Poland to Launch Special System That Blocks Intermediaries From Exploiting Visa Appointments

The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working on launching a special IT system that will prevent visa intermediaries from securing visa appointment slots and selling them for a large amount of money.

According to the Ministry, the mechanism is set to be introduced this year, but no official date has been provided yet as there is still ongoing legislative and IT work, Schengen.News reports. 

By tightening the rules, the Polish authorities want to make sure that only visa applicants themselves are able to secure an appointment. This means that as soon as the new system gets implemented, intermediaries will no longer be able to take up slots. 

Under this new system, as the Ministry explained for Rzeczpospolita, additional electronic services will be introduced. The additional services will be used to verify the identity of the individual who wants to make an appointment.

Even though the Ministry did not share additional information on this electronic verification service, it is believed that biometrics will be used for this purpose. This means that in the future, Polish Schengen visa applicants will be required to undergo biometric screening to make an appointment. 

Pilot Implementation of New System to Begin in Select High-Migration Countries 
As the Ministry explained, the pilot implementation of the new system will begin in select countries that are considered “high-risk migration nations”, including India, the Philippines, and Uzbekistan.

Following an evaluation of the system during the pilot stage, the mechanism will then be expanded.

The decision of Poland to move on with such a plan comes after the visa scandal and following complaints from both foreign nationals and Polish employers wanting to bring foreign workers to the country. 

Employers in Poland, especially those in the IT sector, have said that it has become impossible to find appointments and schedule interviews for their employees, pushing them to ask for the help of intermediaries in exchange for money. 

According to employers, even though the system said that there were no available slots, intermediaries were able to secure appointments immediately. This suggests that the system is being exploited, and for this reason, the authorities are working to end the practice of intermediaries selling appointments which can be secured for free via official channels.

Source: https://schengen.news/poland-to-launch-special-system-that-blocks-intermediaries-from-exploiting-visa-appointments/