Visa Requirements
Do South African citizens need a visa for Poland?
Official Requirement
Visa required
for South Africa citizens travelling to Poland
Travellers from countries not covered by Schengen visa-free agreements must apply in advance for a Type C Schengen visa (short stay, up to 90 days) or a Type D national visa (long stay, over 90 days). Applications require travel medical insurance with minimum coverage of 30,000 euros.
Checked 26 September 2026
We are not a government authority. Requirements change without notice. Always verify with the official consulate link before travel.
Embassy Application Only
Poland does not offer online visa applications. You'll need to apply in person at the nearest Poland embassy or consulate. Contact the diplomatic mission for the current document checklist and appointment availability.
Official Poland government page →
Kraków
The short answer
South African citizens need a visa arranged in advance to enter Poland. A visa has to be obtained before travelling to Poland. Passport validity: a travel document valid for at least three months after the planned date of leaving the Schengen area (for several visits, after the last planned departure), with at least two blank pages, and issued within the last ten years. Bring a completed and signed visa application form, a photograph, proof that the visa fee has been paid, travel medical insurance of at least 30,000 euros, valid across the Schengen area for the whole stay (or the first visit, for a multiple-entry visa), covering medical repatriation, urgent medical care, emergency hospital treatment, and death, a document confirming the purpose of the trip, proof of sufficient funds for the stay and the return journey, a document on accommodation, or funds to cover it and a document showing that you will leave the Schengen area before the visa expires. This was last checked on 26 September 2026.
At a glance
Key facts for South African citizens visiting Poland
- Requirement
- Visa required
- Passport validity
- A travel document valid for at least three months after the planned date of leaving the Schengen area (for several visits, after the last planned departure), with at least two blank pages, and issued within the last ten years.
- Documents
- A completed and signed visa application form
- A photograph
- Proof that the visa fee has been paid
- Travel medical insurance of at least 30,000 euros, valid across the Schengen area for the whole stay (or the first visit, for a multiple-entry visa), covering medical repatriation, urgent medical care, emergency hospital treatment, and death
- A document confirming the purpose of the trip
- Proof of sufficient funds for the stay and the return journey
- A document on accommodation, or funds to cover it
- A document showing that you will leave the Schengen area before the visa expires
- Conditions
- A uniform Schengen (C type) visa is valid across the Schengen area and allows stays of no more than 90 days in any 180-day period. The application goes to the consul of the Schengen country that is the main destination, or where the longest stay is planned. A Polish consulate will not accept an application for a trip that does not include Poland. The length of the permitted stay is set on each visa, and the supporting documents required can vary by the country where the application is lodged.
Step by step
How South African citizens enter Poland
Confirm that Poland is your main destination, or the country of your longest stay
Register in the e-Konsulat system and book your application
Gather the application form, photograph, travel medical insurance, and supporting documents
Pay the visa fee and submit the application at the Polish consulate
Check the permitted length of stay printed on the visa before you travel
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Practical Info
Travel Essentials
Apply for your Poland eVisa
Official eVisa application — processed in minutes with instant confirmation.
Questions
What South African citizens ask about entering Poland
Yes. South African citizens need a visa arranged before travelling to Poland. This was last checked on 26 September 2026.
Start from the destination government page linked on this page. Yoogo does not process applications and takes no fee for them.
A passport valid for the trip, proof of onward or return travel, and proof of where you are staying. Officers can ask for evidence that you can support yourself for the visit. Entry is always the officer's decision, whatever the paperwork says.
Poland uses PLN. Check the rate before you exchange anything at the airport, where the spread is usually widest.
Changes to this route
No changes recorded since the first check on 26 September 2026.
Full change history for this route →