Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories
From: 76702.1202@compuserve.COM (Wally Doerge)
Subject: ALL:  NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Poland
Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die
Distribution: wstd
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 1994 15:46:29 GMT
STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Poland
============================================================
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: (404) 332-4559.

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. (48-2) 628-3041; fax 
625-7290.

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:  (48-61) 551-085; 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.