Polish Consulate Houston – 4 Easy Steps to Apply for Poland Schengen Visa
Poland is a Schengen country that seems to have it all. Warsaw is perfect for exploring and enjoying a bit of culture with its old town and lots of theaters and opera halls. If you fancy walking, why not head to Lodz which is home to the longest walking street in Europe. If you are into nature, you’ll find the Polish countryside to be beautiful and lacking tourists, so you might get the lakes and mountains all to yourself! In this article learn more about how to apply for Poland visa at the Polish consulate in Houston, Texas, 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 Houston 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. There was no information about the number of applications received and processed by the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Houston.
Applying for Poland Schengen Visa from the United States
If you were born in the United States, you do NOT need a visa to go to Poland. However, if you were not born in the United States, but you are currently living there on a permanent basis, you DO need a visa to be able to enter and stay in Poland.
You have to make sure you apply at the right Polish embassy and consulate. If you live in Arkansas (AR), Kansas (KS), Louisiana (LA), Mississippi (MS), New Mexico (NM), Oklahoma (OK) or Texas (TX), you may apply for your visa at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Houston.
Types of Schengen Visas Offered at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Houston
There are 2 types of visa you can apply for. The one you need will depend on the duration of your trip and why you are planning on going to Poland:
- Short-term visa for up to 90 days – Schengen visa C and A for tourism, visiting family or friends, business trips, economic or cultural activities, international conferences, sports events, airport transit (A) etc.
- Long-term visa for stays over 90 days up to 365 days – National visa D for employment, residence, study, religious reasons, etc
Schengen visas (type C) 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 (type D) are issued as single or multiple entry.
Schengen Visa Application Process at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Houston
The consulate takes up to 15 days to process visa applications, but certain applications could take longer. As a general rule, you should aim to apply at least 15 days up to 90 days ahead of your intended departure date. Applications older than 90 days will not be accepted and applications received less than 15 days ahead may not be processed in time, so don’t leave it too late.
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:
- Visit the link to schedule the visa appointment
- 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
- Receive appointment confirmation in email
You can also make an appointment on your own by following the steps below:
First, you need to book an appointment and complete your application. Go to the consulate’s website and click on: “Consular information” and then “Visa information”:
Then, click on the link for the visa you are applying for:
On the next page, scroll down and click on the link for the e-Konsulat system:
Choose “the United States” and “Houston” 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:
Then, you will be able to make a reservation for your appointment:
Once you have booked your appointment, you will be able to complete your application form online too. You must complete the application form within 1 hour of making your appointment, otherwise, the appointment will be cancelled and you’ll have to start again.
You will receive an email with your application in PDF format. Print this off and sign it because you still need to hand it over to the consulate when you go for your appointment.
Step 2: Get your documents ready
It is your responsibility to provide all the required documents, so it’s a good idea to take a look at what is needed before you begin this step. 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:
- Application form – this MUST be registered on the consulate’s booking system
- 2 x color passport-size photographs
- Passport valid for at least 3 months after your trip. It must have at least 2 free pages and it must be no older than 10 years
- Passport’s data page
- US Permanent Residence Card (Green Card) or notarized copy or valid US resident visa type A, E, F (with endorsed I-20), G, H, I, J plus J1 documents, L, O, R. These documents should be valid at least 3 months beyond the intended departure from Poland
- Proof of residence – driver’s license or utility bill
- Confirmed round-trip flight reservation
- Confirmed hotel reservation
- Letter of invitation from your host in Poland including an address and the host’s ID
- Schengen Travel insurance for emergency medical, hospitalization and repatriation with a minimum of €30,000 ($50,000)
- Last 3 bank statements or other proof of income, e.g. last 3 pay slips or student loan agreement. Funds to cover expenses in Poland should be at least $35 per day
- Letter from employer or tax return and the original business registration if you are self-employed
- Letter from US and Polish employer’s confirming the position and the purpose of stay in Poland
- Evidence of participation in any type of event
- Proof of sponsorship, the purpose of visit, contact details and itinerary if you are attending school, university or other educational facilities in Poland
- Visa for next destination (if required) and documents proving that you will leave the Schengen area within the dates of the visa
- Letter of admission from a Polish school/university
- Declaration of financial support from a parent, guardian, or sponsoring company with last 3 bank statements (must be notarized)
- Work permit and/or an employment certificate
- Marriage and/or birth certificate
- 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:
- Visit the Visa Reservation website to choose the right package
- Submit the travel details and make the payment online
- Receive flight itinerary in email
Step 3: Attend your appointment
Step 3 is to attend your prearranged appointment. Here are a few tips to bear in mind:
- Don’t be late – if you are late, your appointment may be cancelled and this will delay your trip
- Take ALL your documents – if you fail to provide all the required documentation, your appointment may have to be rescheduled and/or your application may be rejected
- Dress smartly – this is not the time nor place to wear casual clothes. If you want to make a good impression, dress appropriately
If the visa officer needs to verify anything about your application, he/she may question you further. They may ask you for information that they could clearly get from your paperwork, but don’t say anything about this, simply remain calm and answer the questions honestly.
Common questions include:
- Is this your first time visiting a Schengen country?
- Why do you wish to go to Poland?
- Are you going to work in Poland?
- Why do you need a visa for 3 months?
- What qualifications do you have?
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, money order or cashier’s check payable to The Embassy of Poland. Please note, you will not receive a refund of this fee if your application is rejected.
Type of Visa | Fee |
Schengen visa | $72 |
Long-stay National visa | $72 |
If this is your first time applying for a visa for Poland, you will have to provide biometric data which is a fingerprint scan and a digital photograph. If you have provided this data already, it can be reused within a 5 year period.
Step 4: Receive your visa
When the consulate has made their decision, you can collect your passport from their office or have it mailed back to you via mail.
There are 2 outcomes of your visa application:
- Approved – you will find your Poland visa attached to one of the pages inside your passport
- Rejected – your visa application has been rejected for a reason
Typical rejection reasons include:
- Purpose of your stay is not clear – you need to provide documents such as an itinerary or work permit etc., in order to prove why you are traveling to Poland
- You have a criminal record – your application will be rejected if you have a criminal record. The consulate will not accept your application if you are considered a threat to the security and public of Poland
- Travel insurance not adequate – your travel insurance must be adequate (see above requirements) and you must ensure that you have this in place before applying for your visa
- Invalid passport – if your passport is not valid (see above requirements), you should get a new one before applying for your visa
Contact details for the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Houston
Address: 3040 Post Oak Blvd suite 825, 8th floor, Houston TX 77056
Email: houston.kg.sekretariat@msz.gov.pl
Tel: +1 713 993 9685
Fax: +1 713 993 9685
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 10.00 am – 2.00 pm; Thursday 1.30 pm – 5.30 pm
Conclusion
There are just 4 steps that stand between you and your Poland visa:
- Make an appointment and complete your application online
- Get your documents ready
- Attend your appointment
- Receive your visa
Then, the party can really get started!
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 Consulate in Chicago, Illinois
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