BRUNEI COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR CHAN YIU KEI

UNCLAS BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN 000309 SIPDIS SIPDIS USDOC FOR 3132/USFCS/OIO/EAP/WZARIT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BEXP BMGT OTRA SN BX SUBJECT: BRUNEI COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR CHAN YIU KEI REF: SINGAPORE 00001909 ¶1. EMBASSY BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN WELCOMES AND GRANTS COUNTRY CLEARANCE TO CHAN YIU KEI, COMMERCIAL SPECIALIST, FROM O/A OCTOBER 24 TO 26, ¶2007. ¶2. POC AT EMBASSY: JOSEPHINE CHAN, TELEPHONE: (673)(2) 229-670; FAX: (673)(2)22-1775; EMAIL: CHANYY@STATE.GOV. ¶3. THE EMBASSY IS LOCATED AT TECK GUAN PLAZA, 3RD FLOOR, JALAN SULTAN, BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN BS8811. THE AFTER-HOURS AND DUTY OFFICER NUMBER IS (673) (8) 730- ¶691. ¶4. VISAS: DIPLOMATIC OR OFFICIAL PASSPORT-HOLDERS NEED TO OBTAIN A VISA IN ADVANCE OF TRAVEL. VISAS ARE NOT REQUIRED FOR VISITS OF 90 DAYS OR LESS IF A REGULAR PASSPORT IS USED. ¶5. BRUNEI AND SINGAPORE CURRENCIES ARE INTERCHANGEABLE. CURRENCY EXCHANGE IS AVAILABLE AT THE AIRPORT, THE HOTEL OR AT CITIBANK ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE EMBASSY. RATES AT THE BANK AND COMMERCIAL MONEYCHANGERS ARE SUBSTANTIALLY BETTER THAN THOSE IN THE HOTEL. BANK HOURS ARE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 9:00 A.M. TO 3:00 P.M. AND SATURDAY 9:00 A.M. TO 11:00 A.M. LOCAL CURRENCY CAN ALSO BE OBTAINED FROM AUTOTELLER MACHINES (ATM) AT MOST SHOPPING OUTLETS. AMERICAN EXPRESS, MASTERCARD AND VISA ARE WIDELY ACCEPTED IN BRUNEI. CURRENT EXCHANGE RATE IS 1USD = 1.5 BRUNEI DOLLARS. ¶6. THREAT ASSESSMENT: PLEASE SEE THE LATEST DEPARTMENT TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR SE ASIA AND POST CONSULAR INFORMATION SHEET AT HTTP://TRAVEL.STATE.GOV. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE NO KNOWN THREATS DIRECTED AGAINST AMERICAN CITIZENS OR U.S. GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL AND INTERESTS IN BRUNEI. THE CRIME RATE IN BRUNEI IS MEDIUM AND VIOLENT CRIME IS RARE. VISITORS SHOULD STILL PRACTICE PRUDENT SECURITY PRECAUTIONS SUCH AS NOT TRAVELING ALONE LATE AT NIGHT OR IN SECLUDED AREAS. REPORT ANY SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY TO THE RSO. ¶7. DRUGS AND FIREARMS: TRAVELERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT IMPORTATION OF FIREARMS IS PROHIBITED. PENALTIES FOR BREAKING THE LAW CAN BE MORE SEVERE. TRAFFICKING IN AND ILLEGAL IMPORTATION OF CONTROLLED DRUGS ARE VERY SERIOUS OFFENSES IN BRUNEI AND CARRY A MANDATORY DEATH PENALTY. ¶8. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES: THERE ARE NO OUTLETS FOR PURCHASING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN BRUNEI. NON-MUSLIM VISITORS ARE PERMITTED TO BRING IN 12 BOTTLES OF BEER AND TWO BOTTLES OF WINE/SPIRITS FOR PERSONAL CONSUMPTION. A CUSTOM DECLARATION FORM MUST BE COMPLETED UPON ARRIVAL. ¶9. AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX: CURRENTLY, THERE IS A 12 BRUNEI DOLLARS AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX. ¶10. LOCAL TIME: BRUNEI TIME IS 13 HOURS AHEAD OF EST. ¶11. LAPTOP AND OTHER PORTABLE COMPUTERS: PURSUANT TO STATE 286036, DATED 10/07/03, ALL OFFICIAL TRAVELERS TO POST WHO INTEND TO BRING A LAPTOP OR OTHER PORTABLE COMPUTERS MUST NOTIFY POST IN ADVANCE AND FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES PROVIDED THEREIN. THE RSO AND/OR ISSO WILL GRANT FINAL APPROVAL TO BRING SUCH EQUIPMENT INTO THE CHANCERY. SKODON