COUNTRY CLEARANCE APPROVAL - TREASURY

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 001911 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EFIN OTRA DR SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE APPROVAL - TREASURY REPRESENTATIVES RAMOS & WARFIELD REF: SECSTATE 8240 ¶1. US Embassy Santo Domingo welcomes and grants country clearance to US Treasury Representatives John Ramos and Robert Warfield for travel to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, from June 19 to June 30, 2006. The purpose of this trip is to conduct an annual assessment of the current Tax Technical Assistance project in the Dominican Republic. -------------- ¶2. Embassy Assistance -------------- Per reftel hotel reservations have been made at the Jaragua Hotel. Confirmation numbers are as follows: John Ramos 390812; Robert Warfield 388887. -------------- ¶3. Contact with US Embassy -------------- In case of an emergency during visit, including medical, please contact the US Embassy Marine Guard Post One at (809) 221-2171, extension 4398. -------------- ¶4. Travel Documents -------------- All official visitors are encouraged to enter the Dominican Republic on valid passports, with valid visas. If a visa cannot be obtained before entry into the Dominican Republic, a 30-day visa can be purchased for USD 10.00 in the airport terminal upon arrival. A USD 20.00 airport departure tax is charged to all non-residents leaving the country. Many US carriers include this tax in the ticket price, so please consult your ticket. -------------- ¶5. Monetary Exchange -------------- Embassy does not recommend use of local ATM machines, accordingly visitors are encouraged to bring sufficient cash, traveler's checks or credit cards for their needs. Although many merchants in the Dominican Republic generally do not accept US currency as payment for goods and services, most commercial banks and hotels provide exchange services. Please note that most hotels will calculate the room charges in pesos at their own exchange rate. To be certain that you pay only your advertised dollar rate, travelers should pay their bill in US currency to avoid currency fluctuations that could result in higher charges. Banco de Reservas, a Dominican commercial bank, offers check cashing and accommodation exchange services in the Embassy from 0900-1100 and 1200-1545 during official workdays. Official visitors may cash personal checks and can elect to either receive US Dollars or Dominican Pesos. US credit cards, especially Visa and Mastercard, are widely accepted in Major cities and tourist areas. -------------- ¶6. Medical Attention -------------- In the event medical services from Embassy Health professionals are needed, visitors will be expected to provide a copy of their orders upon receipt of care. -------------- ¶7. Country Threat Assessment -------------- A) Terrorism: The Dominican Republic is considered to be a low threat post for terrorism. Embassy is unaware of any indigenous terrorist groups operating in the Dominican Republic or of support for terrorist groups. However, transnational terrorism remains a possibility due to a number of factors, some of which include porous borders and a culture of corruption that impacts police and other security agencies. B) Crime: The Dominican Republic is considered a high threat post for crime. Street robberies, pick pocketing, credit card fraud, ATM fraud, burglaries, and theft from vehicles are all common crimes in the Dominican Republic. If you are the victim of a street robbery, do not resist. Statistically, most who resist robbery are injured. Those who obey robbers' demands are generally left unharmed. To avoid credit card fraud, avoid excessive use of credit cards while in country. Contact your card provider and advise them what charges you will be making while visiting the Dominican Republic. Keep a close watch over your credit card charges even weeks after leaving the Dominican Republic. Fraudulent charges may not appear until well after you have returned to your place of origin. To avoid ATM fraud, use only ATMs that are located in major hotels, or collocated with banks. Avoid using carros publicos, the least expensive type of taxi. Many travelers have reported being pick pocketed in these vehicles. Use established taxi services, or hotel taxis, which are considered safe. HERTELL