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Last Updated:
September 29, 2007 10:24
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Still Valid: November 15, 2007 23:22 EST |
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1. RECENT UPDATES The level of Travel Warning in this report has not changed. Sections 1 and 2 of this Travel Report have been updated. See our Current Issues page for more information on flooding in Central African Republic. The Public Health Agency of Canada is monitoring the continuing outbreak of poliomyelitis (polio) in the Central African Republic. BACK TO TOP 2. WARNINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Central African Republic
Order has yet to be restored in much of the country outside the capital. Transborder rebel activity, armed attacks, banditry and kidnapping have recently intensified in the Northern and North Western provinces. The situation is particularly serious along the Sudanese, Chadian and Cameroonian borders, where disgruntled armed mercenaries control most villages. In these regions, instability tends to cause population movement. The government's inability to pay civil servants' salaries represents potential motives for strikes, as well as political and social unrest throughout the country. Military unrest is still common. The Central African Republic closed its border with Sudan on April 14, 2006. OFFICIAL REGISTRATION RECOMMENDATION: We offer a registration service for all Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that we can contact and assist you in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform you of a family emergency at home. Registration can be done on-line or by contacting a Canadian government office abroad. For more information, see our FAQs on Registration of Canadians Abroad. BACK TO TOP 3. SAFETY AND SECURITY It is the responsibility of individual travellers to make informed travel choices. The Government of Canada takes very seriously the safety and security of Canadians abroad and provides credible and timely advice in its Country Travel Reports. Situations vary from country to country, and there may be constraints on government resources, which can limit the ability of the Government of Canada to provide assistance, particularly in countries where the potential for violent conflict or political instability are high. In the event of a crisis situation that requires evacuation, the Government of Canada’s policy is to provide safe transportation to the closest safe location. Canada will assist Canadians in leaving a country as a last resort, when all means of commercial or personal transportation have been exhausted. This service is provided on a cost-recovery basis. Onward travel is at the individual’s personal expense. The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety. The purpose of this Travel Report is to provide Canadians with up-to-date information to enable them to make well-informed decisions. Travel outside of Bangui is still dangerous. The possibility of another outbreak of fighting cannot be ruled out. Regional wars have increased access to weapons, and armed attacks occur, often consisting of highway robbery. Overland points of entry are closed to tourists since no security arrangements are provided for foreigners travelling outside the capital. Security is unstable throughout the country. Foreigners are often the targets of armed gangs. Street crime is common in downtown Bangui. Armed gangs operate in outlying residential areas, and robberies from expatriate residences occur. You should not go to the KM5 market. Victims of crime may have to pay to transport police officers to the scene due to a shortage of police vehicles. Demonstrations occur and should be avoided. Exercise caution at all times, ensure your personal belongings are secure, and do not show signs of affluence. It is recommended to carry only certified copies of your travel documents. BACK TO TOP 4. ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS The following information on entry and exit requirements has been confirmed with the Central African authorities and, to the best of our knowledge, was valid on June 28, 2006. However, entry and exit requirements are subject to change. It is the sole prerogative of each country to determine who is allowed to enter. All countries have special requirements for persons intending to reside for extended periods (usually more than 90 days) or who plan to work, study, or engage in non-tourist activities. To obtain information on specific entry requirements, contact the nearest diplomatic or consular office of the country or countries to be visited. Violations of entry and exit requirements may result in serious penalties. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada’s Office of Protocol provides contact details for the Embassy of the Central African Republic and its consulate, where you can obtain further information on entry and exit requirements. A valid Canadian passport is required for Canadians intending to visit the Central African Republic. Canadians must also be in possession of a visa. Tourist Visa: Required Business Visa: Required Student Visa: Required Travellers are required to carry evidence of a yellow fever vaccination. A Certificate of Canadian Citizenship (CCC) is not a travel document. Airlines are known to refuse boarding to dual national Canadian passengers returning to Canada, travelling on a passport that requires a visa to enter Canada, regardless of whether the passenger presents a valid CCC as proof of Canadian citizenship. A Canadian passport is the only reliable and universally accepted travel and identification document for the purpose of international travel. It proves your admissibility to enter Canada. Selling, altering, or allowing another person to use your passport is a criminal offence. It could lead to the laying of charges and imprisonment if convicted. It could also lead to the denial of future passport services. Special and diplomatic passport holders should verify visa requirements for this and other countries, as they may differ from those that apply to regular passport holders. Any adult travelling with children may be required to show evidence of parental/custodial and/or access rights. Foreign and Canadian authorities may also require evidence that the adult has the consent of the parents, legal guardian, and/or the court to travel with the children. Some countries may not permit children to enter or, in some cases, leave the country without proper documentation such as a letter of consent or a court order. Although same-sex marriages are legal in Canada, many countries do not recognize them. Attempting to enter as a same-sex married couple may result in refusal by local officials. For more information, contact the foreign government office accredited to Canada. BACK TO TOP 5. CANADIAN GOVERNMENT CONTACTS You can obtain consular assistance and further consular information at the following address: Central African Republic - BANGUI, Consulate of Canada Address: Cabinet ARC, Bangui Postal Address: P.O. Box 514, Bangui, Tel.: 236 61 30 39 Fax: 236 61 18 39 E-Mail: consulatbangui@yahoo.fr The High Commission of Canada in Yaoundé, Cameroon has consular responsibility for the Central African Republic. The address is as follows: Cameroon - YAOUNDÉ, High Commission of Canada Address: Immeuble Stamatiades, Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, Yaoundé Postal Address: P.O. Box 572, Yaoundé, Tel.: 237 2223-2311 Fax: 237 2222-1090 E-Mail: yunde@international.gc.ca Internet: http://www.yaounde.gc.ca For emergency assistance after hours, call the High Commission of Canada in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and follow the instructions. You may also make a collect call to the Department in Ottawa at (613) 996-8885. BACK TO TOP 6. LOCAL LAWS AND CUSTOMS You are subject to local laws. A serious violation may lead to a jail sentence. The sentence will be served in local prisons. Canadians arrested or detained have the right to contact the responsible Canadian government office (embassy, high commission, etc.) listed in Section 5 above. Arresting officials have a responsibility to assist you in doing so. Canadian consular officials can provide a list of local lawyers upon request. The procedures required in legal proceedings or police investigations may be different from the procedures in force in the Canadian legal system. Canadians wishing to undertake such proceedings can expect to face long delays and additional efforts in order to resolve their case. The Government of Canada cannot intervene in ongoing legal proceedings in other countries, unless requested to do so by local authorities. Such requests are rare. Penalties for drug use or possession are severe and may include a jail sentence. A licence is required to buy or sell precious gems. Penalties are heavy for those involved in smuggling. Photography of government buildings or police and military installations is prohibited. These sites may not be clearly marked. Ask permission before taking photographs. Homosexual behaviour is illegal. BACK TO TOP 7. LOCAL TRAVEL AND CURRENCY All overland travel outside the capital should be done in a convoy of at least two vehicles. Although remote areas can normally be accessed with four-wheel-drive vehicles, some roads may be impassable during the rainy season (May to October). In the event of an accident involving injuries, you should go to the nearest police station and contact the Consulate of Canada in Bangui. Police and military may set up roadblocks. Roads are poor throughout the country, and the only paved roads lead out from Bangui 157 km northwest to Bossembélé, 188 km northeast to Sibut and 107 km southwest to M'Baiiki. Dirt roads can be closed for hours or for days during the wet season. Buses, trucks and minibuses are the normal means of transportation. Fuel shortages are common. Fuel reserves are recommended when travelling. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is required. There is no rail network in operation. The currency is the African Financial Community franc (XAF), which is also used in Chad, Congo, Gabon and Equitorial Guinea. The West African CFA franc is not legal tender in the Central African Republic and can neither be used nor exchanged. Credit cards (VISA, the French Carte bleue) and traveller's cheques are accepted only in major hotels in Bangui (Sofitel, Central Hotel and Somba Hotel). It is recommended that traveller's cheques be issued in euros. The exchange rate for cash is much lower than for traveller's cheques, but the banks that change cheques charge commissions. Bangui and Berbérati are the only cities where you can change money. Canadian currency and traveller's cheques are not widely accepted worldwide. Check with your bank for information on Automated Banking Machine ( BACK TO TOP 8. NATURAL DISASTERS AND CLIMATE The rainy season extends from May to October and the dry season extends from December to April. Some roads may become impassable during the rainy season. The rainy season diminishes progressively to four months (June to September) as you head north. Flash floods are common during the rainy season. The temperature can reach 40°C in the north between February and May, and the humidity can be oppressive. BACK TO TOP 9. TRAVEL MEDICINE PROGRAM The Public Health Agency of Canada and the World Health Organization (WHO) report on disease outbreaks that occur throughout the world. For the latest travel health advisories and related information, visit the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Travel Medicine Program Web site. The Public Health Agency of Canada strongly recommends that your travel plans include contacting a travel medicine clinic or physician six to eight weeks before departure. Based on your individual risk assessment, a health care professional can determine your need for immunizations and/or preventive medication and advise you on precautions to avoid disease. Travellers are reminded to ensure that their routine (childhood) immunizations (e.g., tetanus, diphtheria, polio, and measles) are up to date. Standards of medical care may differ from those in Canada. Treatment may be expensive, and payment in advance may be required. Travellers are advised to arrange for medical insurance prior to departure. Prescription medications should be kept in the original container and packed in carry-on luggage. The Public Health Agency of Canada also recommends that travellers who become sick or feel unwell on their return to Canada seek a medical assessment with their personal physician. Travellers should inform their physician that they have been travelling or living outside of Canada. BACK TO TOP 10. ADDITIONAL HEALTH INFORMATION Medical facilities are poor to non-existent outside Bangui. Medicines are scarce and sanitary conditions are poor. Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is very common and makes swimming unsafe everywhere. Water used for consumption should be primarily boiled or otherwise sterilized. As the rate of HIV/AIDS infection is high in Central African Republic, you should be cautious about activities involving the transmission of bodily fluids. BACK TO TOP 11. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Returning to Canada Traveller's Checklist Health and Travel Insurance: Do not rely on your provincial health plan to cover all expenses if you get sick or are injured while abroad. It may cover nothing or only a portion of the costs. Understand the terms of your supplementary insurance policy. Some credit cards offer their holders health and travel insurance. Do not assume the card alone provides adequate coverage. Carry details of your insurance with you. Also, tell your travel agent, a friend or relative, and/or travelling companion how to contact your insurer. Get a detailed invoice from the doctor or hospital before you return to Canada. Always submit original receipts for any medical services or prescriptions received abroad. Most insurance companies will not accept copies or faxes. See Canada's Health Portal. Cancelling a scheduled trip abroad could cost you money. Before cancelling a scheduled trip, you should discuss the matter with your travel agent, your travel insurer, or the airline. The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. Adoption: Provincial and territorial authorities in Canada are responsible for authorizing international adoptions. If you are thinking of adopting a child from another country, you must first obtain information about the adoption regulations of the province or territory in which the child will reside. While adoption is a provincial/territorial responsibility, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is responsible for allowing an adopted child entry into Canada. Entry can be refused if the child does not hold the appropriate immigrant visa. A visa may be denied, even if the adoption has already been completed. For more information contact CIC at 1 888 242-2100 (in Canada only), check the CIC Web site or contact your provincial or territorial government. BACK TO TOP 12. ANNEX N/A BACK TO TOP |
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