Travel Update-Weekly Edition

State Dept Travel Warnings and Public announcements - For the full announcements or further detail on Travel Warnings and Public Announcements, please see  http://travel.state.gov/travel 

China - The U.S. Department of State issued the following Travel Alert for China on June 3: "This Travel Alert updates U.S. citizens on the effects of the earthquake that struck China’s Sichuan province on May 12. U.S. citizens should continue to avoid the areas of Sichuan province most severely affected by the earthquake and be prepared for travel delays in other parts of the province. Areas outside of Sichuan province are not experiencing earthquake-related damage or delays. This supersedes the Travel Alert dated May 16, 2008, and expires on January 15, 2009. "Cities and towns to the north and northwest of Sichuan's provincial capital, Chengdu, are the areas most seriously damaged by the earthquake. These include Wenchuan County near the earthquake's epicenter, Beichuan, Dujiangyan, Mianzhu, Mianyang, and Maoxian. Recovery and restoration operations in these areas are ongoing; infrastructure has been damaged, and road, air and rail transportation disrupted. Travelers may experience road blocks as far north as the popular tourist site, Jiuzhaigou, and as far west as Maerkang. Some secondary roads are dangerous or impassible in these areas as well. Aftershocks continue to occur, causing further damage, occasionally blocking roads, and complicating the significant recovery and restoration efforts now under way. The possibility of landslides exists throughout the affected area. "Other areas of Sichuan province, such as the large metropolitan area of Chengdu, suffered less damage, but continue to experience light aftershocks. Areas outside of Sichuan are not experiencing earthquake-related travel delays."

 

Pakistan - On July  the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad issued the following Warden Message: "This Warden Notice is to remind American citizens of the potential for further violence in the Lal Masjid (Red Mosque), Aabpara Market and Melody Market areas. Demonstrations are expected in the area surrounding the Lal Masjid from July 6 to approximately July 15. A suicide bombing occurred at Melody Market last night, resulting in multiple casualties, and there is a potential for continued acts of violence. "The Lal Masjid is located on the street between Aabpara Market and Melody Market in Sector G-6. Embassy personnel are prohibited from traveling to these areas, and the Embassy recommends that private American citizens also restrict their travel in these locations. "The Embassy reiterates its advice to all Americans to take appropriate individual precautions to ensure their safety and security at all times. These measures include maintaining good situational awareness, avoiding crowds and demonstrations and keeping a low profile. Americans should avoid setting patterns by varying times and routes for all required travel. Americans should ensure that their travel documents and visas are valid at all times."

 

Philippines - On July 10 the U.S. Embassy in Manila issued a Warden Message, which reads in part as follows: "The Embassy is monitoring recent bombings in Mindanao against electrical power lines, as well as the defusing of improvised explosive devices on July 4 and 5. These acts may indicate a planned escalation of attacks, which could include shopping malls, commercial centers and other public gathering places. U.S. citizens should exercise extreme caution in Mindanao, particularly over the next several weeks. ..."

 

Saudi Arabia - The U.S. Department of State issued the following Travel Warning for Saudi Arabia on July 9: "This Travel Warning updates information on the security situation in Saudi Arabia and reminds U.S. citizens of recommended security precautions. It supersedes the Travel Warning issued December 19, 2007.  The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to consider carefully the risks of traveling to Saudi Arabia. There is an ongoing security threat due to the continued presence of terrorist groups, some affiliated with al Qaida, who may target Western interests, housing compounds, and other facilities where Westerners congregate. These terrorist groups may also target Saudi Government facilities and economic/commercial targets within the Kingdom. In February 2007, four French tourists were killed in a terrorist incident on a desert track north of Medina. A gunman fired shots at the U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah in May 2006. In February 2006, an attack was attempted on Saudi oil facilities in Abqaiq in the Eastern Province. An armed attack on the U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah on December 6, 2004, resulted in five deaths and eleven serious injuries among non-U.S. staff members. Although terrorists have not conducted a successful attack against Westerners since February 2007, the United States Mission in Saudi Arabia remains an unaccompanied post as a result of continued security concerns. The Department of State has approved a family visitation program, in part because of the significant progress Saudi security forces have made in counteracting the terrorist threat within Saudi Arabia as they continue to arrest and break up terrorist cells. From time to time, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Saudi Arabia may restrict travel of official Americans or suspend public services for security reasons. In those instances, the Embassy and Consulates will keep the local American citizen community apprised through the Warden system and make every effort to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens. Warden messages can be found on the U.S. Embassy Riyadh website: http://riyadh.usembassy.gov. American citizens who choose to visit Saudi Arabia are strongly urged to avoid staying in hotels or housing compounds that do not apply stringent security measures and are also advised to maintain good situational awareness when visiting commercial establishments frequented by Westerners. American citizens also are advised to keep a low profile; vary times and routes of travel; exercise caution while driving, entering or exiting vehicles; and ensure that travel documents and visas are current and valid. The Department of State advises that under Saudi law, married women need the permission of their husbands to leave Saudi Arabia and their children will require their father’s permission to exit the country. This is true regardless of nationality. The U.S. Embassy has very limited ability to facilitate exit permission. On February 20, 2008, a new regulation took effect. It requires Saudi men seeking the mandatory permission from their government to marry a foreign woman to sign a binding document granting irrevocable permission for their foreign-born spouse, and children born to them and that spouse, to travel freely and unhindered in and out of Saudi Arabia. However, this regulation is not retroactive. Under Saudi law, women married to Saudi males prior to the effective date of these new regulations still need the permission of their husbands to leave Saudi Arabia, and their children require the permission of their fathers to leave the country. Updated information on travel and security in Saudi Arabia may be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 from within the U.S. or Canada or, from outside the U.S. or Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays.) For additional information, consult the Department of State’s Country Specific Information for Saudi Arabia, and the Worldwide Caution at http://travel.state.gov.

 

Uzbekistan - The U.S. Department of State issued the following Travel Warning for Uzbekistan on July 3: "This Travel Warning is being issued to remind U.S. citizens that the potential for a terrorist attack or localized civil disturbance still exists, despite the fact that there have been no violent incidents in Uzbekistan since May 2005. The Department of State continues to urge Americans in Uzbekistan to exercise caution when traveling in the region. This supersedes the Travel Warning dated October 25, 2007. "The U.S. Government continues to receive information that indicates terrorist groups may be planning attacks, possibly against U.S. interests, in Uzbekistan. Supporters of terrorist groups such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Al-Qaida, the Islamic Jihad Union, and the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement are active in the region. Members of these groups have expressed anti-U.S. sentiments and have attacked U.S. Government interests in the past, including the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent, and may attempt to target U.S. Government or private American interests in Uzbekistan. In the past, these groups have conducted kidnappings, assassinations, and suicide bombings, though no instances have been documented in recent years. "High security at official U.S. facilities may lead terrorists and their sympathizers to seek softer targets. These may include facilities where Americans and other foreigners congregate or visit, such as residential areas, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, hotels, outdoor recreation events, and resorts. The U.S. Embassy in Tashkent continues to employ heightened security precautions. U.S. citizens should report any unusual activity to local authorities and then inform the Embassy. "The Uzbek Government maintains travel restrictions on large parts of the Surkhandarya province bordering Afghanistan, including the border city of Termez. American citizens intending to travel to this region must obtain a special permission card from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, or Uzbek embassies and consulates abroad. Even with permission, however, some American citizens transiting to Afghanistan via Termez have been briefly detained and/or fined for not registering in Uzbekistan. Furthermore, American citizens affiliated with nongovernmental organizations that have been closed in Uzbekistan may be denied entry, even with a valid visa."