Poland has some of the best universities in the world. If you are a student and looking to further expand your knowledge by taking admission to one of the Polish universities, you will have to get through their visa process first. If you want to apply for a Poland student visa, you should know a few things, such as:
- Before you apply for a visa, your admission in at least one of the Polish universities must be confirmed, and you should be able to show proof for the same.
- There are certain countries which are exempted from needing a visa for study.
- If you are applying for a student visa, make sure that you apply it at least a month before you plan to travel.
- For a Poland student visa to be processed, it takes around three weeks.
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People Who Do Not Need a Poland Student Visa
Anyone coming from the European Union does not need a visa. But if the course you are coming for will take more than three months, you will have to register yourself to stay in Poland. In addition to this, you also need to mandatorily keep your passport with you all the time.
Some of the other countries that do not require a student visa are – Brazil, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, Singapore and New Zealand.
If you do not come from any of the countries mentioned above, you will have to apply for the visa. Student visas typically allow a student to live in the country for about 180 days approximately. So if you want to stay for a period much longer, you should apply for a temporary stay card.
What Documents Do You Need?
The most accessible document that is required first is the passport. Make sure that you have a passport which is valid and not expired. With that, you will also be required to present three recently clicked passport-sized photographs of yourself which should mandatorily be in colour form. There are several more documents that you need to perform along with these:
Cover Letter
You must mention in a cover letter as to what is your intent for coming to Poland and why did you choose Poland correctly. In addition to this, you also have to write the intention of your going back to your own country and a list of your identity verification documents. In case you fail to present or attach any of the materials mentioned above, a reason for the same must be provided.
A Signed and Completed Poland Student Visa Application Form
You can access this form for free from the website of Poland’s visa and immigration office. Any form that you choose to submit should not be more than six months old from the date of submission or else it will be disqualified.
Proof of Income Statement
When you come to Poland, you have to make the government of Poland believe that you are capable of paying for the tuition fee and cover the necessary living expenses quite comfortably as well. In case you are a sponsored student, the relationship between the sponsor and the student must be explained in detail to avoid any confusion in the future.
Health Insurance
In Poland, one of the most expensive sectors is healthcare. Guess what, it does not come free for anyone. Every international student must have health insurance. The minimum amount required for health insurance is 30,000 EUR which is a lot. Along with that, you will also have to show:
- Proof of accommodation
- Flight itinerary
- Proof of proficiency in the course language
Specifications of Passport Photograph
For a student visa application, the passport photo has a recommended specific size and style. Ensure that the following are followed while finalizing the photograph:
- Size of the picture should be 35mm x 45mm.
- It should be a colour photograph, and the background should be neutral in all the pictures.
- The photo uploaded or pasted should not be more than six months old from the date of application.
- The student should be looking straight into the camera. With that, the expression of the applicant must remain neutral in all the pictures as well.
- The photograph shot should be focused more on the candidate’s face, and a close of the ball is preferred. The face should consume 70 to 80 per cent of the frame.
- There should be no blurry vision in the picture. The front of the candidate must be visible and recognizable very clearly.
- No headgear is allowed to be worn. Unless the helmet is because of religious purpose, you have to ensure that it is not covering any part of the face even by the slightest.
- In case the applicant is wearing specs, the lenses should be non-reflective, and the eyes of the candidate must be visible clearly.
How To Apply For the Visa?
Once you have managed to successfully fill in all the necessary details and attach all the documents in your visa application form, you will need to book a visa appointment with your nearest Poland consulate. You can do it online with the help of e-Consulate page. You will be able to book a date and time slot.
You will be then directed to the registration page, where you will have to fill all the necessary details. Make sure that you print this page out along with the e-mail confirmation of visa appointment. On the date of your visa appointment, you will have to pay the fees. It will be 99 EUR. It can be paid in both cash or online form.
After that, you will have to submit your passport photographs, application form, supporting document and the visa fee receipt. You will be provided with a token for your visa interview. The interview will be simple and straightforward, answer all the questions honestly and confidently, and you will be fine. If your application and documents are excellent, within 2-3 weeks, you will get your visa approval.
