From: owner-travel-advisories Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- El Salvador Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1998 15:40:08 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:1683 Path: world!bzs Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Message-ID: <199804081142_MC2-394E-380C@compuserve.com> Content-Disposition: inline Precedence: bulk Sender: "U.S. Department of State" <76702.1202@compuserve.com> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Mime-Version: 1.0 Distribution: wstd Approved: usenet@world.std.com Lines: 139 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - El Salvador ============================================================ El Salvador - Consular Information Sheet April 8, 1998 Country Description: El Salvador has a developing economy. Tourism facilities are not fully developed. The capital city is San Salvador. Entry Requirements: A U.S. passport and a one-entry tourist card are required. The tourist card can be obtained for a fee from airlines serving El Salvador. Travelers who plan to remain in El Salvador more than 30 days, or who plan multiple visits, can apply for a multiple-entry visa, issued free of charge, from a Salvadoran consulate in the U.S. Travelers may be asked to present evidence of U.S. employment and adequate finances for their visit at the time of visa application or upon arrival in El Salvador. For additional information, travelers may contact the Embassy of El Salvador at 1010 16th Street, N.W., Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20036, telephone (202) 331-4032, or the Salvadoran Consulate in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, or San Francisco. Crime and Security Information: Violent crime as well as petty crime are prevalent throughout El Salvador. U.S. citizens are often victims and should avoid carrying valuables while in public places. Armed assaults and carjackings take place both in San Salvador and in the interior of the country, but are especially frequent on roads outside the capital where police patrols are scarce. Criminals have been known to follow travelers from the International Airport to private residences or secluded stretches of road where they carry out assaults and robberies. Criminals often become violent quickly, especially when victims fail to cooperate immediately in surrendering valuables. Frequently, victims who argue with assailants or refuse to give up their valuables are shot. The Peace Accords signed in 1992 between the government of El Salvador and the FMLN ended the war in El Salvador. Areas formerly considered conflictive zones or zones of concentration for demobilizing guerrillas are now open for travel. However, the U.S. Embassy warns its personnel to drive with their car doors locked and windows raised, to avoid travel after dark, and to avoid travel on unpaved roads at all times because of random banditry, carjackings, criminal assaults and lack of police and road service facilities. Most fatal accidents or robberies and assaults occur during the evening or early morning hours. Travelers with conspicuous amounts of luggage, late-model cars and foreign license plates are particularly vulnerable, even in the capital. Many Salvadorans are armed, and shootouts are not uncommon. Foreigners, however, may not carry guns, even for their own protection or for use on the road from the United States, without first procuring from Salvadoran officials a firearm license. Failure to do so will result in detention and confiscation of the firearm, even if it is licensed in the United States. The loss or theft of a U.S. passport abroad should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Useful information on guarding valuables and protecting personal security while traveling abroad is provided in the Department of State pamphlet, "A Safe Trip Abroad." This publication and others, such as "Tips for Travelers to Central and South America," are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Medical Information: Medical care is limited. Doctors and hospitals expect immediate cash payment for health services. Most hospitals accept credit cards for hospital charges, but not for doctors' fees. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. In some cases, supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage, including medical evacuation, has proven useful. For additional health information, travelers may contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's international travelers hotline at (404) 332-4559, or their toll-free CDC autofax at (888) 232-3299, or via the Internet at http://www.cdc.gov. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties in El Salvador for possession, use or trafficking in illegal drugs are strict, and convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines. Traffic Safety and Road Conditions: Road conditions throughout the country are not up to U.S. standards. Mini-bus, bus and taxi drivers who provide private transportation generally do not adhere to traffic rules and regulations. Large segments of the national road grid are presently under repair, creating difficult traffic situations. Please see information above regarding crime and safety. Further information on traffic and road conditions can be secured from the Automobile Club of El Salvador, telephone 011 (503) 221-0557. Other Information: The Salvadoran Constitution prohibits foreigners from participating in domestic political activities, including public demonstrations. To do so is a violation of visa status. Mine removal efforts ceased several years ago, but land mines and unexploded ammunition in back country regions still pose a threat to off-road tourists, backpackers and campers. Visitors to the beach areas of El Salvador should use caution when swimming in the Pacific Ocean because much of the coast is subject to strong undertows. Aviation Oversight: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the government of El Salvador's civil aviation authority as category 1--in compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of El Salvador's air carrier operations. For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation within the United States at telephone 1-800-322-7873, or visit the FAA's Internet website at http://www.faa.gov/avr.iasa.htm. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) separately assesses some foreign air carriers for suitability as official providers of air services. For information regarding the DOD policy on specific carriers, travelers may contact the Pentagon at telephone 1-(703) 697-7288. Embassy Location/Registration: U.S. citizens are encouraged to register with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, where they may obtain updated information on travel and security in El Salvador and neighboring countries. The U.S. Embassy is located at Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Urbanizacion Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatlan, San Salvador, El Salvador, telephone 011 (503) 278-4444. No. 98-35 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated March 7, 1997 to remove the section concerning election-related violence, and to add information on Pacific Ocean undertows. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- 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. To unsubscribe, send a message containing the word "unsubscribe" to: travel-advisories-request@stolaf.edu Archives of past "travel-advisories" postings are available at the URL: "http://www.stolaf.edu/network/travel-advisories.html" or via Gopher: gopher.stolaf.edu, Internet Resources/US-State-Department-Travel-Advisories