From: owner-travel-advisories Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Dominican Republic Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 18:35:27 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:1887 Path: world!bzs Message-ID: <199808271437_MC2-578D-A653@compuserve.com> Sender: "U.S. Department of State" <76702.1202@compuserve.com> Approved: usenet@world.std.com Distribution: wstd Precedence: bulk Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-List-Info: LN=travel-advisories WHOM=76702.1202@compuserve.com Content-Disposition: inline Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Mime-Version: 1.0 Lines: 132 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Dominican Republic ============================================================ Dominican Republic - Consular Information Sheet August 27, 1998 Country Description: The Dominican Republic has a developing economy. Tourist facilities vary, depending on price and area. Entry Requirements: Either a valid passport, or Certificate of Naturalization/Citizenship, or U.S. birth certificate and photo identification is required for both entry and exit. While a U.S. passport is not required, it is strongly recommended, since it can expedite entry and exit and is more readily recognized as a form of positive identification. Charter passengers should verify entry and exit requirements with the charter company. Minors under 13 traveling alone or with anyone other than a parent must present written authorization from a parent. This authorization must be notarized at a Dominican consulate. For further information concerning entry and exit requirements, travelers may contact the Embassy of the Dominican Republic, 1715 22nd Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone: (202) 332-6280, or the consulate in Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, or Texas. Medical Facilities: Medical care is limited. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the U.S. supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage, including medical evacuation, has proved to be useful. For additional health information, travelers can contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's international travelers hotline at 1-888-232-3228, or their autofax service at 1-888-232-3299, or via their Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov/ Crime Information: Petty street crime involving U.S. tourists does occur, although infrequently, and the normal precautions should be taken. Valuables left unattended in parked automobiles, on beaches, and in other public places are subject to theft. Burglaries of private residences have increased, as have crimes of violence. Some incidents of violent crime have involved foreign residents and tourists, including U.S. citizens. The larger, better-known resort complexes, which rely on private security services, have generally not been affected. The loss or theft of a U.S. passport overseas should be reported to the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. A lost or stolen U.S. birth certificate and/or driver's license generally cannot be replaced outside the U.S. U.S. citizens may refer to the Department of State's pamphlet, "A Safe Trip Abroad," which provides useful information on guarding valuables and protecting personal security while traveling abroad. Both this pamphlet and "Tips for Travelers to The Caribbean" are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Currency Regulations: It is legal to exchange currency at commercial banks, exchange booths in hotels, and exchange houses. The exchange rate is set by the Central Bank, based on prevailing market conditions. No more than $10,000 U.S. or its equivalent in another currency may be taken out of the Dominican Republic at the time of departure. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Criminal penalties for possession, use, and dealing in illegal drugs are strict, and convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines. Investment Issues: Real estate investments require caution because property rights are irregularly enforced. Investors often encounter problems in receiving clear title to land, and title insurance is not available. Real estate investments of American citizens have been the subject of take-over attempts, either legal or physical. Squatters, sometimes supported by government or non-governmental organizations, have invaded properties belonging to U.S. citizens, threatening violence and blocking the owners from entering their property. Several U.S. citizens have longstanding expropriation disputes with the Dominican government and have not received compensation. Traffic Safety/Road Conditions: Road conditions range from excellent to very poor. Traffic laws are similar to the U.S., but undisciplined driving is common, due to a lack of adequate traffic controls. Travel at night on inter-city highways and in rural areas should be avoided, due to vehicles being driven at excessive speeds, often with malfunctioning headlights. Aviation Safety Oversight: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the government of the Dominican Republic's civil aviation authority as Category 3 -- not in compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of the Dominican Republic's air carrier operations. Flights to the U.S. by the Dominican Republic's air carriers are not permitted unless they arrange to have the flights conducted by a carrier from a country meeting international safety standards. For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation within the U.S. at 1-800-322-7873, or visit the FAA Internet website at http://www.faa.gov/avr/iasa.htm. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) does not permit its personnel to use air carriers from Category 3 countries for official business. For information regarding the DOD policy on specific carriers, travelers may contact the Pentagon at (703) 697-7288. Embassy Location/Registration: U.S. citizens may register with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic and obtain updated information on travel and security in the country. The Embassy is located at the corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro in Santo Domingo; telephone (809) 221-2171; after-hours: (809) 221-8100. The Consular Section is a half-mile away at the corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Maximo Gomez; telephone (809) 221-5030. Consulate office hours are 7:30am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-2:00pm, Monday-Friday, except holidays. There is a Consular Agency in Puerto Plata at Calle Beller 51, 2nd floor, office 6; telephone (809) 586-4202; office hours Monday-Friday, except holidays, 9:00am-12:00pm, and 2:30pm-5:00pm. No. 98-122 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated May 19, 1997 to include a section on Investment Issues, to update Entry Requirements, Crime Information, Embassy Location, and Aviation Oversight, and to correct the CDC telephone number and include the autofax number. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- The "travel-advisories@stolaf.edu" mailing list is the official Internet and BITNET distribution point for the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. 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