From: 76702.1202@CompuServe.COM (Charlie Smith)
Newsgroups: rec.travel
Subject: *NEW* TRAVEL ADVISORY -- Iraq
Date: 10 Apr 1992 13:17:14 -0500
Organization: CS Dept, University of Texas at Austin
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu

STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL ADVISORY - Iraq
============================================================
IRAQ - WARNING
 April 8, 1992

Summary:  The Department of State strongly advises U.S. citizens to 
avoid all travel to Iraq.  Conditions within the country remain 
unsettled and dangerous.  The United States does not maintain 
diplomatic relations with Iraq, and the U.S. government cannot 
provide normal consular protective services to U.S. citizens.  U.S. 
passports are not valid for travel to, in or through Iraq unless 
they are specially endorsed by the U.S. Government.  In addition, a 
U.S. trade embargo severely restricts financial and economic 
activities with Iraq, including travel-related transactions.  End 
summary.

Hostilities in the Gulf region ceased on February 27, 1991.  United 
Nations Security Council Resolution 687, adopted on April 3, 1991, 
set terms for a permanent ceasefire, but conditions in Iraq remain 
unsettled.  Travel in Iraq is extremely hazardous, particularly for 
U.S. citizens.

Regional conflicts continue in northern Iraq between Kurdish ethnic 
groups and Iraqi security forces.  In southern Iraq, governmental 
repression of the Shia communities is severe.

Persons contemplating travel to Iraq should be aware that there is 
no U.S. mission there.  The U.S. Government is not in a position to 
accord normal consular protective services to U.S. citizens in Iraq. 
 U.S. Government interests are represented by the government of 
Poland, which as a protecting power is able to provide only limited 
emergency services to U.S. citizens.

On February 8, 1991, U.S. passports ceased to be valid for travel 
to, in or through Iraq and may not be used for that purpose unless a 
special validation has been obtained.  Without the requisite 
validation, use of a U.S. passport for travel to, in or through Iraq 
may constitute a violation of 18 U.S.C. 1544, and may be punishable 
by a fine and/or imprisonment.  An exemption to the above 
restriction is granted to Americans residing in Iraq as of February 
8, 1991.

In addition, the Department of the Treasury prohibits all 
travel-related transactions by U.S. persons intending to visit Iraq, 
unless specifically licensed by the Office of Foreign Assets 
Control.  The only exceptions to this licensing requirement are for 
journalistic activity or for U.S. Government or United Nations 
business.

The categories of individuals eligible for consideration for a 
special passport validation are set forth in 22 C.F.R. 51.74.  
Passport validation requests for Iraq should be forwarded in writing 
to the following address:

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Passport Services
U.S. Department of State
1425 K Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20522-1705
Attn:  Office of Citizenship Appeals and Legal Assistance (Rm. 300).

The request must be accompanied by supporting documentation 
according to the category under which validation is sought.  
Currently, the four categories of persons specified in 22 C.F.R. 
51.74 as being eligible for consideration for passport validation 
are as follows:

[a]  Professional Reporters:  includes full-time members of the 
reporting or writing staff of a newspaper, magazine or broadcasting 
network whose purpose for travel is to gather information about Iraq 
for dissemination to the general public.  As specified in the first 
paragraph of this advisory, professional reporters are exempt from 
the prohibition on use of a U.S. passport to travel to Iraq.

[b]  American Red Cross:  Applicant establishes that he or she is a 
representative of the American Red Cross or International Red Cross 
traveling pursuant to an officially sponsored Red Cross mission.

[c]  Humanitarian Considerations:  Applicant must establish that 
his or her trip is justified by compelling humanitarian 
considerations or for family unification.  At this time, "compelling 
humanitarian considerations" include situations where the applicant 
can document that an immediate family member is critically ill in 
Iraq.   Documentation concerning family illness must include the 
name and address of the relative, and be from that relative's 
physician attesting to the nature and gravity of the illness.  
"Family unification" situations may include cases in which spouses 
or minor children are residing in Iraq, with and dependent on, an 
Iraqi national spouse or parent for their support.

[d]  National Interest:  The applicant's request is otherwise found 
to be in the national interest.

In all requests for passport validation for travel to Iraq, the 
name, date and place of birth for all concerned persons must be 
given, as well as the U.S. passport numbers.  Documentation as 
outlined above should accompany all requests.  Additional 
information may be obtained by writing to the above address or by 
calling the Office of Citizenship Appeals and Legal Assistance at 
[202] 326-6168 or 6178.

U.S. Treasury Restrictions:  In August 1990 President Bush issued 
Executive Orders 12722 and 12724, imposing economic sanctions 
against Iraq including a complete trade embargo.  The U.S. Treasury 
Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control administers the 
regulations related to these sanctions, which include restrictions 
on all financial transactions related to travel to Iraq.  These 
regulations prohibit all travel-related transactions, except as 
specifically licensed.  The only exceptions to this licensing 
requirement are for persons engaged in journalism or in official 
U.S. Government or U.N. business.  Questions concerning these 
restrictions should be addressed directly to:

Licensing Section
Office of Foreign Assets Control
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Washington, D.C. 20220
Telephone: (202) 566-2701;  Fax: (202) 377-7222

 No. 92-75

This replaces the previous travel advisory dated February 13, 1991, 
and advises U.S. citizens that conditions in Iraq remain unsettled 
and dangerous, and notes that the government of Poland is acting as 
the protecting power for U.S. interests.