Flying from USA to Poland in June - Will Visa now be required???

We already have our tickets to Poland for mid June to August. I've been 8 times but it's been almost a decade since I've been back, 1st time for my kids. I'm hearing the EU is possibly going to end Visa Free Travel for the USA . . .because the U.S. doesn't allow citizens of Cyprus, Poland, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Romania, to visit the US under the visa waiver program. Due to this unequal treatment of EU citizens, the European Parliament is urging similar restrictions against US citizens . . . . My question is: When will this take affect? Immediately or not for a few months or next year? I'm hearing so many conflicting responses on this.

Also, how much would it then cost? Will I have enough time to apply/get approved if its immediate or did I just buy 5 plane tickets I can't use? Etc. Any knowledge on this matter is helpful and welcomed. Thank you.

BTW, I don't have a problem with this, in fact it's over due and I'm hoping pride won't get in the way and they can work something out as they should have years ago, however, I really wish it wouldn't effect my travel plans this summer since I haven't seen my family in too long and my kids were looking forward to finally meeting the rest of the family.

You should be ok for travelling this summer. Basically what happened is that the members of the European Parliament took a vote and passed a resolution that recommends ending visa free travel for American citizens. However this resolution is non-binding and must be placed before the European Commission who will decide whether the resolution will be passed. I did a bit of googling and the only official response from the Commission that I could find, states that they will take note of the vote but that for the present they will continue to engage in constructive talks with the American government. I believe they have two months to make a decision about it, from the date when the vote was cast, which was early March, so there won't be anything definite until early May.

It would be most surprising if they required visitors who've already purchased tickets, to apply for visas at the drop of a hat. For one thing I doubt that the Americans would be able to process all those visas quickly enough to allow visitors to travel by their due date.

The reason the European Parliament took a vote was because this has been an issue for some time and they've been pressing the Commission to change the law, so they were essentially trying to force their hand. With the Commission dithering for so long over visa requirements it would inidicate that they don't really want to introduce visa restrictions for Americans. I'm sure they'd much prefer to convince America to reciprocate the exisiting arrangements so the most likely outcome is that they'll just continue doing what politicians and bureaucrats do best - nothing basically! And the status quo will remain for another while.

The EU Commission's website still shows the USA as one of the countries that does not require visas for travel to the EU for stays of three months or less.

There is absolutely no reason why norder control of any country will demand the impossible 'at the drop of a hat'. Its their job to control borders not make life convenient for visitors.

OP, I'd recommend applying for a visa, it could be years before the situation changes.

For anyone else, avoid travel to the USA unless its essential.

Weg your post makes no sense whatsoever. You do understand don't you that the OP is travelling from the USA to Poland, not the other way round.

its also possible that the Visa will Costa a few bucks at the air port. making it look like the eu did something without actually making it much more difficult for ams to Travel

Thanks so much for the feed back, if you hear more please let me know.

Hoping that whatever happens, it happens after the summer so everyone does have time to adjust to the changes. Although I can see the airport fee happening. Personally, I hope the US does adjust their policy for those countries, as it is long overdue.

Don't worry about it. It's been discussed for years, but it's not going to happen this year. Sleep easily and enjoy your time here :)

I hope they pass it, for sure, then they might, possibly stop whining about it! LoL


No way, they are notorious for overstaying their visas and breaking our rules.

I wonder how much tourism Europe will lose?

Not many Americans will want to go through the hassle of the visa process to visit old decrepit and overpriced Europe.
We rather go some place much nicer, like the Caribbean:)

It's not even safe in Europe anymore......Froooogetttt about it:(:(:(

To swim in a blue water with plastic Eifel Tower in hand ;)

Las Vegas:)

I had full intentions on visiting Poland and the EU this year but the hate and drama that I see certainly is not inviting.
I think after a week or two I would be TOTALLY bored plus like Adrian said, the food sucks.
Poland would shoot themselves in the foot if they required a visa for Americans.
Costa Rica is looking better and better every day to me personally.
Much shorter flight too.
Plus the weather is nice year around as are the people.
Not to mention the jerked chicken, curried shrimp & coconut rum.
Gee, I think I just convinced myself that the EU ain't worth the hassle even without a visa requirement.

Europe has turned into a hot bed of terrorism. No Thanks!


I know a couple who purchased a winter home there about 10 years ago and they love it!


I rather go someplace tropical with a friendly atmosphere instead of the gloomy EU


They really have nothing to offer for a vacation and it's not safe, costs way too much, not to mention all the unfriendly attitudes.

It sure has and is only going to get much worse.
I mentioned months ago that Europe is crumbling but I guess when you live in the middle of it they don't notice it.


Requiring a visa for Americans that are willing to drop $3-5k to see the Salt Mines & the Death Camp is nuts.
All because in retaliation because they are required to have one to come to America and then try to make the big money illegally with no intentions of returning as a high percentage do.

What American would go to Poland with no intention of returning ? Few, very few is the correct answer.


They have a lot of pent up jealousy towards the U.S.A..

I do not see why you would say that. I am an American currently going through the process of Confirming my Polish Citizenship. Why? Because I am proud of my heritage and can see myself spending time there when I eventually retire. I would not mind owning a flat and visiting for the summer months.

Don't bother, FlyingOver. Johnny Reb and his alter ego Joker are trolling. They cannot grasp that there are almost a million Americans living in Europe now; and quite a few of them in Poland.

(Referring to working class Polish)


Illegally ? Americans going to Poland to stay illegally to make big money with no intentions of returning ?


Now do you understand what I was saying BEFORE Othery chimed in ?

Nobody will pay this astronomical fee for a visa.


Pure Fantasy....LoL

No, I meant if someone is going to spend $3k to $5k for a vacation to Poland for two weeks to visit a couple of tourist attractions may be swayed to go some place else that does not require the hassle of a visa.

Tourism brings in a lot of cash to a lot of people so why would they want to discourage it in Poland.

That would be the last nail in the coffin of an already overpriced vacation.

I would rather go somewhere warmer, weather and people:)

[quote=johnny reb]Tourism brings in a lot of cash to a lot of people so why would they want to discourage it in Poland.[/quote

Out of spite

But it's not Poland Johnny. It's the EU. The European Parliament isn't happy with the fact that certain EU countries (including Poland) have to get a visa for travel to America but Americans, under present EU law don't require a visa for holidays in the EU. If the European Commission upholds the vote by the MEPS then it won't be up to Poland to decide about visa arrangements. It will be an EU law.

Mind you, the present Polish government is very pigheaded and if they had their choice to arrange visa matters as they wish, and they wished to introduce visas for Americans, they would do so. Polish culture can be like that, they have trouble seeing the bigger picture and they are very much capable of cutting off their nose to spite their face.

Now and again you can hear angry voices in Poland asking "When will the US abolish their visa requirement for us Poles since they, Americans may come here without a visa?". And before every US presidential election the Polonia in the US can hear from almost every candidate "Yes, I'm going to do something about that when I become President of the United States". And then we proceed to the next election with this history repeating itself again and again.

The angry mood increased even more when the US lifted the visa requirement for the citizens of the Czech Republic (and maybe some other central European countries), but then things returned to normal to the point that I don't even remember if the Polish press reported anyting candidate Trump said on this matter.


But you see, Ms Atch, that was exactly the case before Poland joined the EU or the Schengen zone. The consecutive Polish governments tolerated this unequality allowing the Americans to come to Poland without a visa, while the Poles had to apply for an American visa. The EU continues in allowing this ever after Poland joined the Schengen zone. So this is an absolute disgrace and you simply cannot blame a "pigheaded Polish government" for this. If the Schengen zone is supposed to be a unitary area and the Americans are given a free hand to divide this area into sub-zones, then the Polish government should be brave enough to hit the table with the fist and say "We require the Americans to get a visa for entering Poland if the Polish must get a visa to enter the US. And **** the Schengen zone, if it can't exercise the proper rules!".


This is the reason why the Polish governemnts were so lax about the reciprocality with the Americans. Except that you should replace "tourist" with "business people".

But I'm not. I was just pointing out that the present Polish government might, if they could, introduce visa requirements for Americans, not that they necessarily would.


But it won't achieve anything. You need the support of the other EU countries especially those that are in the same position as Poland. And even then it's ultimately up to the European Commission to implement it. That's part of the price one pays for membership, you inevitably cede some of your sovereignty.


But that's just words. What does it mean in practice? How would Poland then go about demonstrating this? Bear in mind that membership of the Schengen Zone is a treaty to which they signed up and you can't just rip it up retrospectively. If Poland had any issues regarding Schengen they should have raised them at the time of signing up. That's why Ireland is not part of Schengen, because we sacrificed that privilege in order to retain the Common Travel Area between ourselves and the UK. No such thing as a free lunch ;)

Nah. If it comes to the present Polish government they're strongly into pro-Amie policies. Your commie indoctrination clouds your outlook on things.


That is not the point. Relation between nations are govern by the certain principles and customs. Meaning that if USA demands visa from Poles, Poland should demand visa from Americans.

The thing is the EU obligations render is practically impossible. That never bothered the EU brass. I wonder if the closer ties between Poland and USA developed recently are so inconvenient for Germany that they are using their influence in the EU to stir the pot to sour those relations somewhat and hence that issue has been brought up to the fore.

The other culprit could be Russian numerous stooges and moles within EU bureaucracy.


From the business point of view. Its all depends how many Americans are actually willing to go to Poland and what percentage of those would be deterred from going by a slight inconvenience. I think not very many.


Start saving your foot stamps.

Would that be by decades of the Maoist Irish governments lead by left wing loonies like Charlie Haughey, Bertie Aherne and dear old Garret Fitzgerald whom you mentioned not long ago. What is your obsession with everybody being a Communist? I detest Soviet style communism, Marxism etc. As you well know Irish governments are very pro-America themselves with no appetite for hard line left wing socialism and I fully understand that the Polish government is the same. Most western countries are because it's in their best interests to be so. Maintaining good relations and economic ties with a major world power is always advisable.

The point I was making is - and if you're a prawdziwy Polish guy, you know this also true - is that Poles can be very stubborn on something they see as a point of principle and they wouldn't care about the loss to tourism, if they decided to make an issue of visas, even if it damaged the economy or hurt international relations. Look at what happened recently with Tusk and his re-election in the EU. Poland stuck their heels in and it wasn't well received by other EU members but they didn't care. They're not great on diplomacy by nature and they haven't learned it by nurture because there was no need for it under the old regime. So if Poland decided to make a fuss about repricocity (which I don't think they will) then they wouldn't hesitate to do it.

Most of them would be the Americans of Polish origin willing to visit the Old Country rather than regular tourists. This also seems to me to be a song of the past. I can see a lot of Europeans in Warsaw, many of them being Spaniards, but few, if any, Americans.

Americans are beyond spoiled and are very demanding.
Caribbean and Central America caters to their every whim.
Europe on the other hand does not really like Americans and Americans can feel that cold shoulder.
If you where to survay the age group below 50 years old in America and ask them if they would rather go to Costa Rica or the Virgin Islands or would they rather go to Poland or the U.K. it is no mystery where they would choose.

Europe is very unsafe right now for Americans on top of it all.
The ONLY reason Americans would visit Poland is to visit relatives or go see the homeland which is a very small percentage of Americans.
Most of my friends that have gone to Poland say after two weeks they are ready to come home because it is a very boring place where people do not smile.

If Poland were to make it anymore difficult to visit as it is already off the beaten path by demanding a visa, I am afraid it would be more then a shot in the foot to Poland.

Ive been to Poland twice already you sad grumpy old man.


I hope they do it!

America should never let Poland into the visa wavier program, they already have been proven to be untrustworthy.
It would be a mass exodus to the USA if we were to do so. We already have enough cheap labor and don't need them.

It isn't a very hospitable place to visit. I rather spend my money elsewhere:)


With almost daily terrorist attacks, their tourism industry is going to fail soon anyway.


Thats spot on!

I don't think it would put people off either. If it's implemented I doubt it's going to be some hefty sum anyway.

Why so bitter towards Polish immigrants when you married one ?
Has your wife proven to be untrustworthy and that is why you hate the Polish ?