The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has announced plans to introduce a new IT system aimed at preventing intermediaries from controlling and profiteering from visa appointment slots. The objective is to create a fair and transparent appointment booking process, ensuring that only genuine applicants can secure slots while eliminating unauthorized agents. The system is currently in the legislative and technical development stages, with no confirmed launch date yet.
Once implemented, the system will enforce strict verification measures to prevent agents from booking and reselling appointments. Intermediaries will no longer be able to reserve slots, ensuring that visa applicants can directly access appointments without third-party interference.
Poland has chosen India, the Philippines, and Uzbekistan for the initial trial phase of this system. Indian visa applicants, including students, professionals, and workers, have faced significant challenges securing appointments due to agents manipulating and reselling them at high prices. The upcoming system will address these issues by ensuring that only applicants themselves can schedule their appointments, making the process more transparent and accessible.
To further strengthen security and prevent fraud, the system will incorporate identity verification measures, potentially utilizing biometric data such as fingerprints or facial recognition. This feature will ensure that unauthorized individuals cannot book multiple slots, preventing exploitation. Indian applicants may soon be required to undergo biometric screening when scheduling visa appointments online. While the MFA has not provided an official launch date, the system is expected to be introduced within this year, beginning with high-migration regions like India before expanding globally. Once fully operational, it will be integrated with Poland’s existing eKonsulat platform and a new consular e-services system.
A report by the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita highlighted that many Indian IT professionals and skilled workers have faced appointment booking difficulties. Polish employers, especially in the technology and manufacturing sectors, have raised concerns over the limited availability of slots, leading many applicants to rely on third-party agencies. Investigations have revealed that, despite official channels showing no availability, intermediaries were able to secure appointments at steep prices. The new system aims to eliminate such fraudulent practices and improve accessibility for genuine applicants.
A state audit covering the period from 2018 to 2023 revealed serious irregularities in Poland’s visa issuance process. Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski expressed concerns over unlawful pressure placed on consuls to increase visa approvals, often bypassing standard procedures. The investigation uncovered 46 documented irregularities, including instances where over 4,200 visas were issued by a single agency, with applicants reportedly paying up to €7,000 per visa. Additionally, it was found that 357,000 visas were granted to Russian nationals following the onset of the Ukraine conflict. Another shocking revelation involved Indian applicants posing as Bollywood directors, who were later discovered to be farmers paying as much as €36,582 (Rs 33 lakh) per visa to illegally reach the U.S.
With the introduction of the new IT system, Polish authorities aim to restore transparency and accountability in the visa issuance process. By eliminating fraudulent practices and unauthorized agents, the system will ensure that genuine applicants can access visa appointments fairly and securely.
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