Message to U.S. citizens – Update on COVID-19 and Related Restrictions – May 9, 2020

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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 9, 2020

Location: Poland

Event:  Message to U.S. citizens – Update on COVID-19 and Related Restrictions

New Updates: 

  • On the evening of May 8, the Polish Ministry of Health confirmed 15,366 cases of COVID-19 in Poland, an increase of 166 from the May 8 morning report.  The Ministry also reported 20 new related deaths, for a total of 776. 
  • LOT Polish Airlines has advised the Embassy that they will run one charter flight from Warsaw to Chicago (ORD) on Sunday, May 10 and one from Warsaw to New York (JFK) on Saturday, May 16.  If you would like to purchase a ticket, you must fill out this form once for each traveler (including small children).  This is a new form specifically for these flights.  Please fill out the form, even if you have previously filled out a different form, and ensure that all information is entered correctly.  The Embassy will confirm your eligibility and forward your information to LOT.  LOT will contact you by phone or e-mail to purchase your ticket.  You must diligently monitor both your incoming calls and e-mail messages in order to purchase a seat on this flight.  The airline may call at any time, including early morning or late evening.  Please have a bank card or any card that can be used to make online payments ready in order to pay for the tickets when LOT calls.  LOT will send an e-mail if they are not able to reach you by phone.  By providing this information to us, you consent to our providing it to LOT for the purpose of facilitating your return to the United States.  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. 
  • Chicago Travelers:  The LOT Polish Airlines flight from Warsaw to Chicago will depart on May 10 at 4:40PM. Embassy staff will be processing expressions of interest in the May 10 LOT flight to Chicago on Saturday morning and LOT will be calling potential travelers to purchase tickets throughout the day on Saturday.  If you are interested in this flight and did not purchase a ticket in advance, you may consider traveling to Warsaw Chopin airport on Sunday, May 10, to buy a ticket in person at the ticket office (kasa biletowa) located in Area E (Strefa E) near LOT’s business class check-in area. Please arrive at the airport early enough to purchase a ticket and complete check-in, security and immigration screening before the flight (which departs at 4:40PM) closes.  This option is only available for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (green card holders).  If you intend to buy tickets at the airport on the day of the flight, you are not guaranteed a ticket. 
  • New York Travelers: The LOT Polish Airlines flight from Warsaw to New York will depart on Saturday, May 16 at 2:15PM. It may take 48 hours for LOT to reach out to you after you have filled out the form.  After you fill out the form, please wait at least 48 hours before e-mailing the Embassy with questions.   
  • Updates on movement restrictions announced by the Polish government: 
  • Starting May 4, hotels, shopping centers, outpatient medical facilities, and some cultural institutions could decide to reopen with certain limitations, including face coverings and social distancing.  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.   
  • Previously announced restrictions are still in place.  More information about 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 many cities throughout Poland you can buy tests online at this website, and bring the code you receive to the test center you have selected.  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.  
  • At this time, we are only able to provide notarial services to U.S. citizens in urgent cases. If you would like to request an appointment for an urgent notarial service, please send an e-mail to ACSWarsaw@state.gov with your full name, U.S. passport number, and a brief explanation of the reason for your request. 
  • 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 that the Polish government has announced.  These restrictions have been modified several times.  A full list of current 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. 
  • 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
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By | 9 May, 2020 | Topics: Alert, Messages for U.S. Citizens

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