Special Information for Applicants Who Are Not Citizens of Poland
Applicants who are not citizens of Poland may schedule an interview at U.S. Embassy Warsaw or U.S Consulate General Krakow, even if they do not currently reside in Poland. These applicants can schedule the interview online or by contacting the call center. Call center operators speak English, Polish, and Russian. Visa interviews are generally conducted in Polish, English, and (for Warsaw only) Russian. Appointments are categorized as “regular” and “non-resident.” Please follow these instructions carefully when choosing your appointment category:
U.S. Embassy Warsaw: An applicant who is a resident or citizen of Poland should select a “regular” appointment. For B1/B2 appointments only, an applicant who is neither a citizen nor resident of Poland should select a “non-resident” appointment. (For appointments other than B1/B2 all applicants, including those who are not citizens or residents or Poland, should select a “regular” appointment.) If you do not speak English or Polish, you may choose to bring along an interpreter, but must follow these instructions to facilitate the interpreter’s access to the Embassy: after you have created a profile on this website and scheduled your appointment, you must send a special request to mailto:support poland@ustraveldocs.com providing the full name of the interpreter (as it appears on the interpreter’s passport or other identification) who will accompany you to the interview. You must send your request only in English, Polish, or Russian and wait for the request confirmation. For security purposes, the interpreter will not be allowed access to the Embassy unless such a request is made at least seven business days prior to the date of the interview. If the designated interpreter is unexpectedly not available on the appointment date, no substitutions are allowed.
U.S. Consulate General Krakow: Polish citizens and non-Polish citizens resident in Poland should choose a “regular” appointment. Residents of other countries should select the “non-resident” category. Applicants who do not speak Polish or English must bring an interpreter to the interview. For security purposes, the interpreter will not be allowed access to the Consulate unless such a request is made at least seven business days prior to the date of the interview per the instructions above. If the designated interpreter is unexpectedly not available on the appointment date, no substitutions are allowed.
Please check Holidays and Closures prior to scheduling an appointment.
More general information about scheduling an appointment is available under this link
Payment of the Visa Application (MRV) Fee
In order to make a visa interview appointment, applicants must first pay the MRV fee following instructions on this webpage. A third party may make the payment; however, the payment must be in the applicant’s name.
Visa Processing Times and Passport Return
The Consular Sections at U.S. Embassy Warsaw and U.S. Consulate General Krakow generally require 1-2 business days to process a visa once it has been approved. During this time, the applicant’s passport must remain at the Consular Section. Once the visa is printed, in most cases applicants must pick up the passport at the Embassy/Consulate’s contracted courier service, Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE). Passports cannot be collected at the Embassy/Consulate. An applicant who does not reside in Poland should keep in mind that an appointment scheduled on Friday will require that a successful applicant remain in Poland over the weekend until the passport and visa can be returned to the MBE pick-up location early the following week. Please also be aware that technical and procedural concerns may require a stay longer than the normal two days in Poland to complete processing of the case. Applicants should plan accordingly when making their travel plans.
If a visa application is approved, the applicant’s passport with a visa will be delivered to the MBE pick-up location the applicant chose when scheduling the interview appointment. MBE maintains branch locations in Warsaw and Krakow where applicants may pick up their passport on the same day that MBE receives it from the Embassy or Consulate. Please see which documents are required to pick up passports from a MBE location. A home delivery option is available, but only if you provide an address and telephone number in Poland.
