Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:556 Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Path: world!spike From: Wally Doerge <76702.1202@compuserve.com> Subject: ALL: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Paraguay Message-ID: <940906172656_76702.1202_CHN62-1@CompuServe.COM> Precedence: bulk Sender: spike@world.std.com (daemons) Organization: Software Tool & Die Distribution: wstd Date: Tue, 6 Sep 1994 17:26:56 GMT Approved: usenet@world.std.com Lines: 93 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Paraguay ============================================================ Paraguay - Consular Information Sheet September 2, 1994 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. The Medicare/Medicaid program does not provide for payment of medical services outside the United States. In some cases, medical insurance with specific overseas and medical evacuation 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: Armed robberies, car thefts, and burglaries have increased significantly. Street crime to include pickpocketing and muggings is prevalent in the cities, particularly during the evening hours in the vicinity of hotels and airports. 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 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: Due to serious problems in the international adoption process in Paraguay, including chronic unpredictability in the issuance of final decrees and uncertainty over case processing and prospects for proposed adoption regulations, the U.S. Embassy strongly urges prospective adopting parents to postpone any commitment to a Paraguayan prospective child until such time as the situation at juvenile court is clarified. Some adoptions have been put on hold pending court investigations of local lawyers, notaries and government officials responsible for documentation of birth and abandonment. American citizens who have secured court dates with the judge handling their international adoption petition, should be aware that prospective parents' stay in Asuncion is often a prolonged one. The consular officer is not authorized to act as agents of behalf of U.S. citizens seeking to adopt Paraguayan children. 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. Civil Aviation Oversight: In March 1992, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration assessed Paraguay's civil aviation authority as not in compliance with international aviation safety oversight standards for Paraguay's carriers operating to and from the U.S. Typically, the same level of safety oversight is applied to operations to other destinations. For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation at 1-800-322-7873. Embassy Location/Registration: Americans who register with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Asuncion at 1776 Mariscal Lopez Avenue, telephone: (011-595-21) 213-715, may obtain updated information on travel and security within Paraguay. No. 94-211 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated May 20, 1994 to add information on aviation oversight.