visa to poland for belarussian fiancee

[belarus1 0]

Ok our interview is for Sept 28 so Sveta is going to the Polish embassy in Minsk to get the visa to travel there so she called to see what she will need.

Since we are staying 4 nights in Warsaw they needed proof of our renting an apartment. All I have is the electronic voucher they emailed me after I made the reservation and the embassy says they need "original document". Thats about as original as it gets over the internet. I suppose the aparment place can fax them a copy or something? Also they wanted to see proof of her flight booking there and back so she took a copy of her "e ticket" but they again said "need original document". Well, I booked it over the net and pretty much everyone uses e-tickets now so whats the deal?

Theyre saying they may only issue the visa for 3 days instead of 5.

Has anyone had any experience with the Polish embassy in minsk? Seems like a highly unfriendly bunch.

They told Sveata "its your problem not ours". I called the polish embassy in washington and they pretty much told me to go f##k myself.

Any advice?

Edited September 10, 2009 by belarus1

[1HappyGuy 45]

I'd say fax them whatever you have regarding e-tickets. That is going to be an ongoing problem until the paperwork world catches up with the electronic world.

As far as only 3 days versus 5 days, just make sure her visa appointment is within the 3 day time frame. If she overstays her visa, what's Poland going to do, deport her. Who cares, shes going home to prepare to leave for America anyway.

It does seem pretty short sighted and that's probably why the state department changed visa applications for Kyiv in 2003. Prior to then everyone in Ukraine had to travel to Poland also. Maybe when we get on better terms with Belarus, that will change.

I assume that the U.S. embassy is aware of the Polish visa conditions, so they must issue the visa on the spot since no one is allowed to wait around for the processing and then get their passport. I mean, how is the person getting the K-1 visa suppose to leave Poland without their passport.

Write to the U. S embassy in Minsk to ask about things. Make sure to include the case number for the K-1 visa applicant.

[Brad and Vika 129]

I'd say fax them whatever you have regarding e-tickets. That is going to be an ongoing problem until the paperwork world catches up with the electronic world.

As far as only 3 days versus 5 days, just make sure her visa appointment is within the 3 day time frame. If she overstays her visa, what's Poland going to do, deport her. Who cares, shes going home to prepare to leave for America anyway.

It does seem pretty short sighted and that's probably why the state department changed visa applications for Kyiv in 2003. Prior to then everyone in Ukraine had to travel to Poland also. Maybe when we get on better terms with Belarus, that will change.

I assume that the U.S. embassy is aware of the Polish visa conditions, so they must issue the visa on the spot since no one is allowed to wait around for the processing and then get their passport. I mean, how is the person getting the K-1 visa suppose to leave Poland without their passport.

Write to the U. S embassy in Minsk to ask about things. Make sure to include the case number for the K-1 visa applicant.

I do have a bit of experience with the embassy in Minsk, and Warsaw. I will lend my opinion based on my acquaintance with (in Minsk) the Vice Consul, Political Officer, and Economic Officer, although I am sure the staff has changed since I was last there trying to get a business off the ground. I think it was the volume of K visas from Ukraine that caused the change in processing locations.

Visas in Minsk are handled by the consular section, but K visas all go to Poland. Therefore Minsk consular will have no knowledge of your visa and no incentive to track it. So writing them will probably result in a referal to the consular section in Warsaw (I mean Minsk telling you to communicate with Warsaw). Also, the Polish embassy in Minsk used to take two days to process visa applications, and visa recipients had to come back and pick the visa up.

The US embassy in Warsaw never used to issue a visa while you wait. They can, but they normally do them in batches and ask you to pick it up the next day. If this is still true you (or she) will need to allow extra time in Warsaw to get it. Getting to and through the airport takes time there too.

Most importantly, for a variety of reasons, I would say do not let her overstay her visa in Poland. I am not sure what stamp they will put in her passport if she does, or if the overstay would be noticed while processing the K visa in Warsaw - but any problem like that probably wouldn't be good for the rest of the process. And what if she needs to go there again? I have seen the customs staff in Warsaw really mess with Belarusians, even if they have good paperwork. Lots of animosity there.

Just my two cents. Good Luck!

Edited September 11, 2009 by Brad and Vika

[amberdima 6]

dima's visa to poland was only good for 3 days, so he didn't have to provide proof of lodging or available funds. 3 days was long enough for the whole process. good luck

[peejay 327]

dima's visa to poland was only good for 3 days, so he didn't have to provide proof of lodging or available funds. 3 days was long enough for the whole process. good luck

Ditto for my wife and stepdaughter too. They took the bus from Baranovichi to Warsaw on the day of the interview, got their K-1/K-2 visas, and returned home by bus without staying overnight in Poland.

If I remember correctly the Polish visa requirement was instituted just before their interview in 2004, so it was an added burden on my wife to get it. Back then it was $50 for the visa. Before that Belarusians were able to travel to Poland without a visa.

[belarus1 0]

dima's visa to poland was only good for 3 days, so he didn't have to provide proof of lodging or available funds. 3 days was long enough for the whole process. good luck

Ditto for my wife and stepdaughter too. They took the bus from Baranovichi to Warsaw on the day of the interview, got their K-1/K-2 visas, and returned home by bus without staying overnight in Poland.

If I remember correctly the Polish visa requirement was instituted just before their interview in 2004, so it was an added burden on my wife to get it. Back then it was $50 for the visa. Before that Belarusians were able to travel to Poland without a visa.

What a freaking fiascoe! Sveta made the 2hour train trip from her town to minsk to the polish embassy thismorning. Was at the embassy at 5am to get a good spot in line. There were already people lined up. She had proof of her round trip ticket from Minsk to Warsaw, voucher of paid apartment there and Letter of Invitation from the US Embassy stating she had an interiew on Sept 28. She gets in to apply and they say "no visa, you stay too long" so she shows them the apartment voucher and they say its not good enough. She asks them to call the apartment place and they say they make no calls so its "your problem not ours".

Sveta calls me at 3am hysterical but long story short I called the apartment place then they faxed something to the Minsk main post office for Sveta stating that the apartment was paid for so she hurries back to the embassy, waits in line again and this time they accept the documents! #######!

Anyway, thank goodness they took the stuff.

Sveta said they were treating everyone very rudely that was there for a visa.

Crazy ######!

We are so stressed out over this whole K1 thing and are ready to get this all over with. Lets hope all goes well at the interview!

[Rob_Lesya 4]

What a freaking fiascoe! Sveta made the 2hour train trip from her town to minsk to the polish embassy thismorning. Was at the embassy at 5am to get a good spot in line. There were already people lined up. She had proof of her round trip ticket from Minsk to Warsaw, voucher of paid apartment there and Letter of Invitation from the US Embassy stating she had an interiew on Sept 28. She gets in to apply and they say "no visa, you stay too long" so she shows them the apartment voucher and they say its not good enough. She asks them to call the apartment place and they say they make no calls so its "your problem not ours".

Sveta calls me at 3am hysterical but long story short I called the apartment place then they faxed something to the Minsk main post office for Sveta stating that the apartment was paid for so she hurries back to the embassy, waits in line again and this time they accept the documents! #######!

Anyway, thank goodness they took the stuff.

Sveta said they were treating everyone very rudely that was there for a visa.

Crazy ######!

We are so stressed out over this whole K1 thing and are ready to get this all over with. Lets hope all goes well at the interview!

Wow! What a CRAZY experience!!!

But I'm glad that everything worked out in the end and she was finally able to get the visa!

Thanks for sharing.

As you said, let's hope that the K1 interview goes much more smoothly!

[BluesTraveler 0]

When Dima got his tourist visa in Warsaw, he got the visa the same day. The US embassy in Warsaw is very considerate of the people coming from Belarus for visas.

[belarus1 0]

When Dima got his tourist visa in Warsaw, he got the visa the same day. The US embassy in Warsaw is very considerate of the people coming from Belarus for visas.

Cool! I hope they are in a good mood and kind to us for our K1 interview on the 28th!

[Anastassia 0]

OMG what a shame !!!!

I wonder if those embassy employees would be the same Polish people who ###### how Americans treat Poles ?

Now I am embarassed to be Polish.

5 days is too long ? Is it because you can get a job and work there illegally for 5 days ?

But as to American Embassy, I picked my visa up on the same day, only maybe 5 or 6 hours later.