U.S. Embassy Warsaw will send a daily update to ensure all U.S citizens in the Warsaw Consular District have the latest information about COVID-19 (coronavirus) and local conditions. If different or additional information would be useful, please email us at ACSWarsaw@state.gov.
May 1, 2020
Location: Poland
Event: Message to U.S. citizens – Update on COVID-19 and Related Restrictions
New Updates:
- As of May 1, the Polish Ministry of Health has confirmed 13,105 cases of COVID-19 and 651 related deaths in Poland.
- LOT Polish Airlines has advised the Embassy that they will run one more charter flight from Warsaw to Chicago on Sunday, May 3, at 4:40PM. This flight is confirmed and may be your last option for a direct flight from Poland to the United States before commercial flights resume. Tickets for this flight will be booked directly with LOT. If you would like to purchase a ticket for this flight, please fill out this form for EACH traveler (including small children). This is a new form specifically for this flight. Please fill out the form, even if you have previously filled out a different form, and ensure that all information is entered correctly, especially your contact information. By providing this information to us, you consent to our providing it to LOT Airlines for the purpose of facilitating your return to the United States. The Embassy will confirm your eligibility and forward your information to LOT. Embassy staff will be processing expressions of interest in the May 3 LOT flight on Friday (a Polish holiday) and Saturday morning. LOT will contact you by phone or e-mail to book your ticket. You must diligently monitor both your incoming calls and e-mail messages in order to book a seat on this flight. The airline may call at any time, including early morning or late evening, in order to arrange booking. This is not a U.S. government operated or funded flight. Availability and cancellations are controlled by LOT. At this time, the United States government has no plans to charter an evacuation flight out of Poland.
- Updates on movement restrictions announced by the Polish government:
- On April 29, the Prime Minister announced that starting May 4, hotels, shopping centers, outpatient medical facilities, and some cultural institutions can reopen with certain limitations. Starting May 6, local governments and school owners may decide to reopen nursery schools and kindergartens. Social distancing guidelines, including the requirement to wear face coverings, would still apply within all public spaces.
- On April 24, the regulation barring domestic and international passenger air travel in Poland was extended through May 9. There is now an exception for small aircraft carrying 15 or fewer passengers.
- Also on April 24, the Polish Government announced an extension of school closures through May 24.
- Previously announced restrictions are still in place. More information about movement restrictions can be found in English on the U.S. Embassy’s COVID-19 page and on the Polish Government’s COVID-19 Page.
- Several drive-through COVID-19/coronavirus testing centers have opened up around Poland. For locations in Warsaw, Poznań, Krakow, and Łódź you can buy tests online at this website, and bring the code you receive to the test center you have selected. Note that the Życzkowski test center in Krakow only offers antibody testing, which the FDA states should not be used as the sole basis to diagnose COVID-19. The Tauron Arena test center in Krakow offers a molecular test, which the FDA has established as the standard for determining whether a person is infected. For testing in Sosnowiec, you can complete online forms at this website, then proceed to the testing location at the designated time. Neither the Polish nor the U.S. governments have implemented a requirement to be tested. The CDC website offers some factors to take into consideration when deciding whether or not to be tested.
- If you need a passport: U.S. Embassy Warsaw is still accepting applications for passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBAs), however, the facilities that print those documents have suspended their operations. All passport and CRBA applications submitted after April 2, 2020, will be printed when the facilities reopen. If you have an urgent need for a passport, please contact the Embassy at ACSWarsaw@state.gov.
Actions to Take:
- Follow all restrictions on movement that the Polish government has announced. A full list of these restrictions, as well as frequently updated guidance, can be found in English on the U.S. Embassy’s COVID-19 page and on the Polish Government’s COVID-19 Page. You may be subject to a fine of up to 30,000 Polish złoty for not adhering to these restrictions.
- Visit the CDC’s website about COVID-19 for up-to-date information from the U.S. government about the virus.
- Visit the State Department’s COVID-19 page and the U.S. Embassy’s COVID-19 page. Both have information specifically for travelers and the U.S. Embassy page is updated regularly with information relevant for U.S. citizens in Poland.
- Enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) so the U.S. Embassy can contact you with updated information and in an emergency.
- Polish Government Resources:
- Visit the Polish Government’s COVID-19 Website for general health information, movement restrictions, and health tips.
- The Polish government has set up a national informational hotline for COVID-19 health-related inquiries. To reach this hotline, dial +48 800 190 590 and press 6 for an English-speaking operator. For emergency services, dial 112.
- Polish social service agencies provide assistance in obtaining food and medicine to those who are under home quarantine due to COVID-19. These services are available to both Polish citizens and foreigners. In Krakow, call +48 887 202 946 or +48 887 202 947 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. or email kontakt@mops.krakow.pl after hours. In Warsaw, call +48 22 487-13-00.
Assistance:
U.S. Embassy, Warsaw, Poland
Piękna 12
00-539, Warsaw
+48 22 504 2784 (business hours)
+48 22 504 2000 (after hours emergencies involving U.S. citizens)
ACSWarsaw@state.gov
https://pl.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/
State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444
Poland Country Information
Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security updates.
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