Hello Poland!

[pilot's girl 0]

Monika i Ana - dzieki za info. Mnie tez sie nikt nie pytal o nowa karte. Ciekawe czy w ogole sie zorientuja. Ja sie wychylac nie bede.

[me! 0]

Hey everyone! I was wondering if any of you had tried for a visitor's visa while your fiance visa was processing? I was hoping Michal could come here over easter and meet my family. On the other forums I saw that it isn't likely, but I thought maybe one of you had had some luck with the polish embassy. Thanks for your help

[pilot's girl 0]

Hi! I don't remember who told me this, I think someone here that used to post in the polish thread long time ago... Anyways, his finacee was trying for a visitor visa while waiting for K1 and was rejected. Honestly, I don't want to sound negative, but the chances are slim and the $100 you pay in non-refundable.. I applied for my visitor visa a month before we filed for K1 and when I came to US for a visit during the process I was very heavily questioned at the airport and was barely allowed in. It was pretty stressful.

[Nanusia & Lukaszek 0]

The fee for a tourist visa is now going up to $131. The situtation is changing, as they let more people go, but as usual its random, or based on the mood of the consular officer of that day :/ My husband tried to get a tourist visa right before we filed the K1 and he was denied. They asked him 2 questions, what do you do? (he was a student) what do your parents do? (his mom a teacher, his dad a crew man) and then they automatically said goodbye, no time for discussion, to time for proof of ties to country, nothing. His whole conversation lasted 30 seconds and that was it. A friend from his school, also the same age went for an interview and came back with a 10yr tourist visa, so go figure. I think they just pick randomly.

Then after my husband got the big denial stamped in his passport, I was freaking out that this could cause problems with the K1. I really only wanted him to come visit & meet my family, but didnt want the officer at the K1 interview to think he was trying to immigrate and us marry the quicker way. So i made him get a new passport, so it would be fresh & clean, no big denial stamp in there.

In the end, trying to get the tourist visa cost us nothing but stress & money.

[me! 0]

Thanks guys. I've decided not to try it. The paperwork would be a pain, plus the trip to the consulate, plus the money, plus the eventual denial and disappointment. I'm a grad student and I'll have a spring break, so I'll just go visit him then. I'm just SO impatient to introduce him to all my family and friends. It is really terrible that he can't come and visit without a visa even if we hadn't already applied for the K1. Someone from france, or england, or italy could visit without a visa. When will ALL the countries in the EU get on the visa waiver program? Maybe with a new president ! Then at least Michal's mom and dad could come and visit...Have any of your in-laws (or parents) got to visit the states?

[Nanusia & Lukaszek 0]

That is our current mission... to get my husbands parents over for a visit this summer. I asked in the LPR forum for any advise on that, but no info I don't know if its better that they go separetly to the embassy, or together and say they are coming to see their son. I worry with all the stories of not letting families travel together. But we shall see. I think they let older people go more freely now, cause they know the US is not what it used to be, and they aren't coming here to work. Both my aunts in the past 2 yrs got 10yr visa's with no problems.

In regards to Poland being part of the VWP... I have no idea when that will happen. Its been a topic for years. I know that one of the requirements of the US was that Poland had to participate with their army in Iraq... so they did. (I think they are pulling their troops out now, but oh well). The other more demanding requirement was that the number of people getting tourist visa's and overstaying in the US could not exceed 3.5%. Currently its still above that (I think around 10-15% but I could be wrong). The last time a the Polish President came to talk to Bush about the VWP he left with a donation of 100 cloned pigs as a present and forgot the original point of his meeting.

[pilot's girl 0]

I think I already talked about it earlier, but who knows which page it's on, so I'm gonna say it again. My Mom has been here twice already. Didn't have any problems at the embassy nor at POE In each case she told them the truth, that she's visiting her daughter and her son-in-law.

As for the embassy and their randomness, I don't know why they are like that. I don't want to believe it's totally random, but then again who knows.... it's stupid. I hope Poland will enter the VWP soon... Now that a lot of Poles go to UK to work instead of to USA I hope the overstayed visa rate drops.

[me! 0]

I know politics is a dangerous topic, but...

I just read on the internet the text of a very nice speech Obama gave about how Poland should be on the visa waiver program. I know they are just words and there is no way to know if he could actually make that happen if he became president, but at least it gives me a little hope that things will change.

My mom told one of her friends that I am engaged to Michal and that it is going to take a long time to get a visa for him, and her friend said, "That's not surprising, Poland is still communist after all." Grr. Why are people so uninformed?

Anyway, here's the link to the article about obama that I read: http://obama.senate.gov/press/070716-obama_statement_73/

keep us updated on how the visa for your in-laws goes, Nanusia. I hope it goes as smoothly as pilot's girl's!

[Anastassia 0]

Who really thinks Poland will ever enter VWP ? Just look at the amount of people who pay $100 every day just for talking to consular officer for 30 secs, do you think US government will want to get rid of this income ? And I assume it's the same situation in many other countries.

[Nanusia & Lukaszek 0]

You are right indeed. Poland to join VWP is either far away or never

I was searching on the topic, and found some info that was contrary to what the Polish media was saying here in Chicago.

"Recently (July 2007) the Congress and the senate passed the Secure Travel and Counterterrorism Partnership Act, directing the secretary of Homeland Security to establish a pilot program to expand the visa waiver program for up to five new countries that are cooperating with the US on security and counterterrorism matters. This new act changes the nonimmigrant visa refusal rate threshold - from 3% - to 10%, thus making 12 countries qualify for inclusion in the visa-waiver program: Argentina, Brazil, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Israel, Malta, Slovakia, South Korea, Taiwan and Uruguay "

Visa Waiver Program

So Poland is still not even up for consideration, despite all its efforts. Doesn't look like it will come soon either, as the countries are only evaluated every 2 yrs.

Anastassia, you're right on the money. There is too much cash flowing from the Warsaw & Krakow US Embassies daily for Poland to be in the VWP.

[pilot's girl 0]

Thanks for the link to the article! I found it quite interesting! Like you said, it could be just talk, but nonetheless talk is better than ignorance and disregard.

[me! 0]

Valentine's day is coming! Do you all have any plans? I'm sending Michal a package with a stuffed monkey holding a heart that says "Bananas 4 You" and two Lucky Luke DVDs. When we were in poland over christmas the Lucky luke movies were supposed to play on the tv, but we missed them. He was disappointed since they were his favorite when he was a kid. I never heard of them before. Anyway, I ordered them off vivid.pl and I'm excited to see how surprised he'll be. That and the monkey is ADORABLE. And so soft. I've been sleeping with it the past two days and will be a little sad to see him go in the mail tomorrow . It's probably for the best though as my cat was jealous.

[calamitka 0]

Hi girls

What I know about VWP for certain countries is a part of complex immigrant bill, but congress won't revoke it until the end of the presidencial campaign but then again Poland is not even mentioned there.

About Valentine's day -we decided move celebration for cuple of weeks- for my arrivial day. On 14 I'll try not to be depressed all day.

Nanusia- I think your parents in law can apply together without an harm. Things change now it's fairly easy to get a visa.

ME it a exelent idea visit Polan during spring break Michal will have chance to "polonizase" you

[pilot's girl 0]

I don't think we're doing anything for Valentine's Day. I don't really care much for the holiday.. It was different when we were apart, but now we can have Valentine's Day any day I guess. Besides, we just came back from a very spontaneous vacation on Maui, so I guess that counts as a nice Valentine's gift

[me! 0]

Maui! I'm so jealous! It is cold cold cold here in PA. I've never been to Salt Lake, but I imagine it's pretty cold there too.

I do feel a little like a high-schooler getting so excited over valentines day, but it's only our second one together, and, you're right, nothing is as fun as getting/sending a package when we are so far apart.

I wish I were going to Poland for spring break! Instead, it'll be Scotland. Michal moved there to wait out the visa when I came back to the states, hoping to save some money up before coming here. Scotland's nice, but I would rather it were poland so we could hang out with his family and our friends.

What day are you arriving Calamitka? It's so exciting that it'll be soon now! You'll have to let us know how the move goes.