Outgoing ambassador hopeful of Poland joining US Visa Waiver Program

The US Visa Waiver Program allows citizens from eligible countries to enter the US without a visa for 90 days. Taiwan recently became the 37th country to join the program, which already includes the UK and Ireland, but Poland remains just one of four European nations party to the agreement.

Since Taiwan's accession to the VWP, several other nations have spoken out over their exclusion. Poland's neighbour Bulgaria recently edged closer to reaching an agreement but it is Hong Kong, with its obvious ties to China, which raised the most concern.

However, Poland believes they have been first in line for some time and Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski reminded President Obama of his intention to allow Poland to join last month.

Ambassador Feinstein, who will be replaced by Stephen Mull next month, has now confirmed that progress is being made.

"It is very difficult to predict when, but I can tell you that President Obama is very committed to doing this," said the ambassador.

"He told that to President Komorowski when he saw him at the UN General Assembly meeting and right how the White House's job is to push Congress to support legislation which is the White House endorsed, granting Poland its deserved membership in the Visa Waiver Program."

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The American Visa Bureau is an independent migration consultancy specialising in helping people from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries make their ESTA application.