Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories From: 76702.1202@CompuServe.COM (Wally Doerge) Subject: ALL: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- El Salvador Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Distribution: wstd Date: Fri, 21 Jan 1994 16:30:18 GMT STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - El Salvador ============================================================ El Salvador - Consular Information Sheet January 19, 1994 Country Description: El Salvador has a developing economy. Its tourism facilities are not fully developed. Credit cards are widely accepted. Entry Requirements: A passport and visa are required for entry to El Salvador. Travelers may be asked to present evidence of employment and finances at the time of visa application. There are no airport visas or tourist cards available for last-minute entry. For additional information, travelers may contact the Embassy of El Salvador at 1010 16th Street NW, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20036, tel (202) 331-4032, or the nearest consulate in Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New Orleans, Miami, New York, or Chicago. Crime and Security Information: Violent as well as petty crimes are prevalent throughout El Salvador. U.S. citizens often are victims. Visitors should avoid carrying valuables in public places. Armed assaults and carjackings take place both in San Salvador, the capital, and in the interior of the country, but are especially frequent on roads outside the capital where police patrols are infrequent. Criminals have been known to follow travelers from the international airports to private residences 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 have brought a halt to fighting in El Salvador. Areas formerly considered conflicted zones or zones of concentration for demobilizing guerrillas are now open for travel. The U.S. Embassy warns its personnel to drive with their 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 infrequent. Travelers, 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 gun license. Failure to do so will result in detention and confiscation of the traveler's firearm even if it is licensed in the U.S. The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport 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 often expect immediate cash payment for health services. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. In some cases, medical insurance with specific overseas coverage may prove to be useful. Most hospitals accept credit cards for hospital charges, but not for doctors fees. Tap water is generally not considered safe to drink in El Salvador. There have also been numerous incidents of cholera in recent months. The U.S. Embassy advises its personnel to avoid shellfish and other food sold by streetside vendors or in establishments where hygiene may be dubious. For additional health information, travelers may contact the Centers for Disease Control's international travelers hotline at (404) 332-4559. 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. Other Information: The Salvadoran constitution prohibits foreigners from participating in domestic political activities, including public demonstrations. The government of El Salvador considers such involvement to be a violation of the participant's tourist visa status. Mine removal efforts are underway, but land mines in back country regions have caused numerous unintended casualties and pose a threat to off-the-road tourists, backpackers and campers. Registration: Americans who register with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador may obtain updated information on travel and security within El Salvador. Embassy Location: The U.S. Embassy in El Salvador is located at Final Boulevard Santa Elena, Urbanization Santa Elena, Antigua Cuscatlan, San Salvador, El Salvador; telephone (503) 78-4444. No. 94-006 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated May 27, 1993, to add updated information on crime and security in El Salvador.