# Travel >> Travel Preparation >> Passports

Obtaining a Polish Passport

All Polish citizens are eligible to apply for a passport, which must be done in person either in Poland or abroad at a Polish Consulate, according to the Polish Citizenship Guide (See Reference 1). All of Poland's adult passports are valid for 10 years and include biometric data in compliance with European Union regulations, according to Poland's Ministry of Interior and Administration (See Reference 2). Because of strict immigration guidelines, it is essential that people include all the correct application materials when seeking a passport.

Application form
Passport fee
Two photographs
Birth certificate

Instructions

Polish Passport Application Process
- 1
  Fill out the passport application form, which can be picked up at Polish Consulates, immigration offices or found online on websites such as PolishConsulateny.org, which belongs to Poland's Consulate General of the Republic in New York (See Reference 3).
- 2
  
  Passport photos should be taken against a plain, white background.
  
  Attach two identical pictures of yourself to the application. These photos should be 4.5 centimeters tall by 3.5 centimeters wide and should be a head shot without any hats or accessories (See Reference 2).
- 3
  Collect the passport fee, which is 140 Polish zloty for adult passports, which is about $50 as of 2010 (See Reference 1 and 2).
- 4
  
  A Polish birth certificate proves you are eligible for a Polish passport.
  
  Bring your original birth certificate if it is your first time applying for a passport. Otherwise, bring your current passport to your application appointment (See Reference 2).
- 5
  Make an appointment and go in person to an immigration office in Poland or a Polish consulate if you are abroad. Bring all of the application materials and submit them.
- 6
  
  Passports will arrive in the mail after approximately one month.
  
  Wait to receive the passport, which takes one month on average when applying inside Poland. However, it can take up to six months when applying from abroad (See Reference 1 and 2).