Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories From: 76702.1202@compuserve.COM (Wally Doerge) Subject: ALL: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Saudi Arabia Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Distribution: wstd Date: Fri, 22 Apr 1994 20:02:27 GMT STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Saudi Arabia ============================================================ Saudi Arabia - Consular Information Sheet April 22, 1994 Country Description: The Saudi Arabian political system is a monarchy. The king is chosen from and by members of the Al-Saud family. The king rules through royal decrees issued in conjunction with the Council of Ministers, and with advice from the Consultative Council. Members of both councils are appointed by the king. Islamic law is the basis of the authority of the monarchy, and provides the foundation of the country's conservative customs and practices. Saudi Arabia has a modern and well-developed infrastructure, and facilities for travelers are widely available, although the country does not issue visas for tourism. The workweek in Saudi Arabia is Saturday through Wednesday. Entry Requirements: Passports and visas are required. Tourist visas are not available for travel to Saudi Arabia. Visas are required for persons on vessels calling at the port of Jeddah. Visitors must have a business or personal sponsor. Residents in Saudi Arabia generally must surrender their passports, and the passports of family members, to the Saudi sponsor while in the kingdom, and are required to get an exit/reentry visa each time they leave Saudi Arabia. Those on visitor visas do not need an exit visa to leave the kingdom. Residents carry a Saudi residence permit (iqama) for identification in place of their passports. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates General cannot sponsor private American citizens for Saudi visas. Visitors to Saudi Arabia generally obtain a meningitis vaccination prior to arrival. A medical report is required to obtain a work and residence permit. This includes a medical certification stating that the individual is free of AIDS. Temporary visitors need not present an AIDS-free certification. For further information on entry requirements, travelers may contact the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, 601 New Hampshire Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037, telephone (202) 333-4595, or a Saudi Arabian Consulate General in Los Angeles (telephone 213-208-6566), New York (telephone 212-752-2740) or Houston (telephone 713-785-5577). Exit Permission: Residents in Saudi Arabia may not depart the country without obtaining an exit permit, which requires the approval of their Saudi sponsor. The U.S. Embassy and Consulates General cannot apply for an exit permit for a U.S. citizen under any circumstances. A married woman residing in Saudi Arabia with her husband must have her husband's permission for herself and her children to depart the country, even if they are U.S. citizens. Persons in Saudi Arabia on visitor visas do not need an exit visa to leave the country. Saudi Customs, Religious Police, and General Standards of Conduct: Islam pervades all aspects of life in Saudi Arabia. It is the official religion of the country, and observance of any other religion is forbidden. Non-Muslim religious services are illegal and public display of non-Islamic religious articles such as crosses and bibles is not permitted. Travel to Mecca and Medina, the cities where the two holy mosques of Islam are located, is forbidden to non-Muslims. The norms for public behavior in Saudi Arabia are extremely conservative, and religious police, known as mutawwa'in, are charged with enforcing these standards. To ensure that conservative standards of conduct are observed, the Saudi religious police have harassed, accosted or arrested foreigners, including U.S. citizens, for improper dress or other infractions, such as consumption of alcohol or association by a female with a non-relative male. While most incidents have resulted only in inconvenience or embarrassment, the potential exists for an individual to be physically harmed or deported. U.S. citizens who are involved in an incident with the mutawwa'in may report the incident to the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh or the U.S. Consulates General in Jeddah or Dhahran. The Saudi Embassy in Washington advises women traveling to Saudi Arabia to dress in a conservative fashion, wearing ankle-length dresses with long sleeves, and not to wear trousers in public. In many areas of Saudi Arabia, particularly Riyadh and the central part of the Kingdom, mutawwa'in pressure women to wear a full-length black covering known as an abaya and to cover their heads. The result is that most women in these areas wear the abaya and carry a headscarf to avoid harassment. Women who appear to be of Arab or Asian ethnic origin, especially Muslims, face a greater risk of harassment. Some mutawwa'in try to enforce the rule that men and women who are beyond childhood years may not mingle in public, unless they are family or close relatives. Mutawwa'in may ask to see proof that a couple is married or related. Women who are arrested for socializing with a man who is not a relative may be charged with prostitution. Women who are not accompanied by a close male relative have not been served at some restaurants, particularly fast-food outlets. In addition, many restaurants no longer have a "family section" in which women are permitted to eat. These restrictions are not always posted, and in some cases women violating this policy have been arrested. Women are not allowed to drive vehicles or ride bicycles on public roads. In public, dancing, music, and movies are forbidden. Pornography is strictly forbidden. Homosexual activity is considered to be a criminal offense and those convicted may be sentenced to lashing and/or a prison sentence. Alcohol and Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling or residing. In Saudi Arabia penalties for the import, manufacture, possession and consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs are severe and convicted offenders can expect sentences of jail terms, fines, public flogging, and/or deportation. The penalty for drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia is capital punishment. Saudi officials make no exceptions. Child Custody: In Saudi Arabia, child custody decisions are based on Islamic law. It is extremely difficult for an American woman, even a Muslim, to obtain custody of her children through a Saudi court decision. Further information on this subject can be obtained in the Department of State publications "Marriage to Saudis" and "Child Custody Disputes in Saudi Arabia" which are available from the Office of Overseas Citizens Services, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520-4818, telephone (202) 647-7000, or from the U.S. Embassy or Consulates General in Saudi Arabia. Business Disputes: Prior to the execution of a final contract, some business persons and contract employees of Saudi companies have obtained an independent translation of the Arabic-language contract, to ensure a full understanding of all terms, limits and agreements, because the Arabic version usually governs under Saudi law. Settlement of disputes depends on the type of agreement and the agency involved. If the Saudi party in a business dispute files a complaint with the Saudi authorities, Saudi law permits barring the exit of the foreign party from the country until the dispute is settled. U.S. consular officers can provide lists of local attorneys to help U.S. citizens settle business disputes, but ultimate responsibility for the resolution of disputes through the Saudi legal system lies with the parties involved. Medical Facilities: Basic modern medical care and medicines are available in several hospitals and health centers in Saudi Arabia. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. Supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage has proved useful. The international travelers hotline at the Centers for Disease Control, telephone (404) 332-4559, has additional health information. Information on Crime: Crime is generally not a problem for travelers in Saudi Arabia. However, private Saudi citizens who perceive that conservative standards of conduct are not being observed by a foreigner may harass, pursue, or assault the person. The loss or theft of a U.S. passport abroad should be reported immediately to local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. Useful information on safeguarding valuables and protecting personal security while traveling abroad is provided in the Department of State pamphlet, "A Safe Trip Abroad." General information about travel to Saudi Arabia can be found in the Department of State publication "Tips for Travelers to the Middle East and North Africa". Both pamphlets are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. 20402. Registration: U.S. citizens who register at the U.S. Embassy or the U.S. Consulates General may obtain updated information on travel and security within Saudi Arabia. Embassy Location: The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is located at Collector Road M, Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter. The mailing address is P.O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693, or AMEMBASSY, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307. The Embassy telephone number is (966-1) 488-3800, FAX (966-1) 488-7360. The Consulate General in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, is located between Aramco Headquarters and Dhahran International Airport. The mailing address is P.O. Box 81, Dhahran Airport 31932, or Unit 66803, APO AE 09858-6803. The telephone number is (966-3) 891-3200, FAX (966-3) 891-8332. The Consulate General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is located on Palestine Road, Ruwais. The mailing address is P.O. Box 149, Jeddah; or Unit 62112, APO AE 09811-2112. The telephone number is (966-2) 667-0080, FAX (966-2) 669-3074. The workweek in Saudi Arabia is Saturday through Wednesday. No. 94-052 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet for Saudi Arabia dated August 31, 1993, to add information about the risk of harassment or arrest by Saudi religious police, and to add information on child custody disputes.