COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR RAMAKRISHNA ?RAMKI? UPPULURI,

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001843

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR RAMAKRISHNA "RAMKI" UPPULURI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AINF PGOV PINR OTRA TW NP
SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR RAMAKRISHNA ?RAMKI? UPPULURI,
NOVEMBER 15-19, 2005

REF: STATE 188521


1. Post grants country clearance to Ramakrishna "Ramki"
Uppuluri during the period November 15-19, 2005. Embassy
control officer is Craig A. Zimmerman, office telephone
number 94-11-244-8007, extension 2401, home telephone
number 94-11-258-5337.


2. Reservations have been made at The Colombo Plaza, Telephone
94-11-243-7437, Fax 94-11-244-9280, which offers lodging
within published per diem rates and which is within walking
distance to the Embassy. Mr. Uppuluri will be met at the
airport by a representative of Abans Tours arranged through
the AMEX travel desk at the Embassy. If you do not see your
name placard after exiting customs, please proceed to Counter
No.19, Abans Tours, to arrange for your pick up. Abans tours
will provide transportation to the hotel. The cost for the
trip will be SLR 1600 (or approx. USD 16). Please make payment
direct to the driver at time of drop off.


3. As far in advance of the visit as possible, visitors must
provide specific details to the control officer of all support
requirements they will need while at post. Support
requirements include procurement requests, motor pool usage,
shipping assistance, and any and all other service
requirements that will be needed upon arrival or during the
visit.


4. Political and security developments emerge quickly and
frequently in Sri Lanka and the Embassy is monitoring these
developments. The current unrest and spate of violent
incidents in the eastern part of the island have heightened
tensions island-wide. A July 2004 terrorist suicide bombing
in Colombo was the first in more than two years, although most
likely not targeted towards foreigners. The government has
given security forces expanded emergency powers of search,
seizure and detention in the wake of the August 12
assassination of the Foreign Minister but the situation around
the country remains calm. Once you arrive in Sri Lanka,

please make sure you register with the Consular Office so the
Embassy can communicate any changes in the situation. As
always, we urge you to be cautious and aware of your
surroundings.


5. Visitors to Sri Lanka traveling on diplomatic or official
passports will need a visa to enter Sri Lanka. If you are
arriving from a country in which there is no Sri Lanka Embassy,
please send to Letitia DeSilva (DeSilvaL@State.Gov) and copy
James Hostetler (HostetlerJE@State.Gov),the following
information: Full Name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth,
Passport Number, Place of Issue, Date of Issue, and Expiration
Date. The Embassy will make the arrangements with the GOSL to
have a visa issued at the airport. Visitors traveling on
tourist passports will be granted a 30-day visa upon arrival at
the airport. For visitors whose temporary duty will exceed 30
days, once you arrive you may request a four-month visa
extension at a cost of SLR 10,000 (approximately USD
100.00). With this extension, total time in Sri Lanka is not to
exceed 150 days.


6. Travel by Official Americans to the North and East of Sri
Lanka has been restricted until further notice. Any travel to
these areas requires prior approval by the Ambassador or
Charge'.


7. Although the cease-fire between the Government of Sri Lanka
and LTTE continues to hold, travelers should exercise caution
when working in and near Government facilities and avoid large
gatherings due to a potential terrorist incident. Petty crime
is common in Colombo and travelers should avoid using public
transportation other than radio or hotel taxis. Travelers
should keep money or jewelry, when not in immediate use, in
hotel safe deposit boxes. Recent cases of credit card fraud
have been reported. Travelers are encouraged to either pay
with cash or to watch when a merchant ?swipes? the card for a
transaction to ensure it is not swiped more than once.


8. All TDY personnel must check in with the Regional Security
Officer on their first working day in Colombo to receive a
security briefing and an update regarding the terrorist threat.
Please coordinate with your control officer to schedule this
briefing. Visitors requiring access to classified information
while visiting post MUST forward their security clearance via
cable to the RSO. Again, for emergency contact purposes, all
official visitors are required to register, in person, at the
Embassy?s Consular Section, on their first working day or as
soon thereafter as practicable.

9.Travelers whose security orientation training is not
current are strongly urged to participate in one of the NFATC
security overseas seminars for TDY personnel before travel
commences.


10. An Embarkation Tax of SLR 1,500 is required. This tax is
normally included in the airline ticket charges and travelers
should verify the tax has been included.


11. Visitors to the Embassy wishing to access their OpenNet e-
mail from their home post should inform their control officer
before departure. If access to e-mail is necessary, visitors
should have their control officer provide the Colombo ISC
office with the following information at least five working
days in advance of their arrival at post: -- visitor's first
name, middle initial and last name, arrival date at post,
departure date at post, visitor's home OpenNet Exchange Server
Name, the Exchange IP Address and the Domain Name. The contact
e-mail address for Colombo ISC office is: ColomboISCHelpDesk
(SMTP: ColomboISCHelpDesk@state.gov). Colombo's ISC office
will create the guest account and set it up for email access.
When the visitor arrives at post, they will need to check in
with the Colombo ISC office (Room 134) to sign for a User ID
and Password. The Colombo ISC office staff will review with
the visitor the steps for accessing their home e-mail.


12. The Embassy Health Unit suggests that all TDY employees in
Sri Lanka for more than 14 days schedule a briefing with the
Foreign Service Health Practitioner (FSHP). Also, your control
officer can arrange for an electronic version of the Colombo
Health Booklet to be sent to you via email. Please be advised
that while in Sri Lanka, you cannot use your American health
insurance for health care received from local providers,
laboratories, and hospitals. You can obtain receipts for care
received in country to submit to your health insurance plan for
reimbursement. Some facilities will accept credit card
payment, but most require cash. Arrangements for deferring
payment for emergency care are possible if arranged through the
Health Unit, but you must clear all bills for health services
received outside of the Health Unit prior to leaving Sri Lanka.

Lunstead