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Cars 4 Rental Information on Poland

General

Area: 312,685 sq km (120,728 sq miles).

Population: 38,632,500 (official estimate 2001).

Population Density: 123.6 per sq km.

Capital: Warsaw. Population: 1,618,468 (1999).

GEOGRAPHY: Poland shares borders to the east with the Russian Federation, Belarus, Ukraine and Lithuania, to the south with the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic and to the west with Germany. To the north lies the Baltic Sea. The Baltic coast provides over 500km (300 miles) of sandy beaches, bays, steep cliffs and dunes. Northern Poland is dominated by lakes, islands and wooded hills joined by many rivers and canals. The Mazurian Lake District to the northeast is particularly beautiful. Lake Hancza, the deepest lake in Poland, is located in this district. The River Vistula has cut a wide valley from Gdansk on the Baltic coast to Warsaw in the heart of the country. The rest of the country rises slowly to the Sudety Mountains, which run along the border with the Czech Republic, and the Tatra mountains, which separate Poland from the Slovak Republic. To the west, the River Oder, with Szczecin at its mouth, forms the northwest border with Germany.

Government: Republic since 1918. Head of State: President Aleksander Kwasniewski since 1995. Head of Government: Prime Minister Leszek Miller since 2001.

Language: Polish is the official language. There is a small German-speaking community. English and Russian are also spoken.

Religion: More than 90 per cent Roman Catholic; other religions include Polish Autocephalous Orthodox, Russian and Greek Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim.

Time: GMT + 1.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; continental sockets.

Communications:

Telephone

Full IDD is available. Country code: 48. Outgoing international code: 00. Cheap rate on long-distance calls is available from 1600-0600. Telephone cards can be purchased from post offices, newsagents and hotel receptions for local calls.

Mobile telephone

GSM 900 and 1800 networks cover the whole country.

Internet

ISPs include SuperMedia (website: www.supermedia.com.pl).

Telegram

Services are provided at all main post offices and by phone.

Post

Service to Western Europe takes up to 4 days. Poste Restante facilities are available at post offices throughout the country. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1800.

Press

Independent publications are flourishing following the changes in the political system; about 100 newspapers are now available. The principal dailies are Gazeta Wyborcza, Rzeczpospolita and Zycie Warszawy. English-language publications include The Warsaw Voice (weekly).

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

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Money

Currency: Zloty (Zl) = 100 groszy. Notes are in denominations of Zl200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. The new coins are in denominations of Zl5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 groszy.

Currency exchange: Foreign currency can be exchanged at all border crossing points, hotels and bureaux de change, some of which are open 24 hours. Cash can also be obtained from Visa credit cards at banks.

Credit & debit cards: American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are accepted in larger establishments. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Travellers cheques: Readily exchanged. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in Pounds Sterling.

Currency restrictions: The import and export of local currency is prohibited. The import of foreign currency is unlimited, provided declared on arrival. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on arrival.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Zloty against Sterling and the US Dollar:

Date Aug ’03 Nov ’03 Feb ’04 May '04
£1.00= 6.24 6.68 7.03 7.11
$1.00= 3.91 3.99 3.86 3.98

Banking hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1600, Sat 0900-1300 in main cities. In smaller towns, banking hours are more limited.

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Health

Special Precautions Certificate Required
Yellow Fever No No
Cholera No No
Typhoid and Polio No N/A
Malaria No N/A

Food & drink: Mains water is normally chlorinated, and whilst relatively safe may cause mild abdominal upsets. Bottled water is available and is advised for the first few weeks of the stay. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are generally considered safe to eat.

Other risks: Hepatitis A and B and diphtheria occur. Freshwater fish from the Baltic Sea area could contain fish tapeworm, causing diphyllobothriasis. Tick-borne encephalitis occurs in forested areas. Vaccination is advisable. Campers and trekkers should wear long trousers when walking near long grass in order to avoid tick bites.
Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix.

Health care: There are reciprocal health agreements with most European countries for hospital treatment and medical expenses. The agreement with the UK allows free emergency medical treatment (including hospital treatment) and some free dental treatment on presentation of an NHS card. UK citizens must, however, pay a call-out charge as well as 30 per cent of the cost of prescribed medicines obtained at a public pharmacy.

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Climate

Temperate with warm summers, crisp, sunny autumns and cold winters. Snow covers the mountainous area in the south of Poland (mid-December to April). Rain falls throughout the year.

Required clothing: Light- to mediumweights are worn during warmer months. Medium- to heavyweights are needed during winter. Rainwear is advisable all year.

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Passport

Passport Required Visa Required Return Ticket Required
British Yes No/1 No
Australian Yes No/2 No
Canadian Yes No/2 No
USA Yes No/2 No
OtherEU Yes No/1 No
Japanese Yes No/2 No

PASSPORTS: Passport valid for at least six months beyond date of arrival required by all.

VISAS: Required by all except the following:
(a) 1. nationals of the UK for stays not exceeding 180 days and all other EU nationals for 90 days;
(b) 2. nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR), Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Korea (Rep), Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau (SAR), Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, San Marino, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Uruguay, USA and Venezuela for stays not exceeding 90 days;
(c) nationals of Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Romania and Singapore for stays not exceeding 30 days.

Types of visa and cost: Short-stay (one to 90 days): £26 (single-entry), £34 (double-entry), £42 (multiple-entry). Long-validity (more than 90 days): £51 (single-entry), £59 (double-entry), £68 (multiple-entry). Transit (one to five days): £9 (single-entry), £17 (double-entry), £26 (multiple-entry). Work (one year maximum, mutiple-entry): £94. Payment is non-refundable even if visa is rejected. Reduced prices are available for students aged under 26 with appropriate identification, and for children.
Concessions are also available for foreigners whose spouse is a Polish citizen. Visas applied for in person can be issued the next day for an express service fee of £22. Contact Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy) for further details.

Validity: Short-stay visas are valid up to 90 days from date of entry. Extensions can be arranged in Poland through the district passport office. Work visas are valid for a maximum of one year. Transit visas are valid for up to five days. Airport Transit visas allow passage through the international zone of an Airport and are valid for two days.

Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section for details.

Application requirements: (a) Passport (must be valid for three months after planned departure from Poland). (b) Completed application form. (c) One passport-size photo. (d) Evidence of immigration status in country of residence, endorsed in current or previous passport (if applicable). (e) Fee, payable by cash or postal order. Short-stay: (a)-(e) and, (f) Confirmation of travel itinerary, accommodation booking or invitation from friends or family in Poland. The invitation should be entered in the register of invitations in a Regional Office. Long-validity: (a)–(e) and, (f) Letter from applicant’s company or organisation and original of a ‘Work Promise’. Self-employed persons should produce an invitation from the business partner from Poland. If studying in Poland, an official letter from a college or university must be produced. Transit: (a)–(e) and, (f) The visa for country of destination. (g) Transport documentation, such as a rail or aeroplane ticket.

Note: Applications submitted without these requirements will not be considered by the Consular offices and will be returned to the applicant. Holders of Polish visas are still subject to immigration control at the Polish border and are not guaranteed entry. All visitors must possess sufficient funds to cover the cost of their stay.

Working days required: Three. For the following passport holders it may take several weeks (minimum two weeks): Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi, China (PR), Congo (Dem Rep), Congo (Rep), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Guinea, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Liberia, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, The Phillipines, Rwanda, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, the Syrian Arab Republic, Tanzania, Turkey, Vietnam or holders of travel documents for stateless persons and refugees. Express visas can be processed within 24 hours for a fee of £22. Postal applications may take up to two weeks (no express service available).

Temporary residence: Apply to Consulate.

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