Will it be easier to get a “Polish” Schengen visa?
The price of a Polish visa will cost 12 times as much – 60 euro instead of 5 - starting from November 1. The Polish Embassy is preparing the country to join the Schengen Agreement on January 1, 2008. The price of a Polish visa will be 60 euro for two months (November and Decemebr) but it will only be possible to use it to go to Poland. The fact that our neighbours (Poland, Latvia and Lithuania) are going to join the Schengen Agreement has brought up many questions that are still left without answers.
The questing that is worrying Belarusians most is whether it will be possible to lower the visa price in some way.
ERB turned to the press secretary of the Polish Embassy to Belarus Monica Sadowska and asked to explain the problem and answer some questions.
According to Monica Sadkowska, Poland cannot take such decisions on its own because the country is going to become part of the Schengen territory. Let us remind you that our country has to sign an Agreement on cooperation with the European Union in order to solve this problem.
Poland will continue giving out national visas together with Schengen documents. In spite of the fact that such visas will cost 75 euro some Belarusians would like to save money. Unlike a Schengen visa, a national visa will be given for a long term – for a year and even more.
Monіca Sadkowska: “I think Poland will use this possibility to give out national visas. Such visas will be long-term and will be valid only in Poland. But they will be useful for those who are interested in cooperation with Poland in the field of business and cultural exchange and for those who have relatives in Poland”.
However, the procedure of getting a visa will become more complicated. It is already clear that everyone wishing to get a Polish visa will have to visit the Polish Embassy. Monica Sadkowska says it is connected with the fact that Poland will be joining the Schengen Agreement:
“The Schengen programme supposes an individual conversation with the Consul, so you’ll need a medical insurance and you will have to confirm that you have the money necessary for your stay in Poland. You will also have to fill in a questionnaire”.
At the same time the press secretary of the Polish Embassy noted that the procedure may be simplified for inhabitants of the border zone.
Monіca Sadkowska: “It is difficult to answer now. These questions will be discussed in the future. Probably there will be a simplified procedure for inhabitants of the border zone. We will work on such an agreement to make it easier for border zone inhabitants to cross the border”.
It is still unknown whether Polish, Latvian and Lithuanian visas will have some national peculiarities or not. For example, the information that owners of Latvian visas will have to spend 70% of their time in Latvia has not been confirmed.
The Polish Embassy still cannot comment on national peculiarities of the country’s visas. These issues are still being discussed.
Monіca Sadkowska: “It is difficult to say but I think that we will start working according to Schengen rules even before November 1. There will be additional information about these innovations in our consulates and Embassy. It is too early to talk about it now”.
Interestingly, the air border for the new Schengen countries will be established only in March 2008. So what will be crossing the border on a plane like? What kind of visas will be needed for it? This and some other questions still have no answer.
Embassies of Lithuania, Latvia and Czechia are asking to wait a bit. ERB will continue watching the process of our neighbours joining the Schengen Agreement. We will inform you about any new details as soon as they appear.
The questing that is worrying Belarusians most is whether it will be possible to lower the visa price in some way.
ERB turned to the press secretary of the Polish Embassy to Belarus Monica Sadowska and asked to explain the problem and answer some questions.
According to Monica Sadkowska, Poland cannot take such decisions on its own because the country is going to become part of the Schengen territory. Let us remind you that our country has to sign an Agreement on cooperation with the European Union in order to solve this problem.
Poland will continue giving out national visas together with Schengen documents. In spite of the fact that such visas will cost 75 euro some Belarusians would like to save money. Unlike a Schengen visa, a national visa will be given for a long term – for a year and even more.
Monіca Sadkowska: “I think Poland will use this possibility to give out national visas. Such visas will be long-term and will be valid only in Poland. But they will be useful for those who are interested in cooperation with Poland in the field of business and cultural exchange and for those who have relatives in Poland”.
However, the procedure of getting a visa will become more complicated. It is already clear that everyone wishing to get a Polish visa will have to visit the Polish Embassy. Monica Sadkowska says it is connected with the fact that Poland will be joining the Schengen Agreement:
“The Schengen programme supposes an individual conversation with the Consul, so you’ll need a medical insurance and you will have to confirm that you have the money necessary for your stay in Poland. You will also have to fill in a questionnaire”.
At the same time the press secretary of the Polish Embassy noted that the procedure may be simplified for inhabitants of the border zone.
Monіca Sadkowska: “It is difficult to answer now. These questions will be discussed in the future. Probably there will be a simplified procedure for inhabitants of the border zone. We will work on such an agreement to make it easier for border zone inhabitants to cross the border”.
It is still unknown whether Polish, Latvian and Lithuanian visas will have some national peculiarities or not. For example, the information that owners of Latvian visas will have to spend 70% of their time in Latvia has not been confirmed.
The Polish Embassy still cannot comment on national peculiarities of the country’s visas. These issues are still being discussed.
Monіca Sadkowska: “It is difficult to say but I think that we will start working according to Schengen rules even before November 1. There will be additional information about these innovations in our consulates and Embassy. It is too early to talk about it now”.
Interestingly, the air border for the new Schengen countries will be established only in March 2008. So what will be crossing the border on a plane like? What kind of visas will be needed for it? This and some other questions still have no answer.
Embassies of Lithuania, Latvia and Czechia are asking to wait a bit. ERB will continue watching the process of our neighbours joining the Schengen Agreement. We will inform you about any new details as soon as they appear.
