Poland has reduced the number of visas issued to foreigners amid tighter controls

In 2025, Poland issued 346,885 visas to foreign nationals, which is 10.75% fewer than the previous year and 36.19% fewer than in 2023. The decline in the number of visas issued is linked to changes in the visa system, which made the application process more complicated in order to close loopholes and strengthen control over migration processes. 

For the fourth consecutive year, Belarus tops the list of countries whose citizens received the most Polish visas. Citizens of Ukraine ranked second, followed by those of China in third place; the top ten also included India, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Uzbekistan.

The issuance of Type D national visas has declined the most in recent years, falling from 537,952 in 2022 to 255,286 in 2025, although they remain the primary type of visa issued. The number of Schengen Type C visas in 2025 stood at 91,585, which is nearly the same as the previous year’s figure, while Type A transit visas were issued least frequently. The decline also affected student visas, the number of which decreased due to a reform that introduced mandatory verification of foreign diplomas and a requirement for proficiency in the language of instruction at a level no lower than B2. In addition, most consular fees increased by 20–25%, and the fee for processing a national visa application was raised to 200 euros to limit the misuse of this document.

This was reported by MOST, citing a report from the Consular Department of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Poland has tightened checks on Ukrainians, and there have been cases of denial of protection.

Two Ukrainians were detained in Poland for transporting illegal migrants.