Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories
From: 76702.1202@CompuServe.COM (Charlie Smith)
Subject: *NEW* TRAVEL INFORMATION -- Suriname
Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die
Distribution: wstd
Date: Mon, 2 Nov 1992 17:25:30 GMT
STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Suriname
============================================================
Suriname - Consular Information Sheet
 October 27, 1992

Embassy Location:  The U.S. Embassy in Suriname is located at Dr. 
Sophie Redmondstraat 129 in Paramaribo; telephone (597) 477-881.

Country Description:  Suriname is a developing nation.  Tourist 
facilities vary, depending on price and area. 

Entry Requirements:  A passport and a visa are required for travel 
to Suriname.  A business visa requires a letter from the sponsoring 
company.  The Surinamese government recently implemented a 
requirement that visitors must buy 300 Suriname guilders 
(approximately $180.00) at the port of entry.  For further 
information concerning entry requirements, travelers can contact the 
Embassy of the Republic of Suriname, 4301 Connecticut Avenue N.W., 
Suite 108, Washington, D.C. 20008, tel: (202) 244-7488 or the 
Suriname Consulate in Miami.

Areas of Instability:  While the situation in the countryside is at 
present stable, there is insufficient police authority over much of 
the interior of Suriname to offer assistance in an emergency.  
Unaccompanied travel to the interior, particularly the road between 
Zanderij and Apura, is considered risky.

Medical Facilities:  Medical care is limited and may not meet U.S. 
standards.  Malaria and other endemic tropical diseases occur more 
frequently outside the capital.  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, 
supplementary medical insurance with specific overseas coverage has 
proved useful.  For additional health information, travelers can 
contact the Centers for Disease Control's international travelers' 
hotline at (404) 332-4559.

Crime Information:  The rate of violent crime has increased.  It is 
confined mostly to the interior of the country where police 
protection is inadequate.  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.  

Other Information (airline services):  Travelers to Suriname may 
experience disruptions in travel plans due to the unreliability of 
scheduled airline service to and from that country.  Suriname 
Airways (SLM) serves as the only direct air link between the United 
States and Suriname.  Due to ongoing technical problems with the 
sole passenger airliner owned and operated by SLM, delays are common 
and can last up to five days.

Drug Penalties:  Criminal penalties for possession, use, and 
dealing in illegal drugs are strict, and convicted offenders can 
expect lengthy jail sentences and fines.

Tips for Travelers:  The Department of State's pamphlet "Tips for 
Travelers to Central and South America" is available from the 
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, 
Washington, D.C. 20402.

Registration:  Americans who register at the U.S. Embassy can 
obtain updated travel and security information.

 No. 92-88