 10 August 2026, Journal of Laws 2026, item 1086).

Anyone who crossed the Polish border before 15 August 2026 is subject to the previous rules (§ 4). The ban on working on a permit during a visa-free stay is described in the guide visa-free travel and work.

What you present for the visa

  • Point 6: a work permit under Art. 32, 37 or 42 of the Act on Entrusting Work, unless a permit is not required (Art. 64 para. 1).
  • Point 5: a declaration on entrusting work entered in the register (Art. 64 para. 2).
  • Point 5a: a certificate of entry of the seasonal work permit application in the register (Art. 64 para. 3).

Application at the consulate

You submit the application for a national visa in person, on a form (Art. 77 para. 1). In special cases the personal submission can be waived (Art. 77 para. 7). You attach a photograph and documents confirming the purpose and conditions of stay, means of subsistence and return, health insurance or travel medical insurance, and the credibility of your intention to leave before the end of the visa (Art. 77 para. 1 point 3).

The travel document must be valid for at least 3 months after the visa expires, have two blank pages and have been issued within the last 10 years (Art. 77 para. 5).

Deadline and period of stay

A national visa is issued or refused within 15 days of submitting the application. In justified cases the deadline can be extended to 30 days (Art. 74a paras. 1 and 2). The period of stay corresponds to the period in the permit or declaration and cannot be longer than that provided for the given type of visa (Art. 64 paras. 4 and 5). For seasonal work the stay lasts 9 months at most in a calendar year (Art. 64 para. 7).

After entry

A visa is not a temporary residence permit. If you want to stay longer, see temporary residence and work. In case of a visa refusal, see visa refusal.