Polish Consulate Bursting

33 people work in shifts, but cannot manage to serve the nearly one million Poles living in England and Wales. Hundreds of emigrants (often mothers with babies in their arms) have to stand in line to get to the office on New Cavendish Street. According to Polish law, affairs connected with documents can only be taken care of personally when living in a foreign country. The same rule applies when one wants to get a passport for those abroad. “We made it, but we were here early in the morning,” said a Polish woman from London on the Gazeta.pl forum. “I stood all day, I missed day’s work!” writes an angry user. The situation is tense. One has to stand in line from 3 to 4 hours. People are getting very irritated (especially those who have travelled hundreds of kilometres to get their passport). Local Police have got used to Poles fighting in lines. 9 people work in the consulate’s passport department. There are 5 counters of which only 4 are open. They serve applicants for 5 – 6 hours a day. According to Robert Rusiecki (Consul General of the Republic of Poland), the same staff later verifies the applications and prepares documents needed to issue passports. He adds that their working hours cannot be prolonged. Rusiecki also stresses that he has asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for more staff; however, he received a negative answer since there are no vacant posts. The statistics of issued passports have risen: 6,000 in 2004, 13,000 in 2007. The number of consular staff has risen from 9 to 33; however, this is still not enough. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the problems in the consulate stem from the fact that it is too small. By the time it is rebuilt the situation should improve. Last year the consulate inherited rooms from the Polish Institute. Adapting the rooms has nearly finished. Ryszard Ostaś from the consular department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs assures that they analyze their needs and if new staff is necessary, then new positions will be granted. He adds that London is one of their priorities. The opening of new consulate in Manchester in May might relieve London. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also announces that together with launching new system of the issuing of passports (tested in Ireland and France) consular affairs should take place much faster.
Gazeta Wyborcza