Legal Stay
Once admitted to the Medical University of Warsaw, students are responsible for ensuring they meet all the legal requirements as international students.
The legalisation of a foreigner's residence in Poland is a multi-stage process. It would be best if you were concerned about it before you start your studies.
International students have two options for legalising their stay in Poland – applying for a visa or a residence card. Students are also required to have health insurance coverage while studying in Poland.
Visa & Application
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR EU CITIZENS
If you are a citizen of an EU member state the only thing you need to have to enter Poland is a valid travel document or a document confirming identity and citizenship (i.e. your national ID).
However, you must register with the Voivodship (Provincial) Office within 90 days of arrival.
In Warsaw it is:
Mazowiecki Urząd Wojewódzki w Warszawie
Wydział Spraw Cudzoziemców
ul. Marszałkowska 3/5
00-624 Warszawa
migrant.wsc.mazowieckie.pl
Note – you must keep an eye on the deadline and register before the expiry of 90 days from the date of entry!
Learn more:
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR NON-EU CITIZENS
Visa
As a general rule, you would need a visa to enter Poland.
All students who are Non-EU citizens may apply for D- type national visa.
A D-type national visa permits to enter the territory of the Republic of Poland and to stay continuously or for several successive times in this territory for a total duration of more than 90 days during the period of validity of the visa, but not longer than one year.
The basic steps to obtain a visa:
- Find in your country a Polish Consulate/ consular section of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland that can process your application. You can use the search engine of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Poland- https://www.gov.pl/web/diplomacy/polands-missions-abroad.
- Read ALL the information concerning visa application on the consulate’s website carefully and follow ALL the instructions. Supporting documents may differ depending on where a visa application is submitted. For more details, please get in touch with the relevant consular post.
- Set a visa appointment with the consulate. In most cases, you will have to register through the website
- Prepare the necessary documents, including the application form, travel document (passport), biometric photo, health insurance, sufficient means to support yourself, and documents confirming the purpose of your stay. Verify required documents on the consulate’s website.
- Submit all the documents, including a printed and signed application form and the visa fee.
Early submission of visa documents is advisable as the procedure may take considerable time in some countries.
Learn more:
Temporary residence permit
The application for a temporary residence permit is submitted in person, no later than on the last day of legal residence in Poland to a voivode having jurisdiction over place of residence (Wojewoda Mazowiecki- https://migrant.wsc.mazowieckie.pl/, short instructional video here- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ8DobAispc).
If you intend to apply for the residence permit in Warsaw, you should register your profile and case at the online portal for foreigners – inPOL (https://www.gov.pl/web/uw-mazowiecki/new---foreigner-portal-inpol).
Instruction how to register an account and submit a new application can be found here- https://www.gov.pl/web/uw-mazowiecki/register-an-account-and-submit-a-n…
Please also check the frequently asked questions – inPOL- https://www.gov.pl/web/uw-mazowiecki/frequently-asked-questions---forei….
Learn more:
- Most recommended source of information- https://www.mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl/en/potrzebuje-informacji
- https://warszawa19115.pl/-/yemporary-residence-registration-of-foreigne…
- Official website of Office for Foreigners- https://www.gov.pl/web/udsc-en
- https://migrant.wsc.mazowieckie.pl/procedury/pobyt
Health Insurance
Information for students with Polish citizenship or the Polish Card holders- https://bss.wum.edu.pl/ubezpieczenia
Students from the EU/EEA countries
Healthcare in Poland is available for students from EU/EEA countries, provided that they hold valid medical insurance in the national insurance system of their country. A valid passport, student identity card or doctoral student identity card and a valid European Health Insurance Card (Europejska Karta Ubezpieczenia Zdrowotnego) entitles its holder to medical care free of charge in Poland. If you don’t have it, your parent should register you in your home country as a family member.
Detailed information on the health care for EU/EEA citizens can be found on the website of the National Health Fund: https://www.nfz.gov.pl/dla-pacjenta/medical-treatment-abroad/informatio…
Students from outside the EU/EEA
If possible it is recommended that students from non-EU/EEA countries purchase their own international medical insurance prior to their arrival in Poland. Otherwise they are advised to sign a voluntary health insurance agreement with the National Health Fund (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia – NFZ) and pay their own insurance fees, which amount to about EUR 15 a month. Under this insurance scheme, students are entitled to free medical care and can use university health care clinics and health centres. Foreigners insured in NFZ are treated equally to Polish citizens and have the same access to health care benefits and the financing of these benefits.