The European Commission chose 21 February 2026 to unveil an attention-grabbing element of its long-anticipated Schengen reform package: a proposal allowing member states to issue multiple-entry C-type visas that could remain valid for “more than five years” for carefully screened applicants. Under the draft, travellers who have held at least two previous Schengen visas without overstays or security alerts—and who can show a stable economic situation—would become eligible for the longer validity. Brussels framed the measure as a competitive response to the United States’ 10-year B1/B2 visa and the United Kingdom’s standard 5-year visitor visa.
![EU Floats 5-Year-Plus Schengen Visas for ‘Trusted Travellers’]()
Whether you’re a Polish executive eyeing those extended C-type visas or a first-time tourist unsure where you stand, VisaHQ can walk you through the paperwork maze. The platform’s Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) tracks Schengen rule changes in real time, builds personalised checklists and books consular slots, cutting down on guesswork and processing delays.
In return, the Commission demands tighter data sharing with the forthcoming Entry/Exit System (EES) and ETIAS platforms, enabling real-time revocation if security flags appear. For Poland, whose consulates issued more than 650,000 Schengen visas in 2025, the measure is a double-edged sword. Polish exporters and tech firms that shuttle staff around Europe welcome the cost and administrative savings, yet Warsaw must also budget for significantly larger biometric-data storage and invest in EES hardware at land crossings with Ukraine and Belarus. A senior official at the Ministry of the Interior told reporters that Poland “supports longer visas in principle” but will insist on an EU fund to offset the upgrade bill for its busy eastern border. Immigration lawyers caution that the fanfare may mask narrow eligibility. “Think of it as a loyalty card for model travellers—not a blanket perk,” said Magdalena Piotrowska of Kraków-based firm ExpatLegal. She expects business executives, frequent-flyer sales staff, and researchers to benefit first, while first-time tourists and seasonal workers will still receive standard 90/180-day stickers. If the plan survives Council negotiations, the Regulation could take effect in mid-2027—just after ETIAS becomes fully operational. Polish companies should begin auditing travel histories of key staff now, experts say, to be ready to file once national consulates open the longer-visa appointment lanes.
Whether you’re a Polish executive eyeing those extended C-type visas or a first-time tourist unsure where you stand, VisaHQ can walk you through the paperwork maze. The platform’s Poland portal (https://www.visahq.com/poland/) tracks Schengen rule changes in real time, builds personalised checklists and books consular slots, cutting down on guesswork and processing delays.
In return, the Commission demands tighter data sharing with the forthcoming Entry/Exit System (EES) and ETIAS platforms, enabling real-time revocation if security flags appear. For Poland, whose consulates issued more than 650,000 Schengen visas in 2025, the measure is a double-edged sword. Polish exporters and tech firms that shuttle staff around Europe welcome the cost and administrative savings, yet Warsaw must also budget for significantly larger biometric-data storage and invest in EES hardware at land crossings with Ukraine and Belarus. A senior official at the Ministry of the Interior told reporters that Poland “supports longer visas in principle” but will insist on an EU fund to offset the upgrade bill for its busy eastern border. Immigration lawyers caution that the fanfare may mask narrow eligibility. “Think of it as a loyalty card for model travellers—not a blanket perk,” said Magdalena Piotrowska of Kraków-based firm ExpatLegal. She expects business executives, frequent-flyer sales staff, and researchers to benefit first, while first-time tourists and seasonal workers will still receive standard 90/180-day stickers. If the plan survives Council negotiations, the Regulation could take effect in mid-2027—just after ETIAS becomes fully operational. Polish companies should begin auditing travel histories of key staff now, experts say, to be ready to file once national consulates open the longer-visa appointment lanes.
