USA, Canada / Getting a VISA to USA by a Polish person nowadays [339]

It is hit and miss. So many Poles stay illegally in the US that Immigration is very tight on selection. I know about 5 people in the last year who went on 3 or 6 month visas and just stayed. I asked them what they were going to do and they didn't seem worried at all. The figure worst case they will just be deported and go back home. And they KNEW they were going to do this when they went.

If you can establish some ties to the states...family...a friend who will write a letter of sponsorship for your time there...a job offer there (even if it is just on paper) you may have a better chance.

I am glad immigration does its job and tries to keep certain types of people out...but sadly honest and decent people get caught up in the wide net they throw.

Good luck!

PS maybe I can find a cousin somewhere to marry you ;) Is it ok if she is a convicted felon? Nice girl though....kidding kidding.

Law / Laundromats in Poland? Good business venture or not? [90]

I have thought about this for years. I do however think only tourists would use it. And even of them only a few. People with money stay in fancy hotels that include laundry service. Very budget travelers do it in the sink. The mid range tourist would be the main market.

As for anyone living here they have a machine in their flat. I have never seen a flat here without one.

My gut tells me it would not be a money maker but I could be wrong. The start up costs would take a very long time to make up as those types of machines are very expensive. Plus maintenance and rent of space. And if you do an automatic place with no staff expect the machines to be abused and damaged but the less respectful people around.

Law / Laundromats in Poland? Good business venture or not? [90]

I don't think students would pay for laundry. Somehow they are managing now which probably means at parents for friends for free. I cant see Poles paying for something like this.

Law / Laundromats in Poland? Good business venture or not? [90]

People that don't have machines at home have a money issue clearly. That means they are not likely to spend on a laundromat. Usually they have a machine in the flat. I have never seen a flat here without once...even small student housing.

A VERY small group like some travelers and maybe a few students would use them but I don't see it as enough to profit.

In the US they are popular as many flats don't have connections or laundry rooms. I could be wrong but I just cannot see this as a profitable business here.

Law / Laundromats in Poland? Good business venture or not? [90]

Szarlotka there was a laundromat that served beer and food in one city in the USA I recall. It did quite well and was unique.

Pawian the 20 min thing has been discussed here...American machines work differently and clean just fine. But that is another good point. Euro washers take a long time and most people here wouldn't want to sit for a few hours doing wash.

You would also need air dryers like all other laundromats have as lugging heavy bags of wet laundry home to hang up would be another turn off...air dryers can shrink clothes and sine they are not common here people don't buy sizes thinking that. It might cause a mess when people's clothes come out tiny.

USA, Canada / Polish Citizen, US legal resident, but no Polish Passport... [67]


Yes they do. Harry (a Brit expat) is the only person who has given me any valid information. Lots of the stuff being presented here as fact is nonsense.

But one point...they DO mail passports. There aren't that many embassies and they cant expcet people to travel so far to collect it.

USA, Canada / Getting a VISA to USA by a Polish person nowadays [339]

I am an American and I know this issue of visas is a sore point but the reason Poles are not given visa free or easier visas is because SO MANY stay illegally. This is not an insult to you or Polish people it is just true. I have known several who go on short tourist visas and just stay. Blame your countrymen who don't follow the rules not the US policy.

I live in Poland as well and have had nothing but grief trying to deal with immigration as has every single non EU expat I know so I have little sympathy for Poles complaining they have problems on the US side. Everyone is so one way and selfish about this issue.

I know there will be some nationalistic bravado and "go home then" from some people but I can't believe anyone who is honest would not understand what I have said.

USA, Canada / Getting a VISA to USA by a Polish person nowadays [339]

Not different at all..you are just talking about one aspect. Overall Poland's policies are just as tough.

Where are your stats for the "loads" of illegal yanks here? I do not believe that. For sure nowhere even close to the number of illegal Poles in the US either in straight numbers nor percentages.

You are seriously defending them staying illegally? You are admitting they only went to make money and now that they can't make as much they are trapped by the law? Give me a break. If I did that here people would be all over me saying what a jerk I am. I follow the rules here (when they can tell me what they are) and I find it incredibly hypocritical to hear Poles complain about US policies when their own countrymen are the ones responsible for the ban not being lifted.

I also have no sympathy for complaints about US immigration paperwork as it is just as bad here. We can agree it sucks all over but to act like Poland is discriminated against for some nefarious reason in nonsense.

USA, Canada / Getting a VISA to USA by a Polish person nowadays [339]

I am sorry but I don't believe Poland is being discriminated against in this matter. I also do not believe Poland was forced to go to war or any of the other things you mention.

The grass is always greener and to somehow say 'poor poles' having to leave the US as they can't earn as much is nonsense. Economic immigrants are using their host country and they have no right to complain if conditions change especially the illegal ones. They are only there to get more money..they have no plan to integrate or become a part of society...it is the same all over the world.

I hate the dollar's devaluing too as it hurts me and I also hate the increasing prices in Poland as it is a double insult but I don't think Poland owes me nor do I think it is a conspiracy to run out Americans. Poles are very good victims and act like everything that doesn't go their way is some personal attack. Life here is no better than in the US but people will always hold their home closer to their heart.

USA, Canada / Getting a VISA to USA by a Polish person nowadays [339]

Oh my god are you kidding me??? Enough with the conspiracy and poor me stuff.

It's statistic and rules...nothing more.

Life / COMBATING "POLACK" JOKES [460]

"paddle"

Hahahahahaha.

Life / Getting ripped off in Poland! Is it normal? or should it be tolerated? [97]

It's not just in Poland but yeah its not something people do in the USA to foreigners. Some cultures find it more acceptable to scam foreigners and tourists than others.

And I do not understand housing costs either...I understand supply and demand but I don't understand relative cost and how they pay for it. How can so many people get mortgages for homes that would take them 50 years if they paid their entire salary each month toward the cost?

Life / Getting ripped off in Poland! Is it normal? or should it be tolerated? [97]

Well they have been trying to inflate the zl the last years to get it closer to 1:1 with the Euro for the change over but the worldwide economic problems put a hold on that scheme.

This ain't a conspiracy theory I know a few bankers that admitted it flat out and were investing heavily to profit off of it. A bunch of them are not happy right now with the dollar back up in the 2.6s from nearly 2.

Life / Getting ripped off in Poland! Is it normal? or should it be tolerated? [97]

It honestly is more common here (PL) then the west in my experience. But I am sure there are places it is even worse.

And yes in places where prices are not clearly marked there IS a higher price for us foreigners...it is like that all over this part of Europe, Asia and the Arab world. The West doesn't seem to do it so much except by locals in select places like Rome, Athens or tourist areas of big Western cities that are run by immigrants from the above places. It is definitely a cultural thing...and it is not nice :)

Life / Getting ripped off in Poland! Is it normal? or should it be tolerated? [97]

Well to top it off the normal prices here are ridiculously high for most things. Jeans etc cost 3-4x as much as the USA. That applies to most consumer products. I really don't know how most Poles by the stuff they buy especially housing on the salaries they make. There is a lot of red ink there.

I refuse to pay so much for stuff and just stock up when in the states. A recent example. The exact same laptop at shops here....5000pln...in the US it was 2000pln. I can see if something is specifically American and imported...but most stuff this isn't the case. It's greed in pricing.

Life / Getting ripped off in Poland! Is it normal? or should it be tolerated? [97]

I happen to believe it to be true. And these guys sure made a ton off the drop so far and they were planning this investment before the dollar fell.

What is nonsensical about Poland's financial system trying to pad itself so as not to be raped by the Euro as every other nation that changes has been?

Ethical? Hell no...but I can totally believe it is happening.

Life / Getting ripped off in Poland! Is it normal? or should it be tolerated? [97]

I didn't say it was a good plan...and it was obviously hampered by the latest events...but on the surface it appeared to work for a bit.

Life / Getting ripped off in Poland! Is it normal? or should it be tolerated? [97]

Yeah I avoid places with variable pricing as I refuse to pay more because they think I can afford it or they deserve the money more than I do.

Thankfully those places are mostly junk marts anymore and I don't need that stuff.

If I had to haggle over my groceries like in some places I'd go postal.

Life / Getting ripped off in Poland! Is it normal? or should it be tolerated? [97]

Well...the "Polish" mind you bankers I know said Poland got caught out overvaluing the Zl and the events lately made it more obvious so that is why things have chilled a bit. I believe them. Of course you can artificially value your currency by manipulating data and trading. I am not saying all of the increased value is fake...but I believe some of it is.

Life / Getting ripped off in Poland! Is it normal? or should it be tolerated? [97]

I did not say it is exclusive to Poland. I am saying in my experiences the 'east' has a higher discrepancy usually.

Life / Getting ripped off in Poland! Is it normal? or should it be tolerated? [97]

How is it unfair if it is my experience? Been talking to filios? he likes to tell you what you can think....I thought you were better than that ;)

And we are talking about a differert facet of things now not vendors changing prices.

Life / Getting ripped off in Poland! Is it normal? or should it be tolerated? [97]

So many issues there where do I start. You are telling me a pair of boots cost 50 cents in Poland? And they sold for 65 dollars in the US. What Polish boots were/are sold in the US?

Life / Getting ripped off in Poland! Is it normal? or should it be tolerated? [97]

Of course...but some cultures are much more rude and unethical about it. In the US people are not charged more for a hotel room based on nationality. Everyone pays the same. You cannot say cultures are all the same.

Life / Getting ripped off in Poland! Is it normal? or should it be tolerated? [97]

Ahhhhh....

Well I disagree but it didnt take long for the "well the US does this"...that argument holds no water because lets say for the sake or argument it is true (which I dont agree it is).....but if it were. Does the US doing something make it ok for another place to do it or do it worse or more? This is a common retort here.

When foreigners go to the USA they do not pay more for the same things than natives. Many other countries DO charge foreigners more. This is not an opinion it is a fact. This is wrong (now that is my opinion but I think most agree)

Life / Getting ripped off in Poland! Is it normal? or should it be tolerated? [97]

Not at all the same thing. That has to do with the taxes paid in a region.

Food / Polish food in Pictures. [277]

I have never seen that here. Is that white cheese inside or some kind of cake? Looks decadent.

Food / Polish food in Pictures. [277]


I have to find this somewhere...looks great. I love light pastry with sweet cream and pudding fillings.

UK, Ireland / Britain... What the Poles did for us. [444]

The roles were reversed and the UK was the poorer and more newly free country and Poland was the wealthy Western place with tons of UK immigrants there the Poles would be saying the same things and complaining about all the Brits. Poland does not have that many immigrants and the ones they do have from poorer places get looked down upon just as they do anywhere. The moral superiority doesn't fly. I don't see the Africans here in Poland talking about how they are smarter and harder working than the locals and I am sure they came from much more difficult conditions than any of us.

UK, Ireland / Britain... What the Poles did for us. [444]

Hey I am not one of these people saying Polish are somehow 'cowards' (though I have been accused) or that Poland and Poland alone has all the bad qualities of humanity....I am only saying own up to the things that ARE wrong.

And my point about Africans in Poland was dismissed by Filios as "there arent many Africans here in the first place"..Obviously! But how does that change the point? In the future when there ARE enough immigrants here for people to start being annoyed you will know how others feel when they have a ton of Polish immigrants. I would bet a huge sum of money that Poland will not extend the same respect and courtesy to tons of immigrants on Polish soil as they desire abroad. I think when Poles have their own "economic or labor" immigrants in large numbers they will act just like any other place that does. In fact...I never saw a lot of respect and admiration for the asians at Stadion before it was shut down nor do I see Kebab shop owners being treated so wonderfully.

I just want honesty and reality rather than blind patriotism and arrogance...from ALL people.

UK, Ireland / Britain... What the Poles did for us. [444]

Don't mind her Welsh she is just like that man. The kind of girl that makes you glad you can't understand her often ;)