Verify that you need a visa. Americans and Canadians are not required to obtain visas to travel to Poland for stays up to 90 days. Poland is a member of the Schengen agreement and therefore does not require citizens of Schengen-exempt countries to obtain documents other than a valid passport before entering. If you are a permanent resident of the U.S. or reside in another country, verify whether or not your nationality requires a Schengen visa. For a full list of visa-exempt countries, visit the website for the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Download the Schengen Visa application if you are not a citizen of a Schengen visa-exempt country and intend to visit Poland temporarily. The Schengen visa allows the holder to enter any of the 25 Schengen countries for one continual stay of less than 90 days. Schengen visa application forms can be found at the website of the Polish Embassy in Washington, D.C. You must submit additional documents along with the application form including two passport-size photographs, a notarized copy of your U.S. green card, your three most recent bank statements, confirmation from your health insurance that you will be covered abroad, reference letter from employer and proof of travel plans in Poland such as hotel reservations, addresses of friends or transportation reservations.
Download the Polish National Visa application if you intend to reside in Poland long-term for work or study purposes. The Polish national visa allows its holders to reside only in Poland with trips up to 90 days in a six-month period throughout the other Schengen states. Download the National Visa application from the website of the Polish Embassy in Washington, D.C. and complete. Additional required documents include two passport size photographs, a notarized copy of a U.S. green card, your three most recent bank statements, confirmation from your health insurance that you will be covered abroad, evidence that you have sufficient funds for the duration of your stay in Poland, letter of acceptance form a Polish school, Polish employment work certificate (if applicable) and letter of employment from a Polish company.
Submit the Schengen or National visa application forms along with the fees ($81 as of January 2011) and supporting documents to the Polish Consulate General that holds jurisdiction over your region/state of residence. Each Polish Consulate has variant hours of operation and procedures for visa application submission and should be consulted individually. For a full list of Polish consulates in the U.S., refer to the website of the Embassy of Poland in Washington, D.C.
