Poland has introduced stricter regulations for student visas in response to a recent “student visa scandal” that revealed significant misuse of the visa system.
According to Schengen News reports, Poland had been admitting large numbers of international students without verifying their eligibility.
“Poland has been admitting tens of thousands of third-country students without properly checking their eligibility.”
Though Polish authorities require foreign students to verify their high school diplomas, the ministry saw that some universities had not consistently enforced this requirement.
‘Polish authorities require foreign students to have their high school diplomas verified, but universities have inconsistently enforced this obligation,’ a report from TravelBiz stated.
Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski announced that starting immediately, student visas will only be issued to individuals with verified high school diplomas.
The policy change comes after investigations uncovered that many foreign nationals were obtaining student visas without the required academic qualifications and using them to work illegally in the Schengen Area.
Sikorski stated that the new regulations aim to ensure that student visas are granted only to those who are genuinely seeking to study.
“The misuse of student visas has become a significant issue, with many visa holders failing to attend the universities that facilitated their entry.
“We are implementing stricter regulations to ensure that only legitimate students are granted visas,” Sikorski explained during an interview.
Further reports reveal that Poland’s foreign ministry has clarified that the updated rules do not represent new legal measures but rather reinforce the principles already in place.
The governing body further reiterated that the new regulations would ensure that visa issuance aligns more closely with legal standards, thereby preserving the integrity of the country’s education system.
The revised rules reinforce existing regulations rather than introducing new legal measures. They mandate that foreign students must have their high school diplomas verified, a requirement that was inconsistently applied by some universities in the past.
“The Polish government is committed to preventing visa fraud and ensuring that the system is not exploited for economic gain. These new measures are expected to significantly reduce the number of foreign students seeking admission to Polish universities,” TravelBiz expanded in its report.
Poland’s foreign ministry has clarified that the updated rules do not represent new legal measures but rather reinforce the principles already in place.
The ministry reiterated that the new regulations would ensure that visa issuance aligns more closely with legal standards, thereby preserving the integrity of the country’s education system.
This crackdown on student visa misuse is part of a broader effort to address corruption within Poland’s visa system, which includes a cash-for-visas scandal involving the previous government.
“It is important to note that the tightening of student visas is part of a broader crackdown on corruption within the visa system. A cash-for-visa scandal involving the previous government has led to several arrests, including a former deputy foreign minister accused of facilitating work visas in exchange for bribes.”
The updated regulations are expected to align visa issuance with legal standards and reduce visa fraud.
Several arrests have been made, including a former deputy foreign minister accused of facilitating work visas in exchange for bribes.
The Polish government, by designated steps, aims to protect the integrity of its education system and prevent visa exploitation. By enforcing stricter entry requirements, Poland hopes to attract only legitimate students and improve the transparency of its visa processes
