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stare 13-12-2007, 00:29   #1
aishah123
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Domyślnie Polish Immigration

I was just looking some other forum about immigration, i found very interesting stories about people who gone thru polish immigration.
As you know i have posted one complain about my husband and polish immigration on "formalities", i was just thinking that maybe im too sensitive about this, but u can see other people stories and it shows that i was right about polish immigration, they really bad about foreginers.

Just have a look about other people opinions and expierence:

Story #1

I feel for ya man, I really do. My fiance is Polish, I am South Korean and we are planning to get married next Autumn.. I have been visiting her almost once every month the past 10 months as she needs to finish up her Masters degree back in Poland... and everytime I travel there, I get sh*t. EVERYTIME. Immigration officers ask me tons of questions, however, most of them are civil. If I dont get sh*t from the officers, I get stared at wherever I go, women/men/children, you name it (no I am NOT paranoid) so it isn't exactly pleasant being there, especially when my Polish is at a very basic level.

Mind you, I dont mind those that stare at me/us outta curiousity (oh, what an interesting/odd couple), it is those that stare out of "hate" or give me the a look that offend and upset me. I just have to take it.

One particular bad experience went like this (honest):

*Officer looks at passport, looks at me* Repeat twice.

"What was your purpose of your visit?"
"I was visiting my fiance"
"She lives here?"
"Yes, she is Polish"
"What does she do?"
"She is finishing her Masters degree here in Krakow"

*Officer looks at passport, flips through each page with all stamps*

"How long were you here?"
"1.5 weeks"
"You travelled here before?"
"Yes, like I said, my fiance lives here so I have to visit her often"

*Officer looks through passport again*

"What do you do in England?"
"I'm studying there as well"

*At this point, his colleague comes in the booth, they have a chat, both looking through my passport*

His colleague now

"You say you are studying in England?"
"Yes, you can see my visa on that page"

*His tone gets very aggressive now*

"You are studying music?"
"Yes I am"
"What instrument do you play?"
"I used to play the classical piano, but the degree actually has to do a lot with studio techniques and such"

*I get a blank look*

"Look, I dont see what the problem is. I have my student card, my UK visa is clearly there in front of you, which means that I can legally enter England?"

*First officer stamps my passport*

Pissed off doesnt begin to explain how I felt that day... Apart from these experiences, I do like Poland. However, I find that I either hate the Poles, or love them... sorry for the long post.


I really sympathize with people like you because you have to go there regularly unlike me. I've made my first and last visit to Poland. What i experienced is quite similar to your. I have my passport stamped after telling them off in a very rude way. I even refused to answer certain questions by telling them that they were irrelevant. Frankly speaking i was only there on a one day transit and i wouldnt have given a damn even if i was refused entry. I will not swap my dignity for entry into a country that has nothing but contempt for it.


Story #2

do feel sorry for you super ! I thought it was only Me getting sh*t like that because of a Pakistani passport !! I have been reading through this post and would like to share my experience in here. I have been coming to Poland to see my girl-friend ( now my wife ) and every time, I have been facing the same attitude.
The first time I came, I was standing in the queue and a couple of guys still ahead of me. The immigration office looked at me and made a face like ( what are you doing here ? ) and he made it very clear. Went to the counter and here it goes.

Flipping through my passport as if he was looking for something

are you from Pakistan ? ( as if my passport was not that of Pakistan )
yes
what are you visiting Poland for ?
to see my girl-friend
Is she from Pakistan ?
no she is Polish
how long are you here for ?
three days
where are you staying ?
I pointed the address of hotel in the booking letter I had
how much cash do you have ?
600 pounds
600 dollars ?
no pounds, british pounds
pound ? what is it ? show me
I took a note out and showed him picture of the queen

then everything goes quite, he scanned my visa for I think 10 times and asked me to write my name and date of birth on a sheet of paper ( God knows what for ) stamped the passport and said ok go. From his face and those of others around me, it was looking like I had a bomb tied to my chest and was going to blow everything up !!

Second time, I came it was even worse !

I went to the counter and gave him my passport. After just looking at it, he asked me to go and sit there and wait. When everyone else was gone, he asked me to come to him. Went there and here we again.

Flipping through every page of my passport

Why are you in Poland ?
to see my girl-friend
is she Polish ?
yes
how long are you staying ?
7 days
what date do you return ? he asked this inspite of my return ticket being in front of him !
told him the date ( I don't remember what was it )
then another guy who was probably his boss and who has been looking at me all the time from inside a glass booth, started walking to him. This guy lifted my passport in his hand to show it to them and then three of them came alongwith this boss. now the boss looking at my passport and as usual checking every page of it, says

what do u do in England ?
I am studying
in London ?
no Birmingham
how long have you been there for ?
4 years
why did you come to Poland ?
to see my girl-friend
when did you meet your girl-friend ?
4 years ago

he then walked off and another guy was in the booth now

Started chacking every page of my passport, looking at the picture and me, as if in a great doubt of the picture being mine

What do you do in England ?
I study there, I just told this guy
yes but now you are talking to me !
oh ok
when did you apply for the visa ?
two weeks ago
You live in Birmingham, why did you apply in London ?
because there is no Polish consulate in Birmingham
where is your family ?
in Pakistan
so how do you live alone in England ?
because I study there and I live with my friends
in a hostel ?
no in a house-share
why not in a hostel ?
because thats too expensive
and coming to Poland is cheap ?
no its not, but I don't mind spending money to see my girl-friend
where do you study ?
University of Birmingham
how long do you still have to study for ?
1 year but I have told all these things to the embassy when I applied for visa...
you go to US, you go germany, you go to france, anyone can ask and this is my right to ask questions. ( this was loud enough to bring others back to the booth )
where does your girl-friend live ?
I don't remember her address
do you remember her name ?
yes
write it here
I wrote her name on a sheet of paper
where does she live ?
I said I don't remember her address, she is here to recieve me, you can ask her
ok wait here

he then went and called on the loud-speaker for my girl-friend who had come to the airport. She later told me that he was asking if I know you, I said he is my boy-friend and then he said ok.he then came to me, scanned my visa again ( something which he has been doing during my entire interrogation ) stamped my passport and said ok. After I took the luggage from the belt, he came running after me and asked for the booking letter of the hotel coz he forgot to note the address !

I don't know how to express my feelings after getting through this because I thought I was being punished for being a Pakistani and a Muslim but I had no idea people from other richer and more respectable countries like South Korea and Malaysia were going through the same misery. Its really ...... don't know the word.

Apart from that, the strange looks is another reality. Again I thought it was only Me because of my skin color but I am shocked to know that people from other countries ( who don't look like terrorists ) also get the same sh*t !

but in the end, I guess we have to live with it.
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stare 13-12-2007, 03:09   #2
Jelonek
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Oh well, I guess Welly is lucky, cos he didnt get interrogated by the Polish guys.
But its not only Poland that treats visitors like that. I went to a boarding school in Wales before Poland was part of EU. My dad went with me the first time, but he didnt have to, I was old enough to fly by myself. So we hit the gate at the Heathrow airport and the guy there starts with his questions:
-Why are you coming to UK?
-To study
-Why UK, not somewhere else?
-Cos I chose UK.
-How much are the school fees?
-8000 pounds a term
-How can you afford that?
(at that point my dad gets red and reaches for his cigarette box)
-Sir, you cannot smoke here. So, how can you afford that? Arent you Polish?
-Yes, I am. Wha do you care how I can afford that? It says in this letter here my fees are secured, its none of your business how.
-Sir, what do you do in Poland?
(My dad's English is not perfect, so you have to understand where this answer comes from)
-Me? What do I do? I live in Poland
-How do you earn money?
-I go to work
-OK, I dont believe this letter is real. Can you give me the number for the school.
-Yes, if you give me the letter back I will read it out for you from the top of the page.
He phones the school, the school says I have a scholarship, he hangs up and gives me a visa for a year longer then I need (?).
So, as you see, its not only Poland
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stare 13-12-2007, 03:21   #3
aishah123
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Yeah but u said u had to apply for visa at the airport, so i can understand they need to make interview.
Those cases what i showed above, are about people who already granted a visa from polish embassy or consulate, and also about people who already got permission to stay in Poland (residence card etc etc).
So, personally i cannot understand ,why polish immigration must be such ass holes.
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stare 13-12-2007, 03:22   #4
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A visa does not guarantee you a permit to enter a country. Thats why.
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stare 13-12-2007, 03:23   #5
aishah123
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Yeah i know, but in my opinion they are doing too much.
then what about people who got already some residence cards? Why they doing like this?
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stare 13-12-2007, 03:23   #6
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Theyre not doing more then they do in other countries, so I dont see what the big fuss is about.
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stare 13-12-2007, 03:27   #7
aishah123
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No its not true, as i said in other topic that we (me&husband) were travelling many countries in Europe, and even he got a visas, not any residence card, NOBODY made any trouble, like they are doing in Poland, i m comparing with UK,FRANCE,GERMANY, they were treating like human being.
Any way as u can see its not only my opinion abt polish immigration, there lot of more people who are upset, i just showed 2 stories, coz i dont want to be boring.
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stare 13-12-2007, 04:32   #8
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Cytat:
Napisał aishah123
i m comparing with UK,FRANCE,GERMANY, they were treating like human being.
Aishah, I do have some experience with UK immigration officers, and trust me, they aint that nice. Theyre just as bad if not worse than Polish guys. Im not saying these guys are nice - sure they could do with a lesson of good manners (or two), but theyre doing their job and it doesnt seem like theyre that big of an exception when compared to the other officials concerned with immigration in this country.
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stare 13-12-2007, 11:56   #9
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I agree with Jelonek, I don't see that Polish immigration is worse or asking different questions then they do in other places. For eg. USA. - you get your visa beforehand, then you fly, and are interrogated in often much more rude and stupid way than what was described here (at least in NY: in Chicago for whatever reason they are quite nice and friendly).
I guess it's a normal immigration policy and don't see that a person who has clear conscience would have any troubles in passing it
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stare 13-12-2007, 15:20   #10
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Cytat:
Napisał Jelonek
But its not only Poland that treats visitors like that. I went to a boarding school in Wales before Poland was part of EU.
just about to say the same !!! well not boarding school but language courses, but the rest is a match.

being 16-18 and later travelling as a leader with kids of the ages within 10-17 years of age bracket I many times had to go through the same if not more humiliating streams of questions on UK boarder. having all documents and return tickets, we were still treated like potential candidates to stay in UK forever or terrorists.

come on, how about questins (I remind - towards a kid!!)
wher your parents work?
how much they earn?
(when told - if told) so hoecome they an pay for such course?
are you sure they don't do any dirty business ? ( :smt076 )

few years later, i'm an adult, student, I travelled to UK regularly - visiting M then my boyfriend, later fiance, every month, sometimes for a weekend, sometimes for a week, always coming back, always having return ticket on normal airlines costing usually about 200 GBP
questins like:
for how long you are planning to stay ?( they are already holding my ticket in their hand, it clearly states that I'm flying back three days later) when told - are you sure ??? (what the fuck is it ???)

are you not planning to marry your fiancee (of course I'am you idiot ! but not this weekend !!!)

is your fiance polish ? (no, he's a Kiwi)
so why is he in UK and not in new Zelaand ?

once I was told (even though at that time I clearly answered that no, we are not planning to get married sooner than in a few years) that I should be aware that to came here to marry I should apply for "partners visa" (bullshit, I can arrive on tourist one, get married and then apply for residence !) and if I am lying now to them, they will find me and deport !!! then I got some rather strange stamp in my passport, with some "serial number" written into it, and onto my arrival card, and enterred into computer... what the fuck it was I have no idea, but my first words to M on arrivals were : "next 10 visits it's you coming to Poland, not me here!"

we (myself as kids I travelled with) were kept on "waiting chairs" for long many times, while the officers debated (over what ??)

and you know what ???

9 times out of 10 I had such "interrogations" done by some guys/ladies with darker skin - pakistanies, indians, once by black guy, whose accents were so f*%$@g strong, that I could hardly reckognise English in it !!!

no comments on THAT !

[ Dodano: Czw 13 Gru, 2007 13:27 ]
Cytat:
Napisał Jelonek
-OK, I dont believe this letter is real. Can you give me the number for the school.
-Yes, if you give me the letter back I will read it out for you from the top of the page.
had exactly same thing !!! I just pointed to the top of a leetter with my finger.

IDIOTS !!!

Cytat:
Napisał aishah123
but u said u had to apply for visa at the airport, so i can understand they need to make interview.
well, WE were travelling within that "no visa boarding crossing" or however it's called. I mean we didn't really need visas, all you were getting was a stamp of a one time entre/leave permission...
Cytat:
Napisał aishah123
what about people who got already some residence cards? Why they doing like this?
never ever M was asked any "additional questions" since he presents his passport + card on the boarder. often he doesn't get asked ANY questions. it takes bit longer as they have to read through what card says and find the stamp (yes, he always gets a stamp on boarder when I don't )
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stare 13-12-2007, 22:11   #11
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Cytat:
Napisał kiwigirl
aishah123 napisał/a:
what about people who got already some residence cards? Why they doing like this?
(sorry, couldnt be bothered to find the original quote).
Welly has got permanent residency in the UK. Indefinite leave to remain. A kid and a job. Hes never been in UK illegally, hes been on benefits for three months, but recently ue to lack of job. STILL he gets asked about everything at the UK boarder. I just glide through with all smiles and that shit and he gets to be interrogated for 15-20-30 minutes, depending what mood the guys are in. I mean, hes got more rights to be in the country than me and yet hes the one being questioned.
Not a single question asked at the Polish border though
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stare 14-12-2007, 00:32   #12
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Cytat:
Napisał Jelonek
Aishah, I do have some experience with UK immigration officers
my expierence was a different, i used to study in UK as well my beachelor degree, before Poland become EU, so i went thru visa system like u.
As my expierence i never got any problems from their side, as well my husband.
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stare 14-12-2007, 00:38   #13
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I went once to the UK, in 2002.
The border - it was one of the most humiliating experience in my life...
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stare 14-12-2007, 00:44   #14
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Cytat:
Napisał aishah123
my expierence was a different, i used to study in UK as well my beachelor degree, before Poland become EU, so i went thru visa system like u.
As my expierence i never got any problems from their side, as well my husband.
Well, its all the matter of experience and who you meet and thats what Im trying to tell you. I never met a nice British guy, you had some problems with Polish ones, all Im saying is that on the average Polish guys arent worse (or better) than the other countries.
Cytat:
Napisał Hainaut
The border - it was one of the most humiliating experience in my life...
We got that twice - once on our way from Poland and once on our way from Spain. Each time I have to wait by the luggage reclaim, cos obviously im shooed away by the security, as youre not allowed to wait just by the immigration officers. Essentialy, if they didnt let Welly back in I wouldnt even know about it.
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stare 14-12-2007, 00:51   #15
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We (me and my boyfriend) were asked to show the proof that we were invited by an organisation as well as the amount of Pounds we had in our wallets. :/

After we were told: You know, in UK things are expensive... The amount of money you have, it's just nothing... :/

Worth noting: we were invited by an organisation that covered all the costs of our stay. (And they so our invitation stating that... )
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