From: owner-travel-advisories Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Peru Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 11:57:38 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:1106 Path: world!root Message-ID: <960725115738_76702.1202_CHN44-1@CompuServe.COM> Precedence: bulk Sender: root@world.std.com (daemons) Distribution: wstd Approved: usenet@world.std.com Lines: 235 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Peru ============================================================ Peru - Consular Information Sheet July 24, 1996 Country Description: Peru is a developing country with significant tourist and commercial activity. The quality of tourist facilities varies, depending on cost and location. Entry Requirements: U.S. citizens must have a valid passport but do not need a visa for tourist visits of up to 90 days. Visitors for other purposes must obtain a visa. Further information regarding entry requirements is available from the Embassy of Peru, 1700 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036, tel. (202) 833-9860, and Peruvian consulates in California, Florida, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and Texas. Medical Facilities: Medical care is adequate in major cities but is generally less so elsewhere. Private health facilities tend to offer more modern equipment and a better supply of medicines than public hospitals. Local health care providers do not accept U.S. health insurance coverage and require cash payment upon provision of medical services. Medicare/Medicaid does not pay for medical services outside the United States. Supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage, including provision for medical evacuation or other emergency, is strongly recommended. For information regarding health conditions and precautions, contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's international travelers hotline at (404) 332-4559, Internet - http://www.cdc.gov/. Terrorist Activity: Peruvian government action has greatly reduced the effectiveness of the two active terrorist groups, Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) and MRTA (Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement). Terrorist attacks have not occurred in traditional tourist destinations outside Lima in recent years. Terrorists do, however, continue to attempt sporadic attacks against institutional targets, including government offices, embassies and major commercial interests. Incidents during 1995-1996, including two major car bombings, have occurred in industrial areas and affluent Lima suburbs. U.S. visitors to Peru are advised of the potential risk of collateral damage from terrorist bomb attacks. In July 1995 in La Libertad Department, a Peruvian employee was killed in an attack directed against geologists working for a U.S. mining company. Mineral prospectors and other investors visiting remote areas of Peru are strongly advised to contact the U.S. Embassy for updated security information. The U.S. Embassy restricts official travel of government employees to several areas because terrorist groups and narcotics traffickers there still resort to violence, usually against local security forces and civilians. Overland travel in or near these areas, particularly at night, is risky. (Note: These "restricted travel areas" do not in all cases correspond to existing Peruvian government-designated "emergency zones" which still encompass nearly half of the country, including metropolitan Lima. Certain constitutional rights are suspended in these "emergency zones," giving security forces extraordinary powers to detain and question individuals.) Private U.S. citizens may wish to take the following U.S. Embassy employee-restricted travel areas into consideration when making their travel plans. Ancash: Provinces of Pallasca, Corongo, and Sihuas. Apurimac: All areas, except Abancay City by road from Cuzco, and Andahuaylas by private or charter air only. Ayachucho: All areas, except Ayachucho and Huanta City, and the highway that joins them. Cajamarca: Provinces of Cajabamba and Jaen, except Jaen City. Cuzco: Province of La Convencion, except Quillabamba City. Huancavelica: All areas, except Huancavelica City by train from Huancayo. Huanuco: All areas, except the cities of Huanuco by highway from Cerro de Pasco and Tingo Maria by highway from Huanuco. The highway leading north from Tingo Maria is considered extremely dangerous. Junin: Provinces of Satipo and Chanchamayo, except La Merced City and San Ramon, and the highway that joins these two cities with Tarma. La Libertad: Provinces of Bolivar, Sanchez Carrion, Otuzco and Pataz. Pasco: Province of Oxapampa, except Puerto Bermudez and Ciudad Constitucion cities, by air. Piura: Province of Huancabamba San Martin: All rural areas. Travel by air is permitted to the cities of Tarapoto, Juanjui, Lamas, Saposa, Rioja and Moyobamba Ucayali: Provinces of Padre Abad and Coronel Portillo, except Pucallpa City by air. This list is under constant review. For updated information regarding U.S. Embassy-designated restricted travel areas, contact the U.S. Embassy in Lima. Security and Crime Information: Outside the above-listed areas, Peru is relatively safe for the group tourist who takes appropriate precautions and does not stray from the confines of organized tour packages. The risk of street crime in downtown Lima and other tourist areas is high. Violent crimes include assault and armed robbery. There have been several "choke and rob" attacks against tourists in Cuzco, particularly near the train station and the Plaza de Armas (Main Square). Carjackings/kidnappings have occurred in urban areas. Resistance to violent crime usually provokes greater violence. Travel in groups and with experienced guides during daylight hours is safer. Walking alone, especially late at night or early in the morning, can be dangerous. Nonviolent street crime such as petty theft also occurs in most other urban areas. Hostilities in the border area between Peru and Ecuador have ceased. Both countries are in the process of negotiating their differences. Border crossings are not usually restricted, but travelers are advised to follow the instructions of local authorities. It is important that trail hikers register at Ministry of Tourism trail checkpoints and register admission to national parks. Visitors to high altitude places, such as Cuzco and Puno, should be aware of the effects of high altitude, which may affect people regardless of overall physical condition. It is also essential for visitors to remote tribal areas to obtain permission to visit from the tribal council, and not to visit villages without advance permission. Two U.S. citizens who did not have such permission were attacked, one killed and one severely wounded, in the Maranon River between Imaza and Santa Maria de Nieva in January 1995. Visitors to Peru should immediately report any criminal activity against them to the nearest police station or tourism police office and to the U.S. Embassy in Lima or the consular agent in Cuzco. Immediate action may result in detaining the thieves and recovering stolen property. There is a 24-hour hotline where tourists may register complaints, provided by INDECOPI (National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property). In Lima call tel. 224-7888 or 224-8600. Outside of Lima, callers should dial the prefix (01) then these numbers or the toll free number 0-800-42579 (not available from pay phones, but may be accessed from any private phone). 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, as well as 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. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties in Peru for possession, use and trafficking in illegal drugs are strict. Persons arrested on drug trafficking or other criminal charges can expect protracted pre-trial detention and, if convicted, long jail sentences and heavy fines. Prison conditions are poor. Other Information: Updated information on Peruvian adoption procedures and the U.S. immigrant visa application process is available from the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy, as well as from the Office of Children's Issues, Room 4811, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520, tel. (202) 736-7000. Civil marriage in Peru of U.S. citizen non-residents to Peruvians is difficult, if not impossible. Non-residents are required to present a "Certificado de Solteria" (certificate of marriageability). The U.S. Embassy does not issue such documents. The U.S. Embassy also does not authenticate U.S. civil documents for local use. U.S. citizens may wish to have a Peruvian consular official in the U.S. authenticate relevant U.S. civil documents before traveling to Peru. Civil Aviation Oversight: As a result of an assessment conducted by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in June 1995, the FAA has found the government of Peru's Civil Aviation Authority not to be in compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of Peru's air carrier operations. While consultations to correct the deficiencies are ongoing, Peru's carriers are permitted to conduct limited operations to the U.S. subject to heightened FAA surveillance. For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation at 1-800-322-7873. Road Conditions: Road travel at night is very dangerous due to poor illumination and other road hazards, such as potholes, sudden lane ends, unmarked road works, parked/stalled vehicles, and vehicles without working lights. It is also risky to drive alone on rural roads or without spare equipment and supplies since the distance between road services is great in remote areas. Trucks and buses pose particular hazards due to the high speeds and/or unsecured loads with which they often travel. For further information, travelers may wish to contact their nearest automobile club or the Asociacion Automotriz del Peru, 299 Avenida Dos de Mayo, San Isidro, Lima, Peru, tel. (51) (1) 440-0495. Registration and Embassy/Consular Agency Locations: U.S. citizens with valid U.S. passports may register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Lima and may also obtain updated information on travel and security within Peru. The U.S. Embassy is open for these services Monday through Friday, except U.S. and Peruvian holidays, from 8 AM to noon. The U.S. Embassy in Lima is located at Avenida la Encalada, Block Seventeen, Monterrico, Lima, tel. (51) (1) 434-3000 during business hours (8 AM to 5 PM except weekends and holidays) and (51) (1) 434-3032 for emergencies only during non-business hours. The consular agency in Cuzco is located at Avenida Tullumayo 125, tel. (51-84) 23-9451. No. 96-137 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet for Peru dated July 28, 1995, providing updated information on medical facilities, terrorist activity, crime, and the new U.S. Embassy and Cuzco Agency telephone numbers, and to add information on road conditions. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- 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