As reported by Polskie Radio, pilgrims who plan to come to Poland for the World Youth Days (to be held from July 26 to 31) will be exempt from visa fees, and their visa applications at Polish consulates will be processed in a special manner. The number of service staff at consulates will also increase.
The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs will try to provide consular services also where there are no permanent diplomatic missions. This was reported by the press service of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
If pilgrims try to obtain a Schengen visa at a consulate of another European country, they will likely not get the document for free, although, as Polish officials note, this will depend on the policies of individual countries. However, Poland will try to influence that all pilgrims traveling to Poland be exempt from consular fees.
Young people who want to come to Poland must undergo two stages of verification – church and visa. The church verification involves a meeting with a bishop or the local coordinator of the World Youth Days. They sign a special recommendation confirming that the young person is indeed going to a Catholic event.