From: owner-travel-advisories Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Belize Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Wed, 2 Dec 1998 16:11:17 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:1999 Path: world!bzs Message-ID: <199812021114_MC2-622E-66DE@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: 155 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Belize ============================================================ Belize - Consular Information Sheet November 30, 1998 COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Belize is a developing country. Its tourism facilities vary in quality, from business class hotels in Belize City, to comfortable ecotourism lodges, to very basic accommodations. Local and international water taxis do not always carry sufficient safety equipment, may carry an excess number of passengers and may sail in inclement weather. Travelers should exercise caution when using water taxis. It is not possible to access U.S. bank accounts through automated teller machines (ATMs) in Belize. Travelers can, however, obtain cash advances from local banks, Monday through Friday, using major international credit cards. Belize has completely recovered from the effects of Hurricane Mitch in October 1998. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: U.S. citizens need a passport valid for at least six months past ones planned stay in Belize. U.S. citizens do not need visas for tourist visits of up to thirty days, although onward or return air tickets and proof of sufficient funds are required. Visitors for other purposes must obtain a visa. Additional information on entry requirements may be obtained from the Embassy of Belize at 2535 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20008, tel. (202) 332-9636. Information is also available at the Belizean Consulate in Miami or at the Belizean Mission to the U.N. in New York. MEDICAL FACILITIES: Medical care is limited. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. The Medicare/Medicaid program does not provide for payment of medical services 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. Information on vaccinations and other health precautions may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions international travelers hotline at telephone: 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747); fax: 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299); or by visiting the CDC Internet home page at http://www.cdc.gov. CRIME INFORMATION: Crime, including robbery and mugging, continues to be a problem. Belize City has been the site of more reported incidents than other areas of the country. Crimes against tourists at resorts, while not unheard of, are rare. During daylight hours on May 2, 1998, a group of masked, armed robbers blocked one of the three major highways in Belize, the Hummingbird Highway near the capital of Belmopan, and held up twenty vehicles. The robbers killed one man who did not cooperate and injured others who tried to flee the area. A few less serious armed robberies have been reported near the western border with Guatemala. Travelers visiting the border area are advised to travel during daylight hours. Travelers should not travel alone, and should ensure that their vehicles are in good operating condition, are adequately fueled, and carry communications equipment, if possible. The incidence of such crimes as theft, burglary and pickpocketing rises around the Christmas and New Year holiday season. Travelers should keep valuables out of sight, avoid wearing jewelry, and travel in groups during daylight hours to minimize the risk of being targeted. Individuals may contact the Belizean tourist police unit as well as the main police office for assistance. All incidents of assault, robbery, theft or other crimes should be reported to the police immediately. Penalties for possession of unlicensed firearms or unlicensed ammunition are strict, including high fines and mandatory jail sentences for repeat offenders. U.S. citizens contemplating bringing firearms or ammunition into Belize should contact the Belizean Embassy for additional information on importation. Individuals and organizations must obtain a permit to possess pre-Colombian artifacts. Permits are not granted for the export or sale of such artifacts. The possession, sale or export of artifacts, or the attempt to sell or export artifacts, carries high fines and jail sentences. Individuals in possession of such artifacts have been arrested and fined. Individuals and organizations must obtain a CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) permit to collect, possess and/or export certain plants, animals and plant and animal products. Failure to obtain the proper permits can result in confiscation of the item and imposition of fines and jail sentences. The loss or theft of a U.S. passport abroad 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. This publication and others, such as Tips For Travelers to Central and South America, are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. DRUG PENALTIES: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties in Belize for possession and trafficking in drugs are strict, and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines. AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Belize's civil aviation authority as Category 3 not in compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of Belizean air carrier operations. Operations to the U.S. by Belizean air carriers are not permitted unless they arrange to have the flights conducted by a carrier from a country meeting international safety standards. For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation within the U.S. at 1-800-322-7873, or visit the FAA Internet website at http://www.faa.gov/avr/iasa.htm. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) does not permit its personnel to use air carriers from Category 3 countries for official business. For information regarding the DOD policy on specific carriers, travelers may contact the Pentagon at (703) 697-7288. TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: Roads in Belize vary from two-lane paved roads to dirt tracks. It is not uncommon to encounter pedestrians, horses, bicycles, farm equipment, trucks or other motorized vehicles traveling or stopped on highways and roads. Service stations are available on the three main highways, connecting Belize City with Mexico, Guatemala, and southern Belize, at distant but reasonable intervals. There are few service stations other than on these highways or in large towns. There are no emergency road services, and there are few public telephones, even on the major highways. Since May 1998, there has been one serious robbery on one of the major highways and a few other less serious incidents near the western border with Guatemala. It is not recommended that travelers drive after dark, given the condition of the roads, lack of services and the absence of street lighting. It is recommended for safety reasons that travelers not stop to offer assistance to others whose vehicles have apparently broken down. REGISTRATION/EMBASSY LOCATION: U.S. citizens are encouraged to register at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Belize City, where updated information on travel conditions and security in Belize is available. The U.S. Embassy is located at the intersection of Gabourel Lane and Hutson Street in Belize City, telephone 011 (501) 2-77161/62/63. ***** This replaces the Consular Information Sheet for Belize dated March 6, 1997 to update information on country description, crime, aviation safety oversight, and traffic safety and road conditions. The Belize Travel Warning dated October 27, 1998, has been canceled. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- 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