The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Ethiopia—including its busy consular section—will remain closed on 6–7 January 2026 due to Ethiopian Orthodox Christmas celebrations ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/news/2026-01-06/pl/polish-embassy-in-addis-ababa-closes-6-7-january-delaying-visa-services-for-east-africa/?utm_source=openai)). All appointments, visa interviews and document-collection slots have been cancelled, with services resuming on Thursday, 8 January.
The 48-hour shutdown affects travellers from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan who typically lodge Schengen (type C) or Polish national (type D) visa applications in Addis Ababa. January is peak season for student renewals and spring-semester exchange programmes, meaning many applicants will have to rebook scarce slots via the e-Konsulat system.
![Christmas holidays shut Polish embassy in Addis Ababa, delaying East-African Schengen visa services]()
Travellers scrambling for new dates might find it helpful to outsource some of the legwork: VisaHQ’s Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) keeps real-time track of consular closures, documents required and earliest available appointments, and its team can pre-check application packets so clients avoid repeat visits once the embassy reopens.
Polish universities and employers planning short-notice assignments should anticipate at least a two-day delay. Courier companies shipping legalised documents to Poland are also urged to adjust schedules to avoid storage fees at Addis Bole International Airport warehouses. Mobility teams may wish to reroute urgent filings through Nairobi or Dar es Salaam, although both posts currently have five-to-seven-day lead times for new appointments.
The closure is a reminder that Polish consulates abroad observe both local and Polish public holidays, an often-overlooked factor in assignment timelines. HR departments should maintain a holiday calendar for key source countries and build contingency days into mobilisation plans—especially critical now that Polish visa fees have increased under the 2026 reform package.
The 48-hour shutdown affects travellers from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan who typically lodge Schengen (type C) or Polish national (type D) visa applications in Addis Ababa. January is peak season for student renewals and spring-semester exchange programmes, meaning many applicants will have to rebook scarce slots via the e-Konsulat system.
Travellers scrambling for new dates might find it helpful to outsource some of the legwork: VisaHQ’s Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) keeps real-time track of consular closures, documents required and earliest available appointments, and its team can pre-check application packets so clients avoid repeat visits once the embassy reopens.
Polish universities and employers planning short-notice assignments should anticipate at least a two-day delay. Courier companies shipping legalised documents to Poland are also urged to adjust schedules to avoid storage fees at Addis Bole International Airport warehouses. Mobility teams may wish to reroute urgent filings through Nairobi or Dar es Salaam, although both posts currently have five-to-seven-day lead times for new appointments.
The closure is a reminder that Polish consulates abroad observe both local and Polish public holidays, an often-overlooked factor in assignment timelines. HR departments should maintain a holiday calendar for key source countries and build contingency days into mobilisation plans—especially critical now that Polish visa fees have increased under the 2026 reform package.
