The Polish government has published a consolidated version of the regulation on reduced consular fees, bringing together more than a decade of amendments in a single, updated text (Dziennik Ustaw 2026, item 1367; promulgated 21 October 2026). The regulation sets out the lower-than-standard fees charged by Polish consulates for key services such as visa issuance, legalisation of documents and emergency travel documents. While the new text does not change the underlying tariff, it clarifies the circumstances in which fee reductions apply—most notably for minors, students on exchange programmes, participants in EU-funded mobility schemes such as Erasmus+, and close relatives of Polish citizens. For global mobility managers, the clarity is welcome. Polish posts abroad have sometimes interpreted amendments differently, resulting in inconsistent charges for the same service. By codifying all changes since 2014 in one document, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs aims to ensure that Polish consulates in New Delhi, Chicago or Nairobi follow identical pricing rules. The regulation explicitly confirms that electronic payments made through the e-Consulate system qualify for reduced fees, making budgeting easier for corporate mobility teams who handle large volumes of applications. The publication is also a timely reminder that Poland remains one of the EU’s more affordable visa destinations. A standard Polish national-type “D” visa costs €80, but reduced fees can be as low as €25 under the updated schedule. In comparison, neighbouring Germany has no statutory mechanism for fee discounts outside humanitarian grounds. The lower Polish consular fees may therefore tilt decisions when multinationals choose a Schengen base for rotational assignees or near-shore tech staff. Practical implications: companies should review internal cost tables to reflect the official fee schedule and ensure that external immigration providers no longer charge the higher pre-consolidation rates. For non-EU assignees already in Poland, the consolidated text does not affect residence-permit fees paid inside the country; those remain governed by the Act on Foreigners. HR teams may nevertheless wish to circulate a client-friendly summary, as employees often confuse consular and in-country charges. Looking ahead, the Foreign Ministry has hinted that a broader overhaul of consular tariffs—possibly introducing online-application discounts—could come when the EU’s ETIAS system goes live in 2027. For now, however, Polish visa costs remain stable and, thanks to the 21 October publication, considerably easier to understand.
Source: Dziennik Ustaw
