Poland Visa D and traveling-US Citizen

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Edited by: mylesg Dec 17, 09, 21:16 #1

This is my second VISA question of the night. Although my family has Karta Pobytu, I personally have a VISA- type D issued by Poland. I am a US citizen with a valid US passport.

I recently read that a VISA-D only allows one to travel for transit in other Schengen countries for no more than 5 days. But if I had a Karta Pobytu then I could travel for 90.

I was initially told that as a US citizen and having a VISA-D, it was not necessary for me to have a Karta Pobytu. My only concern is with travel outside of Poland to other Schengen.

Does that mean with my US passport and Polish VISA-D I can only leave Poland and holiday in other Schengen countries for 5 days or less?

I have a 9 day holiday planned for Hungary and Slovakia. Then more Schengen holidays planned for later. An issue?

Thanks

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Edited by: delphiandomine Dec 17, 09, 21:58 #2

mylesg:

I was initially told that as a US citizen and having a VISA-D, it was not necessary for me to have a Karta Pobytu. My only concern is with travel outside of Poland to other Schengen.

I need to double check this (I'm not at the computer which has all the information) - but off the top of my head, as a US citizen, you are entitled to 90 days visa-free as a tourist in the Schengen zone. The national long-term visa system hasn't been harmonised (yet) - so you would be treated as a tourist in the other Schengen zones - effectively meaning that you have 90 days visa-free in Schengen outside of Poland.

But I'm not 100% certain on this - let me double check first :)

To obtain a definitive answer, I would contact the border control authorities for each country and ensure that they will allow this.

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Edited by: nguyenek Dec 18, 09, 02:59 #3

I can tell you that with a US passport, you have no problem traveling anywhere in the Schengen zone. The D-VISA is good for long stay in Poland. Outside of Poland, your US passport serves as an eligible document for you to enter any other Schengen countries.

Another thing, border control is removed between countries in Schengen. Although airport personnels may still ask for your passport when you check in for your flight, there is no border control post if you take a train or drive from one Schengen country to another. (personal experience - 10-day road trip from Poland to the Baltic and back)

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Dec 18, 09, 03:21 #4

nguyenek:

Another thing, border control is removed between countries in Schengen.

It's a common myth, but it's not true.

What happens with Schengen is that the static checks on country borders are replaced with a 'hard' outer shell and a 'soft' inner shell. The shell still exists however, and is manifested usually with random border checks away from the border. The execution is different in different countries - for instance, France will check you anywhere at any time, whereas Austria is known for pulling people over 500m from the border.

For that reason, it's vital for ID to be carried at all times when in the zone.

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Mar 20, 10, 19:31 #5

Mar 20, 10, 19:31 - Thread attached on merging:
Working in Poland after a VISA

My VISA D expires soon and I will be returning to the US (my place of residency). I have been here for 10 months.

The company is inviting me to come back in the future, a couple of times a year for short term work periods (like 2 weeks at a time) to continue to do some work.

Applying for a new visa D, each time and for a short working period seems like a big hassle.

Are there other options?

mephiasThreads: 15 Posts: 812 Joined: Nov 14, 08 MEMBER ♂	Mar 20, 10, 19:54 #6
mylesg: I recently read that a VISA-D only allows one to travel for transit in other Schengen countries for no more than 5 days. But if I had a Karta Pobytu then I could travel for 90. Good news, After 5th April if you have long term visa it will be possible to travel without Karta pobyty for 90 days. Details below. Link Here

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Apr 18, 11, 19:43 #7

Merged thread:
does a polish citizen living in the us need a visa to go to poland?

hi every one i need some help please, i am want to go to Poland this summer to visit my family there but was reading that if you stay more than 90 days you need a visa, then i heard that if your a polish citizen you dont need one can anyone clear this up for me also, i want to know, my mother is polish and my dad is a U.S citizen am i a polish citizen by birth? do i need to do something special to obtain my polish citizenship? any help would be nice thank you very much. :)

Zman

Apr 18, 11, 22:15 #8

If your mom is a polish citizen then you could be too. If your mom did not ensure that you were registered as polish citizen at birth then you can now claim it yourself. The process involves some bureaucracy and is explained in polish consulate's web site. It takes about 6 months to obtain the confirmation of citizenship, once you have all documents completed and filed. Once you're citizenship has been confirmed you can apply for a polish passport.

Otherwise, on a US passport you will need to exit PL before your 90 days expire. To get a stamp in a passport, all you have to do is leave Schengen zone for at least one day or so. For example to Ukraine.

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Apr 18, 11, 22:23 #9

Zman:

Otherwise, on a US passport you will need to exit PL before your 90 days expire. To get a stamp in a passport, all you have to do is leave Schengen zone for at least one day or so. For example to Ukraine.

Wrong. The presence of a stamp does not confer any residency rights - under Schengen law, the stamp is solely for informational purposes for the traveller. The deal is any 90 days in an 180 period regardless of what stamps are in the passport (or indeed, if any stamps are present at all).

For what it's worth, it depends when his mother obtained American citizenship as to his entitlement to Polish citizenship.

Zman	Apr 18, 11, 22:49 #10
Well, I have friends who have done that for years. E.g. went to UKR obtained stamp and came back. Apparently they are not bothered by the 180-day rule which you mention.

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Apr 19, 11, 00:22 #11

Zman:

Well, I have friends who have done that for years. E.g. went to UKR obtained stamp and came back. Apparently they are not bothered by the 180-day rule which you mention.

It was entirely fine up until the introduction of Schengen. Since then, the rules have changed.

If they broke the 90 day limit, then they can be deported at their own expense and banned from Schengen for a year.

The problem is that the 90 day limit isn't always enforced - but it can easily be enforced at any moment from anywhere on the border or inside the Schengen zone. I've seen border guards carefully examine an American's passport to make sure that all the entries and exits added up - it's just not worth the hassle to break the law.

Anyway, it's the law, and should be respected. America doesn't want people overstaying on the tourist stamp, and neither does Poland.

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