From: owner-travel-advisories Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Vanuatu Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1998 21:57:49 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:2028 Path: world!bzs Message-ID: <199812281702_MC2-64DA-1CAB@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: 127 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Vanuatu ============================================================ Vanuatu - Consular Information Sheet December 22, 1998 COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Vanuatu consists of 80 islands located in a Y-shaped archipelago, 1,300 miles northeast of Sydney, Australia. It is an independent parliamentary democracy and a member of the British Commonwealth, with a primarily agricultural economy. Tourist facilities are limited outside of the capital, Port Vila, located on Efate Island. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: A passport and onward/return ticket are required. Visas are not required for stays up to 30 days. 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, particularly those planning to enter by sailing vessel, may consult the Vanuatu Mission to the United Nations at 865 U.N. Plaza, 4th Floor Room 41, First Avenue and 48th Street, New York, NY 10017; tel. (212) 593-0144/0215, fax (212) 593-0219 or the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. at tel. (202) 588-7809. CRIME INFORMATION: Violent crime is rare in Vanuatu, but petty theft does occur. 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, via 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: Medical facilities are limited. 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. Malaria incidence is high in some areas of Vanuatu. MEDICAL INSURANCE: Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payments for health services. The Medicare/Medicaid Program does not provide payment for 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 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. Additional information on vaccinations and other health precautions may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's international travelers hotline at 1-888-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 Vanuatu, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Vanuatu's Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of Vanuatu's 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: Vanuatu is a chain of islands and atolls; travel between them is mainly done by light plane and boat. Only Port Vila and the town of Luganville, located on Espiritu Santo Island, have paved roads, on which a speed limit of 50 kilometers an hour is enforced. These paved roads are two lanes and can be narrow in spots; care should be taken especially when driving at night or along unfamiliar routes. The roads found in all other areas are unpaved or dirt tracks. Traffic moves on the right. 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 Vanuatu. Assistance for U.S. citizens is provided by the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, which is located on Douglas Street, adjacent to the Bank of Papua New Guinea, in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. This address should be used 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. There is a voluntary American warden located in Port Vila who has general information and forms (such as passport application forms). The U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby can provide information on how to get in touch with him. Americans are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea and to obtain updated information on travel and security in Vanuatu from the U.S. Embassy. This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated June 11, 1996 to revise the sections about Entry Requirements and Medical Facilities, to add a 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. 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