Polish visa resources
Appointments and biometrics for Poland applications
How appointments and fingerprinting work for Poland's national visa (at the consulate) and residence permit (at the voivodeship office).
Important
For a national (D) visa, you attend the Polish consulate (or its authorised visa application centre) in your country to lodge the application and, where required, provide biometric data. For an in-country residence permit, you must appear in person at the voivodeship office, which requires booking an appointment in advance and providing fingerprints for the residence card.
Fingerprints are collected from every applicant aged 6 and over and are stored in the chip of the residence card. Voivodeship offices operate electronic booking systems and waiting times for a slot can be long, so booking early is important.
Booking your appointment
- Residence permit applications must be lodged in person with the voivode competent for your place of stay
- Appointments at the voivodeship foreigners' department are booked through an electronic (online) booking system
- Book well in advance, as waiting times for a visit can be extended
- Where an application is submitted online via the MOS system, the voivode summons the applicant to appear in person (with a deadline of at least 7 days)
Biometrics (fingerprints)
- Fingerprints are taken electronically from applicants aged 6 and over
- You must attend in person with a valid travel document and provide fingerprints and a signature sample
- Fingerprints are also verified when you collect the finished residence card
Next steps
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.