Poland is working hard to fix its visa rules because of a problem in the past where people paid money to get visas unfairly.
According to TravelBiz, people looked into this problem and found that it cost a lot of money, so they are checking the visa process carefully.
Because of this, Poland will change its visa application rules to make them better.
The Foreign Minister, Radek Sikorski, said the changes will make things right.
The new rules will make sure only people who really qualify can get Polish visas, especially for traveling in Europe’s Schengen area.
Important Information
Reports say some Polish consulates in Asia and Africa were taking a lot of money to give work visas.
The investigation found 46 problems, showing corruption and poor management. For example, people from India pretended to be filmmakers to get visas, and others paid a lot of money to questionable agencies for visas.
Tougher Rules
The new rules will be much stricter for people applying for visas. Student visas will be checked more carefully to stop them from being misused, as they were sometimes used to enter Europe illegally before.
Minister Sikorski said these changes are important for making Poland’s immigration system trustworthy again.
Also, TravelBiz says visa fees in Poland have gone up. Before, they were among the lowest in Europe. The higher fees are meant to stop people from countries like Asia and Africa from using Poland as a way to enter Europe.
This change is different from the easier visa rules managed by the previous government.
Admitting Past Mistakes
Reports say Sikorski admitted the government didn’t manage the visa system well between 2018 and 2023. Some visas were given illegally, even to people from Russia.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk is expected to announce more plans to reduce illegal immigration based on the findings.
What the Audits Found
The audit showed thousands of visas were given from 2018 to early 2024 by agencies linked to Polish consulates. One agency helped give over 4,200 visas, with people paying up to 30,000 zlotys (about $7,600 or €7,000).
As the investigation continues, TravelBiz reports that authorities are considering charges against those involved, including former Deputy Foreign Minister Piotr Wawrzyk and nine others who have already been accused by the state anti-corruption bureau.