POLAND. Issuing Authorities

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1 POLAND Issuing Authorities Embassy of Republic of Poland 14 Amos Street, Colbyn, 0081, Pretoria Tel: (012) /2 Fax: (012) / P.O Box 12277, Queenswood, 0121 Website: Consular hours: Mon and Tue-Fri 09h00-12h00 Only biometric visas are issued. Every applicant is to apply IN PERSON. Fingerprints will be scanned into the system. Page 1 of 9

2 Visa Requirements Visas are required by SA passport holders. British p/port holders do not need a visa for a stay not exceeding 6 months. Applications sent by mail, or fax will not be processed. Couriers could be arranged only for the collection of the passports. Please be informed that people over 70 years old and children below 12 years old are exempted from personal appearance at the Embassy in order to submit fingerprints. Where to apply and types of visas, see "General Schengen visa requirements" REQUIREMENTS: Visa form is to be filled out online. Application forms filled out manually will NOT be accepted. Passport valid for 90 days after the applicant s last day of stay in Schengen territory with two blank visa pages, issued within last 10 years plus copy of the passport (page with data and photograph) One recent colour good quality passport size photograph, Round trip air ticket and itinerary (itinerary when applying for the visa, ticket when visa is collected.) Proof of financial funds for the stay at the territory of Schengen States (bank account/credit card statements over last three months) Cash will not be accepted as proof of foreign exchange. Proof of travel/health/ insurance for entire duration of the stay in Schengen territory (schedule or benefits) with name, policy number, period of cover and medical coverage of Rand equivalent of Euro. Proof of accommodation (hotel reservation/invitation letter from a private person issued by Wojewoda (District Authority Office in Poland) For business, an official letter from a company/institution in Poland and from the employer of applicant. Invitation or a letter of acceptance/admission in case of participation in cultural, economic, scientific, sporting events or activities, conferences, etc. Certified parental consent from both parents for children under 18 travelling alone. If the child travels with one parent, the consent of the other parent must be produced, if only one parent has the guardianship of minor, the certified court document stating so must be presented. IMPORTANT: THE SUBMITTING OF THE VISA APPLICATION MUST BE PRECEDED BY ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION OF THE VISA APPLICATION. (Schengen or National) at E- Page 2 of 9

3 KONSULAT: From the menu `VISA` choose "Schengen/National Visa - Register form" The application enables registration of the application and printing the visa forms. The printed visa form with a bar-code and number on the front page has to be presented at the Embassy of Poland together with all required additional documents. Visa applications will be rejected if not registered through E-Konsulat. Applications should be submitted to the Embassy in person. Visa applications will be rejected if the requirements are not fully met. - It is recommended to apply for a visa at least 3 weeks before the departure date. - The application cannot be lodged earlier than 3 months before the start of intended visit. There is no guarantee that a visa will be issued. It is the responsibility of the applicant to take note of the visa application requirements and apply in time. PLEASE NOTE: Incomplete applications will be rejected. Additional documents may be requested by the consular official (certificates of school/university attendance, letters from the employers stating period of leave and duration of vacation etc.) Additionqal documents or a personal interview with the applicant may be requested at any time. The possession of a visa is only one of the pre requisites for entry into Schengen territory. Failing to comply with the relevant provisions of Schengen Borders Code could result in refusal of entry. The border/immigration authorities at your arrival in the Schengen area may also request the presentation of sufficient funds, a letter of invitation, hotel reservation and proof of medical insurance, failure to present the above may result in refusal of entry. Should the Schengen border authorities refuse entry, no claim to reimbursement of the visa can be submitted. Page 3 of 9

4 Visa Processing Time 10 working days.(for groups special arrangements has to be made in advance). It is the responsibility of the applicant to be aware of the requirements for the issuance of visas before making travel arrangements and applying for a visa. There is no guarantee that a visa will be issued. Page 4 of 9

5 Visa Cost 60 Euro paid in Rands in advance ONLY CASH PAYMENTS ACCEPTED (EXACT AMOUNT) The following categories are exempt from visa fee: -children under 6 years -spouses of EU/EEA citizens and their children under 21 (copies of passport/marriage/birth certificates must be submitted as a proof of relationship with EU spouse/parent) - school pupils, students, post graduate students and accompanying teachers who undertake trips for the purpose of study or educational training -researchers traveling within EU for the purpose of carrying out scientific research. Page 5 of 9

6 SA Representative SA Embassy 54 Koszykowa,Trade Center, 6th Floor Warsaw 00675, Poland Tel: ( ) Page 6 of 9

7 Travel Health Compulsory: Recommended Travel Vaccines: None Hepatitis B, Tetanus, Polio Poland offers something for every traveller - with the wild scenery of its mountainous south, and its great skiing and hiking, to the stunning old towns of Krakow, Zamosc and Gdansk and the wilderness of the Bialowieza National Park and the Great Malsurian Lakes in the country's north. There's little more inspiring than a hike in some of Poland's national parks and nature reserves. Nature enthusiasts can visit the Kampinos National Park, wear Warsaw, while the Bieszczady National Park, part of the Carpathian mountain range, contains the surviving fragments of the Great Bieszczady Forest, home to the brown bear, lynx,wolf and wildcat. A horse-drawn sleigh ride is a magical experience, though be sure to have either warmed beer or heated honey vodka afterwards. Snow falls throughout Poland during winter months so these types of rides are on offer all over the country. The perfect escape from the crowds can be found in a trip to the Hel Peninsula in the country's north east, a perfect place to escape by bike or on foot that also has some good beaches and camp sites. Capital: Currency: Language: Warsaw (WAW) Zloty (PLN) Polish. German, English, Russian and French may also be spoken. Dialling code from SA: + 48 Time Zones: UTC / GMT +1 (1 hour behind South Africa) Daylight Savings Time: From last Sunday March to last Sunday October: UTC / GMT +2 (same time as South Africa) Public Holidays 2018: Jan 1, 6; Apr 1, 2; May 1, 3, 20, 31; Aug 15; Nov 1, 11; Dec 25, 26 Side of the Road: Right Page 7 of 9

8 Best Time to Go: Best for: Plugs: Drinking Water: Health: Customs: Local Offences / Law: Duty Free: May - September Medieval Architecture, Religious Sites, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Historical Sites 230 volts AC, 50Hz; continental plugs with two round pins Mains water in hotels and towns is safe to drink. There are adequate and well-equipped medical facilities in the main towns, however visitors are required to pay for these services. Doctors and nurses may not speak English. Comprehensive health insurance is recommended. Outside of the main towns, medical facilities may be more limited. If you take prescription medication on your travels it is best to bring it with you, in the original packaging, with a signed and dated letter from your doctor detailing exactly what it is and why you need it. If visiting the rural areas, not that the locals are very conservative and religious. Respect to religion should be shown. Jay walking is punishable with a fine. If caught by the police being drunk in public, you will be taken to a drying out clinic and charged for the stay. Driving under the influence of alcohol is punishable. Military installations should not be photographed. Smoking is banned in public areas. If you are arriving from a non-eu country, the following goods may be imported into Poland by persons over 17 years of age without incurring customs duty: 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco (if arriving by air or sea). 40 cigarettes or 20 cigarillos or 10 cigars or 50g of tobacco (if arriving by land or rail). 4L of wine and 16L of beer and 1L of spirits over 22% or 2L of alcoholic beverages less than 22%. Other goods up to the value of 430 for air and sea travellers and 300 for other travellers. Page 8 of 9

9 Prohibited Imports: Prohibited Exports: Unlicensed firearms and ammunition, narcotics, meat and dairy products from outside the EU. Endangered species require a permit. You may only import small quantities of plants, fruit and vegetables for personal use; otherwise they require a phytosanitary certificate. Certain arts and antiquities require an export licence, e.g. archaeological artefacts more than 100 years old or paintings more than 50 years old. Endangered species also require a permit. Page 9 of 9

SLOVAKIA. Issuing Authorities

SLOVAKIA. Issuing Authorities SLOVAKIA Issuing Authorities The Embassy of Slovakia 930 Arcadia Street, Arcadia 0083 P O Box 12736, Hatfield 0028 Tel: (012) 342-2051/2 Fax: (012) 342-3688 E-mail: cons.pretoria@mzv.sk or emb.pretoria@mzv.sk