From: owner-travel-advisories Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Soloman Islands Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1998 21:55:18 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:2029 Path: world!bzs Message-ID: <199812281657_MC2-64E0-C836@compuserve.com> Sender: "U.S. Department of State" <76702.1202@compuserve.com> Approved: usenet@world.std.com Distribution: wstd Precedence: bulk Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-List-Info: LN=travel-advisories WHOM=76702.1202@compuserve.com Content-Disposition: inline Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Mime-Version: 1.0 Lines: 130 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Soloman Islands ============================================================ Solomon Islands - Consular Information Sheet December 22, 1998 COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: The Solomon Islands form an archipelago in the southwest Pacific about 1,200 miles northeast of Australia. The capital is Honiara on Guadalcanal Island. The Solomon Islands are a parliamentary democracy within the British Commonwealth. Tourism facilities are limited, particularly outside Honiara. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: U.S. passport holders do not require visas to enter the Solomon Islands. Passports, onward/return tickets and proof of sufficient funds are required. Visitor permits are granted upon arrival at Henderson International Airport in Honiara. Visitors may enter any number of times, provided the total period in Solomon Islands does not exceed 90 days in a 12-month period. Persons arriving on yachts should call the nearest immigration office to complete arrival forms for issuance of visitors permits. Travelers who anticipate the possibility of transiting or visiting Australia are advised to obtain an electronic travel authority (ETA) for Australia before leaving the United States. The ETA is available at time of ticket purchase through travel agents and airlines. For more information about entry requirements, travelers may contact the Solomon Islands Mission to the United Nations at 800 Second Avenue 4th Floor, New York, NY 10017-4709; tel. (212) 599-6192. CRIME INFORMATION: Major crimes against travelers are not common, though petty crimes against property frequently occur in Honiara. 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." It is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 or from the Internet at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs or via the Consular Affairs homepage at http://travel.state.gov. CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and do not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating the law, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs are strict, and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. MEDICAL FACILITIES: Hospitals and pharmacies in the Solomon Islands are limited to population centers and missions. The nearest reliable medical facilities are in Australia or New Zealand. Medical conditions arising as a result of diving accidents may require medical evacuation to Australia or New Zealand. The incidence of malaria is high. MEDICAL INSURANCE: Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payments for health services. The Medicare/Medicaid Program does not provide for payment of medical services outside the United States. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. Travelers have found that, in some cases, supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage, including provision for medical evacuation, has proven to be useful. OTHER HEALTH INFORMATION: Helpful information on medical emergencies abroad is provided in the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs brochure "Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad" available via the Consular Affairs homepage at http://travel.state.gov and the autofax service at (202) 647-3000. Information on vaccinations and other health precautions may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's international travelers hotline at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747), via the CDC autofax service at 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or via the CDC homepage on the Internet at http://www.cdc.gov. AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: As there is no direct commercial air service at present, nor economic authority to operate such service, between the U.S. and the Solomon Islands, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed the Solomon Islands Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of the Solomon Islands' air carrier operations. For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation within the U.S. at 1-800-322-7873, or visit the FAA Internet homepage at http://www.faa.gov/avr/iasa.htm. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) separately assesses some foreign air carriers for suitability as official providers of air services. For information regarding the DOD policy on specific carriers, travelers may contact the Pentagon at (703) 697-7288. TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: In the Solomon Islands, vehicular traffic moves on the left. Paved roads are found only around Honiara, located on Guadalcanal Island. These paved roads are two lanes, not well marked, poorly lit at night, and have many potholes. The remaining roads in the Solomon Islands are made of coral or gravel, or are dirt tracks. Travelers must take care when driving off main roads to avoid trespassing on communal land. REGISTRATION/ EMBASSY LOCATION: There is no U.S. Embassy or diplomatic post in the Solomon Islands. Assistance for U.S. citizens is provided by the U.S. Embassy in Papua New Guinea, which is located on Douglas Street, adjacent to the Bank of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby. Please use this address for courier service deliveries. The mailing address is P.O. Box 1492, Port Moresby, N.C.D. 121, Papua New Guinea; tel. (675) 321-1455; fax (675) 321-1593. U.S. citizens are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, and to obtain updated information on travel and security from the Embassy. There is a volunteer American warden located in Honiara who has general information and forms (such as passport application forms). She may be contacted at B.J.S. Agencies Limited in Honiara, tel. (677) 22-393; fax (677)21-027. This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated June 11, 1996 to revise the sections about Entry Requirements and Medical Facilities, to add a new section on Aviation Safety Oversight, and to correct the phone number for the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- 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