Polish Consulate Chicago – 4 Easy Steps to Apply for Poland Schengen Visa

Poland is a fascinating Schengen country with lots to keep you amused. Head to Warsaw for culture, Krakow for churches and monuments and Gdansk for history and beauty. The countryside in Poland is beautiful too! Visit Karkonoski National Park for its waterfalls and mountains and opportunities for bird watching, cycling, and horseriding. In this article learn more about how to apply for Poland visa at the Polish consulate in Chicago, Illinois, Poland visa appointment booking, Processing time at the Poland visa application center, flight itinerary for Poland visa, hotel bookings for Poland visa, Schengen travel insurance for Poland visa application, and Poland Visa Application Process at the Chicago embassy.

Poland Schengen Visa

In 2027, 823,101 Poland Schengen visas were received by all of the embassies and consulates around the world. 32,292 (3.92%) of them were refused. The Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago received 293 applications and issued 100% of them.

Applying for Poland Schengen Visa from the United States

There are many nationalities that do not require a visa to be able to enter and stay in Poland. To find out whether you need a visa, check the visa-free countries on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Poland’s website. As a general rule, US citizens do NOT need to apply for a visa, but non-US citizens DO need a visa. Therefore, if you are not from the US, but you currently live there on a permanent basis, you MUST apply for a visa if you are planning on going to Poland.

You have to make sure you apply at the right Polish embassy and consulate. If you live in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota or Wisconsin you may submit your visa application to the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago.

Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago

There are 3 types of visas offered by the Consulate General of Poland in Chicago and the one you apply for will depend on the duration of your trip and the reason you are going to Poland:

1. Schengen short-stay visa (type C) – for stays up to 90 days for the purposes of tourism, visiting family or friends, business trips, economic or cultural activities, international conferences, sports events etc
2. Airport transit visa (type A) – for transiting through the international zone of the airport while you wait for a connecting flight
3. National long-stay visa (type D) – for stays over 90 days for the purposes of employment, residence, study, religious reasons etc

Schengen visas are usually issued as single, double, or multiple entry which relates to the number of times you can enter the country during the dates of the visa. National visas are issued as single or multiple entry.

Schengen Visa Application Process at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago

It is up to you to apply well in advance of your trip. The consulate processes visa applications within 15 days, but it could take longer depending on the type of visa you are applying for and your nationality. You can apply up to 90 days before your intended travel dates, so leave plenty of time for your application to be processed.

Here are a few steps to help you apply for your Poland visa.

Step 1: Book an appointment and complete your application form online

Making appointments with the embassy or visa application center is generally free and can be done yourself. However, If you are running short of time or not sure which consulate to apply to or have no idea on how to get this done yourself then not to worry, we will make the appointment for you for a small service fee!

Booking a visa appointment using our services is pretty simple! All you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
2. Submit the appointment details, visa you are applying for, consulate you need the appointment for, the country you need the appointment IN and make the payment
3. Receive appointment confirmation in email

You can also make an appointment on your own by following the below steps:

The first step is to make an appointment in order to submit your application to the consulate. Go to the consulate’s website and click on: “Consular information” and then “Visa information”:

Then, click on the link to register your application:

You will be directed to the registration system – e-Konsulat. Choose “the United States” and the “Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago” from the drop-down boxes:

Then, click on the type of visa you are applying for:

On the next page, read the instructions and verify the image at the bottom before continuing:

Then, you will be able to choose a day and time for your appointment:

When you have made your appointment, you will be able to complete your application form online too. Please note, you need to complete the application form within 1 hour of making your appointment. If you don’t do this, the appointment will be canceled and you’ll have to start again.

You need to give a hard copy of the electronically registered application form to the consulate, so don’t forget to print and sign it. You will also receive an email with a PDF copy of the application form within 24 hours after you have registered it online.

Step 2: Get your documents ready

Before you begin this step, take a look at the requirements. Failure to provide what is necessary for your visa application could end in a rejected application. You can find the list of requirements for Schengen visas and National visas on the consulate’s website.

You also need to provide originals AND photocopies of everything, so don’t forget to do this.

Documents to get ready include:

1. Application form – this MUST be registered on the consulate’s booking system
2. 1 color passport-size photograph – see full specifications for acceptable photographs
3. Passport valid for at least 3 months after your return to the US, with at least two free pages, issued no longer than 10 years ago. Your passport’s data page is also required
4. Valid permanent residence card or visa including re-entry document with at least 3 months remaining beyond your trip
5. Proof of residence – driver’s license or utility bill
6. Confirmed return flight booking
7. Confirmed hotel booking
8. Invitation letter from your host in Poland including an address and a copy of the host’s ID
9. Schengen Travel insurance for emergency medical, hospitalization and repatriation with a minimum of €30,000 ($50,000)
10. Bank account statements to cover the last 3 months or other proof of regular income, e.g. last 3 pay slips, or student loan agreement. Funds to cover expenses in Poland should be at least $35 per day
11. Letter from employer or tax return and the original business registration if you are self-employed
12. Employer’s letter from the US company AND the Polish employer confirming the position and the purpose of stay in Poland
13. Evidence of participation in any type of event
    
14. Proof of sponsorship, the purpose of visit, contact details and itinerary if you are attending a school or university in Poland
    
15. Visa for next destination (if required) and documents proving that you will leave the Schengen area before the visa expires
16. Letter of admission from a Polish school/university
17. Notarized confirmation of financial support from a parent, guardian, or sponsoring company with last 3 bank statements
18. Work permit and/or a certificate of employment
19. Marriage and/or birth certificate
20. Pre-paid, self-addressed envelope to have your passport returned to you by mail
    

If you’re planning to obtain your flight reservation for visa without paying for the ticket, all you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps below:

1. Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
2. Submit the travel details and make the payment online
3. Receive flight itinerary in email

Step 3: Attend your appointment

When the day of your appointment arrives, remember to do the following things:

1. Don’t be late – arrive early to relax before your appointment begins and to prevent your appointment from being canceled
2. Take ALL your documents – make sure you hand over ALL your prepared documents to prevent your application from being rejected. It’s better to have too much than too little
3. Dress smartly – if you want to make a good impression, don’t turn up in shorts and t-shirt

The visa officer will examine your application and if they need any more information, they may ask you extra questions. If they do this, don’t panic, simply comply with their requests, answer politely and tell the truth.

Common questions include:

1. What company do you work for?
2. Have you ever traveled to a Schengen country before?
3. Are you married?
4. How much do you earn?
5. What will you do if your visa is rejected?

Don’t jeopardize your Schengen visa interview at the last minute. Use this comprehensive and thorough visa interview guide to crack the visa interview!

You will also pay the fee for your visa. This can be paid for in cash or cashier’s check payable to the Consulate General of Poland in Chicago. Please note, you will not receive a refund of this fee if your application is rejected.

If this is your first time applying for a visa for Poland, you will have to provide a fingerprint scan and a digital photograph to be stored on the Visa Information System (VIS). If you have previously supplied this data, it can be reused within a 5 year period.

Step 4: Receive your visa

When a decision about your visa application has been reached, you have 2 options:

1. Collect your passport from the consulate
2. Have your passport returned to you by mail

There are 2 outcomes of your visa application:

1. Approved – you will find your Poland visa attached to one of the pages inside your passport
2. Rejected – your visa application has been rejected for a reason

Typical rejection reasons include:

1. Passport damaged – if your passport is damaged, you should get a new one before applying for your visa
2. An invitation letter was not provided – you must provide an invitation letter if you are being invited to Poland by your host
3. You have applied at the wrong visa office – each of the visa offices in the US deals with its own jurisdiction and you must apply to the correct one. This will depend on where you live
4. Insufficient funds  – you must be able to afford your trip and the documents you provide must prove this. You need at least $35 per day for your stay in Poland

Contact details for the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago

Address: 1530 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL

Email: chicago.passport-visa@msz.gov.pl

Tel: +1 312 337 8166

Fax: +1 312 337 7841

Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Conclusion

All you have to do to apply for your Poland visa is:

1. Make an appointment and complete your application online
2. Get your documents ready
3. Attend your appointment
4. Receive your visa

The next step is to start getting excited about your journey to Poland!

At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa , Book Visa Appointment, Travel Guides, Visa Interview Guides and many more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.

See Also

How To Apply for Poland Schengen Visa at Polish Embassy in Washington, DC

How To Apply for Poland Schengen Visa at Polish Consulate in NYC, New York

How To Apply for Poland Schengen Visa at Polish Consulate in Los Angeles, California

Worldwide Visa Requirements