Poland’s Visa System Faces New Scandal Over Unlawful Issuance of Schengen Visas to Russians

A recent report from Poland’s Supreme Audit Office (NIK) has uncovered a new scandal within the country’s visa system, revealing that the former government, led by the Law and Justice Party (PiS), unlawfully granted a large number of Schengen visas to Russian citizens. This occurred despite restrictions imposed on March 1, 2022, following the start of the war in Ukraine.

According to the NIK report, a total of 1,838 Polish Schengen visas were issued to Russian nationals by the end of 2023 under the Poland Business Harbor programme, raising concerns over potential irregularities and security risks. Additionally, the report noted that Russian citizens received visas through other methods, not solely under the Business Harbor programme.

Gazeta Wyborcza provided further details, explaining that visas for Russian citizens were issued via the Visa Decision Center, which was designed to streamline and expedite the visa application process. Despite these restrictions, the report also revealed that visas continued to be granted to Russian nationals even after the Ministry of Family and Social Policy banned the issuance of work-related Schengen visas for Russians. Data indicated that, by the end of October 2023, 55 work visas were still issued to Russian citizens.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reacted swiftly to the report’s findings, stating that the NIK report confirmed some of the worst fears about the previous government’s handling of the visa system. He expressed his concerns through an official post on his X (formerly Twitter) account:

"While Polish soldiers and border guards were risking their health and lives to protect us from the wave of illegal migration organised by Putin and Lukashenko, the PiS government let in 366,000 people from Asia and Africa, also for bribes. The NIK report confirmed our worst suspicions," Tusk said.

Poland’s Intelligence Agency also weighed in, highlighting the potential negative impact this scandal could have on the country’s visa policies. The agency revealed that the irregularities in the visa process included inadequate verification of submitted documentation.

"The irregularities described included, among others, too cursory verification of documentation submitted by applicants, especially regarding student visas, including incomplete applications," the Intelligence Agency said.

The authorities have called for an immediate investigation into each of these cases, with a demand for swift corrective action.

This is not the first time Poland’s visa system has come under scrutiny. In 2023, the country faced a previous scandal involving the unlawful issuance of work visas to foreign nationals in exchange for bribes, further tarnishing the integrity of Poland’s visa process.