A resolution to the divisive US-Polish visa issue should be reached as soon as possible.
The visa problem was frequently raised by our interlocutors as a divisive issue for bilateral relations. Currently, the visa fee is $100, which is considered expensive for most Poles. In addition, there have been many cases of visas being granted by the US Consulates in Poland but then rejected by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) at the US port of entry. Other former Eastern bloc countries, such as the Czech Republic, pay lower visa fees and experience lower rejection rates (one source indicated that the rejection rate for Polish applicants was over 25 percent). Polish officials feel, therefore, that there should be a less restrictive policy in line with Poland being a coalition partner in Iraq and member of NATO.
