Wayzata World Factbook 1995/World Factbook - 1995 Edition - Wayzata Technology (1995).iso/mac/text/Build/tvltxt/POLAND.TVL

Text File | 1994-12-07 | 4KB | 76 lines

Poland - Consular Information Sheet
April 28, 1994

Country Description:  Poland is a moderately developed European nation
working to build a new political system and a market economy.  Tourist
facilities are not highly developed in all areas, and many of the goods and
services taken for granted in other European countries can be difficult to
find.

Entry Requirements:  A passport is required.  A visa is not required for
stays up to 90 days.  Visitors must register at a hotel or with local
authorities within 48 hours of arrival.  An AIDS test is required for
student visas; U.S. test results are accepted.  Further information on entry
requirements may be obtained from the Embassy of the Republic of Poland,
Consular Section at 2224 Wyoming Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20008, tel: (202)
232-4517 or 4528 or the nearest Polish consulate in Chicago, Los Angeles, or
New York.

Medical Facilities:  Adequate medical care is available in Poland, but
generally does not meet Western standards.  Doctors and hospitals often
expect immediate cash payment for health services.  U.S. medical insurance
is not always valid outside the United States.  Travelers have found that in
some cases, supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage
has proved to be useful.  Further information on health matters can be
obtained from the Centers for Disease Control's international travelers
hotline, tel: [phone].

Crime Information:  Crime rates in Poland vary.  Warsaw and other major
cities, including Krakow, Poznan, Wroclaw and Gdansk are troubled by
incidents of crime against residents and foreign visitors.  Organized groups
of thieves and pickpockets appear to be operating in the train stations, and
on trains, trams, and buses in major cities.  A number of thefts have
occurred on the overnight trains including thefts from passengers in closed
compartments.  In Warsaw, car thefts and break-ins, street crime, and
residential burglaries are increasingly prevalent.

The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately
to the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.  The
Department of State's pamphlet, "A Safe Trip Abroad"  is available from the
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington,
D.C. 20402.   It provides information on travel to the region and protecting
personal security while traveling abroad.

Currency Information:  Polish law prohibits the import or export of Polish
currency (zlotys).  Upon entry into Poland visitors must declare in writing
all money and valuable items they are bringing in.  The declaration form
should be stamped by Polish customs and retained by the traveler for
presentation on departure.  Undeclared cash may be confiscated upon
departure if the customs declaration is unavailable.  Throughout Poland,
particularly outside Warsaw, it is difficult to cash traveler's checks or
obtain cash advances on credit cards.

Drug Penalties:  U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in
which they are traveling.  Penalties for possession, use, and dealing in
illegal drugs are strict, and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences
and heavy fines.

Registration:  U.S. citizens who register with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate
can obtain updated information on travel and security within Poland.

Embassy and Consulate Locations:  The U.S. Embassy in Warsaw is located at
Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31, tel. [phone]; fax [phone].

There are also U.S. Consulates in Krakow, at Ulica Stolarska 9, tel. (48-12)
216-767; fax 218-292; and in Poznan, at Ulica Chopina 4, tel:  [phone]-
085; fax 530-053.

No. 94-063

This replaces the consular Information Sheet dated April 29,1993, to update
information on crime and currency in Poland and to reflect new telephone
numbers for the U.S. Consulates.