US Senate agrees visa free travel for Polish tourists

Radio Polonia ^ | 18.05.06 | Michal Kubicki

[lizol]

US Senate agrees visa free travel for Polish tourists

The US Senate has passed an amendment to a bill on immigration reform which paves the way for Polish tourists to travel to the States without visas for a trial period of two years.

Report by Michal Kubicki

18.05.06

Polish officials and men-in-the-street have welcomed the news as a step in the right direction.

The visa issue has long been a point of contention in Polish-American relations with Poles having to apply for visas before traveling to America and having to pay for an application, even if they are eventually refused a visa. A fresh initiative to resolve the problem has come from the US Senate which has proposed that the visa waiver programme should cover the countries which are members of the European Union, have sent contingents of at least 300 troops to support the Americans in Iraq and do not pose a potential terrorist risk.

Even though the amendment does not mention Poland by name, it is clear that Poland is the only country to fulfill the three criteria. If made into law, the new legislation would allow Polish tourists and those traveling on business to stay in the States for up to 60 days without a visa. The scheme is to be introduced for an initial period of two years.

The Polish ambassador in Washington Janusz Reiter says the Senate decision is not yet a cause for celebration but for satisfaction and optimism

‘The Senate amendment has created good prospects for the House of Representatives debate. The House will now have to take a stand on a key document and not just respond to requests from Polish diplomatic circles. This is an entirely new situation, in both political and psychological sense.’

Robert Strybel, the Warsaw-based correspondent of the Polish media in the United States, welcomes the decision of the US Senate

‘This is major step forward; so far we’ve had pressure, petitions, letter-writing campaigns…. However, this is an initial step, because the House of Representatives will have to deal with the law and usually the bill does not end up the way it entered the House, so some aspects of it can be modified.’

The amendment was sponsored by a group of senators which included Barbara Mikulski, who a decade ago was among the staunchest supporters of Poland’s entry to NATO

‘Barbara Mikulski from the State of Maryland pointed out that Poland is not just another communist hold-over or a Third World nation begging for a handout but a member of NATO and the European Union, as well as a major US ally in Iraq’.

What at the moment prevents Poland from qualifying for the visa waiver programme is a very high rejection rate for visa applications, caused by numerous cases of people who take up illegal jobs in the States. According to Robert Strybel, the ball in now in the Polish court.

‘There is still this concept of breaking visa requirements, of posing as tourists and going to work, so the ball is now in the Polish court. If there is a two-year probationary period, it’ll be up to Poles to prove they’re within the law’.

Former Polish president Lech Walesa has welcomed the decision of the US Senate.

It is not known at the moment when the immigration policy will be debated by the House of Representatives.

[GarySpFc]

Time will show. I don't. Not with Ireland and Great Britain welcoming my compatriots with open hands.

The American visa waiver program is not based on how Britain and Ireland welcome you, but on what percentage return before their tourist visas expire. You won the right to visas for helping America in Iraq, now do not lose that right.

[twinself]

See you in 2 years time.

[investigateworld]

Your screen name implies a military background. Have you ever heard of 'back channels
I'm not picking a fight, the story seemed plausible as there were a number of newspaper articles listing the wealthy who were victimized.
The Polish guys, did get their visas rather rapidly as the INS Supervisor did steer me towards the right answers the Visa Officer at our embassy would want to hear.

[GarySpFc]

Yes, I have a military background, and I am familiar with back channels. That said, the law regarding the visa waiver program is very strict, and a few gypsies would not skew the results. Additionally, the INS has nothing to do with this program, rather it is administered by the State Department.

[Grzegorz 246]

Maybe these noob boys are just taking revenge for this one.

[NZerFromHK]

You have got the old passports or the ones issued by the NZ High Commission in London, haven't you? All the new passports issued back home are machine-readable and NZ is certainly on the visa waiver list.

[NZerFromHK]

Are you really a true blue Kiwi? Can you name what happened to the Bluff worker out at sea last week?

If you can't then you are lying here.

(To lizol: it depends on which types of NZ passports that can be used to travel to the US without visas. This is what the Department of Internal Affairs - Passport Division says:

---

http://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/wpg_URL/Services-Passports-Important-Notices-for-New-Zealand-Passport-Holders?OpenDocument

All New Zealand citizens travelling to, or through, the USA from 26 October 2004 who do not hold a machine-readable passport must either:

* Obtain a machine-readable passport; or
* Obtain a US entry visa. In this situation, keep your current non machine-readable passport and apply for a US entry visa. Information on how to apply for a US entry visa is provided on the US Embassy.

To obtain a machine-readable passport send your application and fee to the New Zealand Passport Office in Wellington. If it is more convenient you may send your application and fee to the Sydney Passport Office, or the London Passport Office.

If you are unsure if your current passport is machine-readable, check the following guidelines.

If your passport is a machine-readable version then the passport number will begin with:

* Either the letter X, L, N, or F; or
* The letters AA, AB or EA.

If your passport is a non machine-readable version then the passport number will begin with:

* Either the letter J; or
* The letter M.

If you are still unsure, contact us, or ask your travel agent who should be able to advise you.

Most non machine-readable passports are likely to have been issued outside New Zealand, Australia or the United Kingdom.

---

)

[lizol]

OK, it's like you're saying.

But the point is, that his first post was aimed to make an impression, that he's a New Zealander (if he actually is), and has to apply for a U.S. visa anyway, whereas some Poles, who don't do anything but stealing - will not have to do it.

And in fact - it's only the matter of passport. If he got a new one - he could go to U.S. without visa.

And I'm pretty sure, that it will be exactly like that with the Poles too - if this law is accepted.

[NZerFromHK]

I agree. This is why I don't think he was completely honest at all to some extent. And he fails to mention that all NZ passports are machine readable - the new ones that aren't are only issued as "emergency documents" for you to travel on an interim measure until you can write to one of the three offices for a permanent replacement.

[Ngamatapouri]

Being a second generation NZer there is one thing that I learned when I was very, very, young, never say anything about anybody unless you have the guts to say it to there face! And I can remember the time when to show your courage one would enter into a pub on Saturday afternoon drink a beer and turn the glass upside down, ( NZ custom to find out how much blood you have in your body ) ) and my current passport No. starts with MO and was issued by the NZ Embassy in Rome which does not issue machine-readable passports

[NZerFromHK]

Hang on, you said that your passport is issued by the NZ Embassy in Rome. But the rules now state that unless you get your passport from London, Sydney or Wellington, you will onyl get temp documents good for one trip only.

And can you tell me who Dick Hubbard is, what Jafa means, or the meaning of the phrase "bring a plate" is? Or what non-political activieies Rodney Hide is currently involved in which is televised on air? If you can't and if you can't give a satisfactory explanation why, your claim to being a New Zealander will be highly suspect.

[Ngamatapouri]

he tono na te Kawana-Tianara O te Whenna o Aotearoa i raro te Ingoa o Kuini Erihapeti ki te hunga e tika ana kia e akutotia, e whakakopekatia te tangata mau i te uruwhenua nei i ana haere a i wa e hiahiatia ai me awhina me manaaki
URUWHENUA
issued Rome 18 Jul 2000 expires 18 Jul 2010

[lizol]

Nau Mai, Haere Mai

Nau mai ki te pae tukutuku mo te Whare Kâwanatanga. Nei ngâ whakamâramatanga mo ngâ mahi me nga kaupapa ô te Kâwana Tianara. Kei konei çtahi kôrero i takotoria e ngâ tauira ô ngâ kura ô te motu whânui i kitea e te Kâwana Tianara. Ko te tumanako he pârekareka ki a koe te pae tukutuku nei.

Tikanga Kâwanatanga

Ko te Tikanga Kâwantanga e kii nei, ko tçtahi mahi a te Kâwanatianara arâ, ko tana tûnga hei kaimângai mô te Kuini o Ingarangi me âna mahi mô te Kâwanatanga. Ko ngâ whakapae o tçnei mea te Tikanga Kâwanatanga â, kei te riro mâna ngâ ture hou â môtu e whakamana, mâna hoki te Whare Pâremata e aukati i mua i te kôwhiringa pooti â whânui, ana, kia huarewa anô âmuri iho. Ko tâna anô kia tohua ai ngâ kaitôrangapû hou ki te Whare Pâremata. Ko te Kâwanatianara te Kaihautû hoki o ngâ ope Kaatua o Aotearoa.

Ngâ Mahi ô Kawa

Ko ngâ Mahi ô Kawa arâ, ka tae atu te Kâwanatianara ki ngâ huihuinga â iwi i Aotearoa ki tâwâhi hoki. Ko te nuinga o ngâ Tikanga Kâwantanga he Mahi ô Kawa hoki me kii, ko te whakahuarewa o te Whare Pâremata tçtahi tauira. Ko çtahi atu o ngâ mahi ô kawa o te Kâwanatianara, ko te taenga atu ki ngâ hui e whakamaumâhara ana te Tiriti o Waitangi, â ka haere ia ki ngâ hui whakapûmau i ngâ marae maha puta noa. Hei tâpiri atu ka tûtaki a ia i ngâ Rangatira nô môtu kç.

Te Iwi Whânui

Ko tçtahi atu whakapae o te Kâwanatianara ka haere ia ki ngâ huihuinga â iwi e pçneitia, te whakahuarewa o tçtahi kura hou me te huarewa o çtahi atu wharenga. Tâpiri atu, ka haere ia ki ngâ momo hui taumata kia whâriki ai ôna whakaaro e pâ ana ki ngâ take huhua mai i Aotearoa. He maha rawa çnei momo hui i tatû atu e ia a ia tau.

Ko te Kahurangi a Dame Silvia Cartwright te kaiwhakaruruhau o çtahi roopu whai pânga pçrâ ki ngâ roopu râtonga, ngâ roopu hâkinakina me ngâ roopu tikanga hoki. (Ko tçnei mea te kaiwhakaruruhau â ka tâpiri atu tôu ingoa ki taua momo roopu ko te âhua nei, e tino tautoko ana koe taua roopu me ôna moemoeâ.) Ko tçtahi o âna mahi papai arâ, ko te haere ki ngâ kura kia whakarongo atu ki ngâ whakaaro o te hunga rangatahi, â kia noho ai ki te whakawhiti kôrero ki a râtou e pâ ana ki âna mahi Kâwanatîanara.

http://www.gov-gen.govt.nz/edresources/tereo/index.htm

Issued anytime, anywhere

[Ngamatapouri]

I finally have proof that the Polish jokes are true and you posted it.

[lizol]

NZerFromHK asked you some certain questions, that a true Kiwi would answer.

Instead - you posted some text in some local language.

This way I have also "proved", that I'm a New Zealander, as the text posted by me is in the same language.

[Ngamatapouri]

Sir the only thing that you have PROVED is that you are an idiot's idiot even the mutton birds that NZerFromHK was asking about, have more sense than you, and I don't think the world has a more stupid creature than a mutton bird. You want to keep you foot in your mouth, it works better.

[lizol]

I don't think the world has a more stupid creature than a mutton bird.

Buy a mirror and you're going to see a perfect example of such a creature.