From: owner-travel-advisories Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Vietnam Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Tue, 11 Jun 1996 18:08:31 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:1077 Path: world!root Message-ID: <960611180830_76702.1202_CHN60-1@CompuServe.COM> Precedence: bulk Sender: root@world.std.com (daemons) Distribution: wstd Approved: usenet@world.std.com Lines: 184 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Vietnam ============================================================ Vietnam - Public Announcement June 11, 1996 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman For Immediate Release During the period leading up to the eighth congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam to be held at the end of June, visa issuance at Vietnamese embassies is being restricted. Many travelers are being informed by Vietnamese embassies that they must defer their trip to Vietnam until after the party congress. There may be instances in which persons already issued Vietnamese visas are denied entry to Vietnam. The U.S. Embassy has learned that police authorities are verifying the identity of foreigners in Vietnam. The Embassy recommends that American citizens in Vietnam carry a photocopy of the data and photo page of their passport with them at all times. This Public Announcement will expire July 5, 1996. Vietnam - Consular Information Sheet October 3, 1995 Country Description: Vietnam is a poor agrarian country controlled by a communist government. Tourist facilities are not well established, but are improving. Entry Requirements: U.S. passports are valid for travel in Vietnam. Visas are required. Visa information may be obtained from the Vietnamese Embassy, 1233 20th Street N.W., Suite 501, Washington, DC 20036 (tel. 202-861-0737) or from a travel agent that organizes travel to Vietnam. Medical Facilities: Medical facilities do not meet U.S. standards and frequently lack medicines and supplies. The Vietnamese National Administration of Tourism has created a program to provide emergency medical assistance, including evacuations, to all visitors holding valid tourist visas and traveling in groups. Specific questions regarding health matters can be directed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's international travelers hotline, telephone (404) 332-4559. 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, including provision for medical evacuation, has proven to be useful. In cases of death of foreigners, charges for cremation or shipment of remains have generally been very high. Information on Crime: Petty crime is a problem in Ho Chi Minh City. Petty theft, briefcase and purse snatching, and pickpocketing are common, particularly on the city's main streets, and around the major hotels. Assaults have been reported in outlying areas. Some pedicab drivers have reportedly kidnapped passengers and extorted money; it therefore may be risky to hire pedicabs not associated with reputable hotels or other establishments such as restaurants. There has been an increase in petty theft in Hanoi. In view of the increasing theft, passports should be kept in hotel safes or other secure location. Lost or stolen passports should be reported to the local police and the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi. Useful information on safeguarding valuables and protecting personal security while abroad is provided in the Department of State pamphlet, "A Safe Trip Abroad," available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Drug Penalties: Travelers are subject to the laws and legal practices of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties for possession, use and trafficking in illegal drugs are strict. Long jail sentences and fines are common, and foreigners have been executed for drug smuggling. Consular Access: U.S. citizens are encouraged to carry photocopies of passport data and photo pages with them at all times so that, if questioned by Vietnamese officials, proof of U.S. citizenship is readily available. U.S. consular officers in Vietnam are not always promptly notified when a U.S. citizen has been arrested or detained. Moreover, the Vietnamese government does not always grant U.S. consular officers access to incarcerated U.S. citizens in a timely manner. This is particularly true when the U.S. citizen is also a dual national and is considered by the Vietnamese government to be a citizen of Vietnam. U.S. citizens have rights to consular access and should insist upon contact with the U.S. Embassy. The U.S. and Vietnam have agreed upon each other's rights of access to detained nationals bearing their respective passports, and that bearers of U.S. passports who enter Vietnam with a Vietnamese visa will be regarded as U.S. citizens for purposes of access. Dual nationals who enter Vietnam on Vietnamese passports may be denied consular access to U.S. consular officials. Security: Security personnel at times may place foreign visitors under surveillance. Hotel rooms, telephones and fax machines may be monitored, and personal possessions in hotel rooms may be searched. Large gatherings, such as those forming at the scene of traffic accidents, can become violent. Taking photographs of anything that could be perceived as being of military or security interest may result in problems with authorities. Foreign visitors to Vietnam have been arbitrarily arrested, detained or expelled for activities that would not be considered crimes in the U.S. Visitors deemed suspicious may be detained, along with their Vietnamese contacts, relatives, and friends. Involvement in politics, possession of political material or unsanctioned religious activities can result in detention. Passport Seizures/Exit Bans: The Vietnamese government has seized the passports and blocked the departure of foreigners involved in commercial disputes. Passports should not be used as security for rental of vehicles. Several U.S. citizens have been unable to regain their passports when motorcycles have been damaged or stolen until they have paid for the damage or loss. In such circumstances, the U.S. government may re-issue a passport to an American citizen who applies for one. The Vietnamese exit ban, however, would remain in effect, preventing departure. Americans involved in traffic accidents have not been allowed to leave the country before paying compensation -- often determined arbitrarily -- for property damage or injuries to Vietnamese nationals. Other Seizures: Authorities have seized documents, audio and video tapes, compact discs, literature, and letters which they deem to be religious, pornographic, or political in nature or intended for religious proselytizing. They have detained and expelled individuals believed to be engaged in such activities. Property Issues and Lifting of Sanctions: On January 28, 1995, the U.S. and Vietnam signed agreements resolving diplomatic property issues and settling outstanding claims between the two countries. For more information contact: Assistant Legal Adviser for International Claims and Investment Disputes, Department of State, SA-44, Room 205, Washington, DC 20520, telephone 202-776-8360. Pursuant to the February 3, 1994 lifting of sanctions against Vietnam, U.S. visitors to Vietnam are no longer subject to spending limitations. Vietnam is now listed under U.S. export controls applicable to Country Group Y. Business representatives must comply with all normal Commerce Department export requirements. For additional information contact: The Bureau of Export Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1400 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20230, telephone (202) 482-4811. Dual Nationality: U.S. citizens who were born in Vietnam or are former citizens of Vietnam, and their children, while required to obtain visas as foreigners, are treated in criminal matters as Vietnamese nationals by Vietnamese authorities. They also have been subjected to laws that impose special obligations upon Vietnamese nationals, such as military service and taxes. Specific questions on dual nationality may be directed to the Vietnamese Embassy or to the Office of American Citizens Services and Crisis Management, Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520, telephone (202) 647-5226. U.S. Embassy Location: On August 6, 1995, the U.S. Liaison Office was upgraded to an Embassy, after the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Vietnam. The U.S. Embassy provides most consular functions except for immigrant visa issuance, which continues to be handled by the Orderly Departure Program at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand. The U.S. Embassy provides limited visa services (for diplomatic, professional, and education program travel only). Their hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The address is 7 Lang Ha, Dong Da District, Hanoi, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, telephone (84-4) 431500. There is presently no U.S. government office in Ho Chi Minh City. No. 95-120 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet issued on May 8, 1995, to reflect the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam and the upgrade of the Liaison Offices to Embassy status, and to add and update the categories of consular access, security and document seizures. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- 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