Poland tightens visa rules as probe confirms previous government’s cash-for-visas scandal

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s foreign minister says the European Union nation is tightening its visa regulations as probes into alleged cash-for-visa scandal have confirmed irregularities under the previous governmnet going into millions of dollars. Minister Radek Sikorski said Thursday it will be much tougher now to obtain a visa for Poland, which gives access to unrestricted travel within Europe’s border-free Schengen zone, while the vetting of applicants will be stepped up. Earlier this year Sikorski significantly raised visa fees which used to be among Europe’s cheapest. A report released Thursday said between 2018 and early 2024 thousands of visas were issued to people who paid hefty sums to agencies, against regulations.