Visa-free travel

Introduction

The possibility of traveling in visa-free travel to the Republic of Poland means the possibility of obtaining entry without first applying for a visa issued by the Republic of Poland or another country of the Schengen area.

The list of countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa requirement is indicated in Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 November 2018 listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement (OJ L ..., p. EU of 28.11.2018, L 303/39).

It should be stressed that the exemption from the visa requirement does not mean that foreigners moving in visa-free travel are exempt from meeting the entry conditions set out in the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2016/399 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on the Union Code on the rules governing the movement of persons across borders (Schengen Borders Code).

In addition, with the planned implementation of the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) in 2023, foreigners staying on the territory of the Member States in visa-free travel will be required to hold an ETIAS permit for the entire duration of their short-term stay. This permit will operate on similar principles as the travel authorization system introduced by Australia (ETA), Canada (eTA) or the United States (ESTA).