Publication date: September 10, 2025
In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of people traveling from Arab countries to Poland for recreational, tourism, and leisure purposes. The surge in tourism from Arab countries to Poland, particularly from the United Arab Emirates, began in April 2018, when the low-cost airline Flydubai launched a flight between the UAE and Krakow. Since then, the number of tourists from Arab countries has been growing.
A significant aspect of travel culture in Arab countries is halal tourism – the Muslim travel style that complies with Sharia law. Halal tourism is a narrower concept than Muslim tourism, as it applies only to groups who wish to adhere to religious norms while traveling. It increasingly serves primarily entertainment, relaxation, and recreational purposes.
1. VISA AND ENTRY CONDITIONS
Due to increased tourist traffic, new legal challenges are emerging for Polish institutions, the Polish population, and tourists themselves. The issue of entry to Poland is complex, as visa requirements require in-depth research focused on the specific country from which tourists are arriving. The only country whose citizens do not require a visa for tourist, business, or other short-term stays in Poland or other Schengen countries is the United Arab Emirates. The stay is limited to a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period—the total period of a person’s stay in the territory of all Schengen countries is taken into account here. Entry to Poland is possible with a regular, diplomatic, service/official, or special passport issued by the UAE—it cannot be temporary. Visa-free travel does not apply to stays other than short-term stays exceeding 90 days. The lack of a visa requirement for citizens of the United Arab Emirates is one reason why this group of tourists constitutes the largest group among tourists from Arab countries, as indicated by data from the Central Statistical Office.
The percentage of tourists from the UAE in Małopolska has increased from 0.10% in 2019 to 1.80% in 2023. This places UAE tourists as the 13th most frequent tourist in Małopolska.
However, the UAE is the only Arab country whose citizens can travel to Poland without a visa. Otherwise, you will need a Schengen visa type C (uniform or with limited territorial validity) or a national visa type D. A Schengen visa entitles you to enter the Schengen Area for no longer than 90 days within a 180-day period. It can be uniform, in which case it entitles you to enter every country in the area, or with limited territorial validity, in which case it entitles you to enter one or more countries in the area, but not all. To obtain a visa, you must submit a passport valid for at least three months after your planned departure from the Schengen Area, a completed and signed visa application form, a photograph, proof of payment of the visa fee (€90, or €45 for people aged 6-12), proof of travel medical insurance, and supporting documents. A type D national visa entitles a person to a longer stay in one country, for example, Poland, for a longer period, i.e., up to one year. It is issued for employment or educational purposes. Citizens of certain countries, including Arab countries such as Egypt and Iraq, also require an airport transit visa – a type A visa – which entitles them to transit through the international transit zone. If Poland is the destination or where the tourist plans to spend the longest period, the Polish consul is the competent authority to review the application.
2. CUSTOMS AND CURRENCY REGULATIONS
There is a list of restricted goods whose import and export from the European Union is either completely prohibited or limited in certain respects. These include CITES, or endangered species – this applies to animal and plant species, both alive and dead, even if they are part or parcel of another product. This includes, for example, luxury clothing or accessories made from materials derived from endangered animals. Arab tourists often favor similar luxury goods, so information regarding the import of specific items into the European Union can be crucial. They are also likely to purchase expensive and extravagant products within the EU during their stay, although they will not be able to take some of these items with them. Other customs restrictions apply, for example, to companion animals, medicinal products, plants and plant products, and antiquities. Strict regulation of food of animal origin is also in effect to prevent any illnesses. Research on specific airports or airlines and their internal policies – such as the permissibility of transporting specific goods and safety regulations – may prove useful.
Restrictions on the import and export of cash must also be taken into account. If a tourist wishes to bring in or take out at least €10,000 in cash or its equivalent in another currency, they must declare this to the customs authorities of the EU country they are entering or leaving. This also applies to fungible stores of value, such as banknotes and coins (even those no longer in circulation but still redeemable), negotiable bearer instruments, coins with a gold content of at least 90%.
3. TOURISTS AND THE POLISH LEGAL ORDER
The Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) is an index that highlights tourism trends among Arab tourists and the popularity of specific destinations. The report’s authors also outline guidelines that should be followed by tourists from Arab countries, especially when traveling to destinations outside their cultural sphere. The recommendations emphasize the importance of educating themselves about the customs and laws of the countries they visit to ensure a smooth stay and minimize friction due to cultural differences.
The principle is that, unless a legal act provides otherwise, foreigners must comply with Polish law while in Poland. There are situations in which the law of a tourist’s home country also provides for liability for an act committed abroad by its citizens. This poses a problem in determining which country has jurisdiction in this matter if the act is also punishable in the country where the person is staying. The principle is that no one can be punished twice for the same act, so international agreements, particularly bilateral ones, are crucial for determining the scope of criminal liability and the nature of civil law relationships between citizens of Arab countries. They often address the issue of potential cooperation between these two countries regarding jurisdiction in specific cases affecting foreigners. One such agreement is the Egyptian-Polish Agreement on Legal Assistance in Civil and Commercial Matters of 1992. Primarily, it allows citizens of the other country to enjoy legal protection, the right to a fair trial, and other procedural guarantees within the territory of one country. The countries undertake to exchange information on all legal provisions in force in their respective territories. This agreement protects civil law relationships conducted in Poland by Egyptian citizens. Poland concluded a similar agreement with Morocco – the 1979 Agreement on Legal Assistance in Civil and Criminal Matters. This agreement also allows for the right to a fair trial and provides other procedural guarantees, but it also applies to criminal cases. In the absence of a bilateral agreement on these matters, multilateral regulations can be relied upon, although not all countries are parties to such instruments, such as the European Convention on Extradition. Cooperation in the field of extradition, i.e., the surrender of a citizen who has committed a criminal act in the territory of the requesting country, is also possible on an ad hoc basis, as a specific case develops, but this is slower and more complicated.
Personal data protection regulations, including the GDPR, apply to citizens of foreign countries outside the European Union, including Arab countries, if the data processor is located in the EU, regardless of whether the processing takes place in the EU.
Arab tourists should also familiarize themselves with the customs and social norms in force in Poland. They come from a completely different cultural background; their law is often based on Sharia law, has a different historical background, and origins, so some of the differences can be difficult to accept and implement.
Should any problems arise, tourists can turn to diplomatic missions, embassies, or consulates. Almost all Arab countries have embassies in Poland, with the exception of Bahrain, Jordan, Mauritania, Oman, and Sudan. In such situations, citizens of these countries can seek assistance from embassies, for example, in Berlin, or any other EU country with such embassies. Cooperation with diplomatic missions allows for assistance in times of crisis and provides consular services, such as passport issuance and document legalization.
Citizens of Arab states may enter into contracts in Poland. Such contracts are governed by Polish law unless the parties expressly agree otherwise and specify a different applicable law. However, despite the choice of foreign law, contracts must comply with Polish law.
4. HEALTH INSURANCE
Foreigners applying for a Schengen visa or a national visa must demonstrate travel medical insurance in an amount of no less than €30,000. The insurance must cover the entire period of the individual’s planned stay or transit and must cover all expenses resulting from medical treatment or death. The Act of 12 December 2013 on Foreigners specifies precise conditions that must be met by the insurance provider – among other things, the insurer must operate a 24-hour emergency center service enabling reporting of events falling under the insurer’s liability and must be based in the territory of the Republic of Poland, another EU or EFTA member state, or Switzerland. Entities not based in the designated territory may also act as insurers in this situation, but must meet other requirements regarding data transparency. The Minister of Foreign Affairs has published a list of entities that meet the requirements of the Act and a list of the insurance products they offer. This list includes entities such as: from Poland, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Syria, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates. Medical insurance is also required when applying for a Type A visa, i.e., an airport transit visa, if these are citizens of Egypt or Iraq.
5. CAR RENTAL AND ROAD TRAFFIC
Citizens of Arab countries wishing to rent a car for the duration of their stay must have a driving license recognized in Poland. Member states of the European Union, the Swiss Confederation, and the countries of the European Free Trade Agreement recognize each other’s driving licenses, but Arab states are not included in this agreement. The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of August 11, 1968, defines road traffic regulations, harmonizes them, and obliges states to adhere to international road traffic regulations to the greatest extent possible. Citizens of countries that are parties to this convention may drive for six months of their stay with a document confirming their driving license that meets the requirements for such documents in their country of origin. After this period, they must obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP), which is valid for up to three years and allows driving in countries that recognize it (countries that are parties to the Vienna and Geneva Conventions, and some non-party states also recognize it). Arab states that are parties to the Vienna Convention include Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Morocco, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates. Citizens of states that are not parties to the Vienna Convention but are parties to the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic of 19 September 1949 cannot drive on Polish public roads with their domestic driving license; they must obtain an international driving license. Arab states that are signatories to this convention include Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates. Citizens of states that are parties to both of these conventions (i.e., Morocco, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Poland) may use their domestic driving license for the first six months of their stay only if their document’s design complies with the Vienna Convention. Otherwise, they must obtain an international driving license. If the foreigners’ country of origin is not a party to either convention, the document from their country of residence must be exchanged for a Polish one. Such countries are Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine and Sudan.
Polish car rental companies, as the owners of the vehicles, are required to insure each car they offer with mandatory third-party liability insurance (OC). This insurance protects against the financial consequences of road accidents and damages to third parties. If a foreigner causes an accident with a rental car, the insurance provided by the rental company will be collected. A credit card is often required to rent a car, especially for foreigners, and they sometimes also have to pay a higher security deposit.
However, if a foreigner drives a vehicle registered and insured in their home country, and this country is not an EU country, they must have a Green Card. This document confirms that the vehicle has third-party liability insurance in its country of origin. In such cases, enforcement will be directed at the vehicle’s insurer abroad. The Green Card is only valid in countries participating in the Green Card System, including Morocco and Tunisia. Citizens of these countries traveling to Poland can obtain a Green Card, which serves as proof of insurance for their vehicle. Citizens of other countries must apply for Polish insurance.
In the event of an accident caused by a foreigner in which a Polish citizen is injured, the claim will always be settled according to Polish law, regardless of the perpetrator’s origin or the registration of their vehicle. If the perpetrator did not have third-party liability insurance, the obligation to pay the insurance is transferred to the Insurance Guarantee Fund. If the perpetrator was insured abroad, the claim should be submitted to the foreign insurer’s correspondent located in Poland. A list of such correspondents is available on the website of the Polish Motor Insurers’ Bureau (PBUK). In the event of an accident involving a foreigner, the procedure is the same – the injured party must contact the perpetrator’s insurer. After reporting the claim, the insurer conducts the settlement procedure and then pays the benefit, if applicable.
Foreign tourists wishing to travel on Polish roads should familiarize themselves with the road rules. In all Arab countries, as in Poland, traffic drives on the right-hand side of the road. In Sudan, traffic drove on the left, but this was changed in 1973. Rules regarding right-of-way, speed limits, and blood alcohol levels vary from country to country, so Arab tourists should inform themselves and adapt to the current laws and customs.