PL Organizations against in Visa Waiver Program

Csesc! I was wondering if anybody knows of any social polish organizations that had or currently have active campaigns to bring Poland into the Visa Waiver Program? Any organizations is fine as long as it has a past in politics such as lobbying congress, petitioning, organizing protest for bills such as the Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005, etc..Dzienki :)

I doubt any lobbying efforts will have any effect anytime soon. One of the criteria for any country applying to get into the Visa Waiver Program is that it must have a less than 3 percent rejection rate for those applying for visas in-country. I believe Poland has a 6% (applications for US visas) rejection rate.

I agree with you, Svenski, the rejection rate is high in poland. But as I understand the terms of the waiver program can be changed. Also, these rejection rates are so hard to find. What is not to say that people are purposely keeping the rejection rate high. Why is there not more transparency with data concerning the rejection rates. There have been proposals through the senate and House to drop the visa for Poland. But nothing came of these proposals so the matter needs to be pushed more.

But I am not starting a new thread about the waiver program I was just wondering if anyone knows any local polish groups that are writing articles in the newspaper, confronting their congressmen, collecting signitures, or in general have been politically active in the past.

The Polish American Congress is actively persuing State Resolutions for including Poland in Visa Waiver Program

Last time I checked, the bar was raised to 10%, yet Poland has over 20% rejection rate.

Yes you are right.. its over 25%..

yes you are right about the rejection rate but have you ever questioned why it is so high? If you think about it why would most poles want to come to America when they can earn money in the EU. If poles stay in Europe they can be closer to family and probably earn more money. The rejection rate is based on a old cold war notion that the pole will somehow get lost in america b/c they do not want to go back to poland. Dont you think that Poland being one of the only eastern european countries still requiring a visa may just be politics in play...

I would greatly encourage everyone to contact their local state representative about seeing Poland through to the Visa Waiver Program on a state level so that ultimately we can be heard on a national level.

Visit the Polish American Congress website see the work they have done since 2004

polamcon.org

With the current US visa politics only the really desperate people care about a trip to the US, so they do whatever it takes to obtain one, because they indeed want to stay in the USA illegally.

I wouldn't even apply for it just to risk 150 $ and some time lost for a travel to Warsaw, to hear that they suppose I might overstay my visa and reject my application.

The rejection rate is a funny thing, because it's a kind of a self-fullfilling prophecy. The embassy assumes someone wants to overstay his tourist visa, so his application gets rejected, increasing thus the rejection rate, which is an argument against giving more visas to other applicants.

This reminds when I first time applied for a credit card (with ridiculously low limit of 2,000 zł, about 1,000 $, because I thought it would be more apropriate for a first time applicant), my application was rejected for some mysterious reasons, then 6 months later (and nothing changed - my income, status, etc.), when I least expected it, the very same bank offered me a credit card with a much higher limit, completely out of the blue, I didn't even re-apply.

good point Krzysztof but just because the immigration numbers are declining because of poor initiatives such as low dollar value and distance, it does not mean that the people who do come to america will overstay, as i understand most people come to the us to see their family.

I am assuming most people on this forum do not think poland should be in the visa waiver program because of their rejection rate. What if we change the provisions of the VWP for higher rejection rates through a congressional resolution? Is the Polonia willing to fight for the rights of our family and friends in Poland?

I will write.. even if no one wants to come. you are right.. there is still people
who travel back and forth to their families.. when they can.. its worth the
effort.