Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories
From: 76702.1202@CompuServe.COM (Charlie Smith)
Subject: *NEW* TRAVEL INFORMATION -- Poland
Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die
Distribution: wstd
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 14:02:52 GMT
STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Poland
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Poland - Consular Information Sheet
 October 7, 1992

Embassy Location:  The U.S. Embassy in Warsaw is located at Aleje 
Ujazdowskie 29/31; telephone (48) (2) 628-3041.  There are also 
Consulates in Krakow, located at Ulica Stolarska 9, telephone (48) 
(12) 229764, and in Poznan, located at Ulica Chopina 4, telephone 
(48) (61) 529586.

Country Description: Poland is a moderately developed European 
nation undergoing profound political and economic changes.  Tourist 
facilities are not highly developed, and many of the goods and 
services taken for granted in other European countries are not yet 
available.

Entry Requirements:  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 
concerning entry requirements for Poland, may be obtained through 
the Embassy of the Republic of Poland at 2640 16th Street N.W., 
Washington, DC 20009, tel: (202) 234-3800 or the nearest Polish 
Consulate General in Chicago, Los Angeles, or New York.

Medical Facilities:  Medical care in Poland is limited.  Some 
medicines are in short supply.  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 on (404) 332-4559.

Crime Information:  Crime rates in Poland vary.  Warsaw has a high 
rate of crime, while Krakow and Poznan enjoy relatively low crime 
rates.  However, reported incidents of crime against foreign 
visitors and local residents have increased in major cities 
throughout the country.  Organized groups of thieves and pickpockets 
appear to be operating in the train stations, trains, trams, and 
buses of Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan, and other major cities.  In Warsaw, 
car thefts and break-ins, street crime, and residential burglaries 
are increasingly prevalent.  The Department of State's pamphlet "A 
Safe Trip Abroad" is available from the Superintendent of Documents, 
U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.  It provides 
useful information on guarding valuables and protecting personal 
security while traveling abroad.

Drug Penalties:  Penalties for possession, use, or dealing in 
illegal drugs are strict, and convicted offenders can expect jail 
sentences and heavy fines.

Registration: Americans who register in the Consular Section of the 
U.S. Embassy can obtain updated information on travel and security 
within the country.

 No. 92-040