Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories
From: 76702.1202@CompuServe.COM (Wally Doerge)
Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Paraguay
Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die
Distribution: wstd
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 1993 15:11:10 GMT
STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Paraguay
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Paraguay - Consular Information Sheet
 May 27, 1993 

Country Description:  Paraguay is a medium income nation with a 
developing economy.  Tourist facilities are good in Asuncion, poor 
in major cities, and almost nonexistent in remote areas.

Entry Requirements:  A passport is required.  U.S. citizens do not 
need a visa for a three-month stay.  Minors (under 20) traveling 
alone, with one parent or with a third party must present written 
authorization from the absent parent(s) or legal guardian, 
specifically granting permission to travel alone, with one parent or 
with a third party.  This authorization must be notarized, 
authenticated by the Paraguayan Embassy or Consulate, and translated 
into Spanish.  For current information concerning entry and customs 
requirements for Paraguay, travelers can contact the Paraguayan 
Embassy at 2400 Massachusetts Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, 
tel. (202) 483-6960 or the nearest consulate in Los Angeles, Miami 
or New York.

Medical Facilities:  Facilities for medical care are 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 has proved to be useful.  For additional health 
information, travelers can contact the Centers for Disease Control's 
international travelers hotline at (404) 332-4559.

Crime Information:  Burglaries, larcenies, and car thefts are 
common.  Street crime such as pickpocketing and muggings is on the 
rise, occurring especially during the evening hours.  Some thieves 
are armed with guns or knives.  There have been incidents of 
pilferage from checked airline baggage.  Travelers have found it 
prudent to put valuables in their carry-on luggage.

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" which is available 
>from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing 
Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.  Also available from the same 
address is the Department of State publication "Tips for Travelers 
to Central and South America."

Drug penalties:  U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the 
country in which they are traveling.  Penalties in Paraguay for 
possession, use and trafficking in illegal drugs are strict, and 
convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines.

Adoptions:  The adoption process in Paraguay is often a lengthy 
one.  Juvenile court authorities have added more stringent measures 
to pre-adoption decree procedures.  Updated information on 
Paraguayan adoption proceedings and U.S. immigrant visa requirements 
is available from the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy.  
Additional information is available by writing the Office of 
Citizens Consular Services, CA/OCS/CCS, Room 4817, Department of 
State, Washington, D.C. 20520, or by telephoning (202) 647-3712.

Embassy Location/Registration:  Americans who register with the 
Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Asuncion at 1776 Mariscal 
Lopez Avenue, telephone (595-21) 213-715, may obtain updated 
information on travel and security within Paraguay.

 No. 93-149

This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated October 27, 1992 
to update information on entry requirements for minors, adoptions, 
and crime and to add information about reporting the loss or theft 
abroad of a U.S. passport.