Wayzata World Factbook 1995/World Factbook - 1995 Edition - Wayzata Technology (1995).iso/mac/text/Build/tvltxt/SAUDI_AR.TVL

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Saudi Arabia - Consular Information Sheet
April 22, 1994

Country Description:  The Saudi Arabian political system is a monarchy.  The
king is chosen from and by members of the Al-Saud family.  The king rules
through royal decrees issued in conjunction with the Council of Ministers,
and with advice from the Consultative Council.  Members of both councils are
appointed by the king.  Islamic law is the basis of the authority of the
monarchy, and provides the foundation of the country's conservative customs
and practices.  Saudi Arabia has a modern and well-developed infrastructure,
and facilities for travelers are widely available, although the country does
not issue visas for tourism.  The workweek in Saudi Arabia is Saturday
through Wednesday.

Entry Requirements:  Passports and visas are required.  Tourist visas are
not available for travel to Saudi Arabia.  Visas are required for persons on
vessels calling at the port of Jeddah.  Visitors must have a business or
personal sponsor.  Residents in Saudi Arabia generally must surrender their
passports, and the passports of family members, to the Saudi sponsor while
in the kingdom, and are required to get an exit/reentry visa each time they
leave Saudi Arabia.  Those on visitor visas do not need an exit visa to
leave the kingdom.  Residents carry a Saudi residence permit (iqama) for
identification in place of their passports.  The U.S. Embassy and Consulates
General cannot sponsor private American citizens for Saudi visas.

Visitors to Saudi Arabia generally obtain a meningitis vaccination prior to
arrival.  A medical report is required to obtain a work and residence
permit.  This includes a medical certification stating that the individual
is free of AIDS.  Temporary visitors need not present an AIDS-free
certification.  For further information on entry requirements, travelers may
contact the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, 601 New Hampshire Ave., N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20037, telephone [phone], or a Saudi Arabian
Consulate General in Los Angeles (telephone [phone]), New York
(telephone [phone]) or Houston (telephone [phone]).

Exit Permission:  Residents in Saudi Arabia may not depart the country
without obtaining an exit permit, which requires the approval of their Saudi
sponsor.  The U.S. Embassy and Consulates General cannot apply for an exit
permit for a U.S. citizen under any circumstances.  A married woman residing
in Saudi Arabia with her husband must have her husband's permission for
herself and her children to depart the country, even if they are U.S.
citizens.  Persons in Saudi Arabia on visitor visas do not need an exit visa
to leave the country.

Saudi Customs, Religious Police, and General Standards of Conduct:  Islam
pervades all aspects of life in Saudi Arabia.  It is the official religion
of the country, and observance of any other religion is forbidden.  Non-
Muslim religious services are illegal and public display of non-Islamic
religious articles such as crosses and bibles is not permitted.  Travel to
Mecca and Medina, the cities where the two holy mosques of Islam are
located, is forbidden to non-Muslims.  The norms for public behavior in
Saudi Arabia are extremely conservative, and religious police, known as
mutawwa'in, are charged with enforcing these standards.  To ensure that
conservative standards of conduct are observed, the Saudi religious police
have harassed, accosted or arrested foreigners, including U.S. citizens, for
improper dress or other infractions, such as consumption of alcohol or
association by a female with a non-relative male.  While most incidents have
resulted only in inconvenience or embarrassment, the potential exists for an
individual to be physically harmed or deported.  U.S. citizens who are
involved in an incident with the mutawwa'in may report the incident to the
U.S. Embassy in Riyadh or the U.S. Consulates General in Jeddah or Dhahran.

The Saudi Embassy in Washington advises women traveling to Saudi Arabia to
dress in a conservative fashion, wearing ankle-length dresses with long
sleeves, and not to wear trousers in public.  In many areas of Saudi Arabia,
particularly Riyadh and the central part of the Kingdom, mutawwa'in pressure
women to wear a full-length black covering known as an abaya and to cover
their heads.  The result is that most women in these areas wear the abaya
and carry a headscarf to avoid harassment.  Women who appear to be of Arab
or Asian ethnic origin, especially Muslims, face a greater risk of harassment.

Some mutawwa'in try to enforce the rule that men and women who are beyond
childhood years may not mingle in public, unless they are family or close
relatives.  Mutawwa'in may ask to see proof that a couple is married or
related.  Women who are arrested for socializing with a man who is not a
relative may be charged with prostitution.  Women who are not accompanied by
a close male relative have not been served at some restaurants, particularly
fast-food outlets.  In addition, many restaurants no longer have a "family
section" in which women are permitted to eat.  These restrictions are not
always posted, and in some cases women violating this policy have been
arrested.

Women are not allowed to drive vehicles or ride bicycles on public roads.
In public, dancing, music, and movies are forbidden.  Pornography is
strictly forbidden.  Homosexual activity is considered to be a criminal
offense and those convicted may be sentenced to lashing and/or a prison
sentence.

Alcohol and Drug Penalties:  U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the
country in which they are traveling or residing.  In Saudi Arabia penalties
for the import, manufacture, possession and consumption of alcohol or
illegal drugs are severe and convicted offenders can expect sentences of
jail terms, fines, public flogging, and/or deportation.  The penalty for
drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia is capital punishment.  Saudi officials
make no exceptions.

Child Custody:  In Saudi Arabia, child custody decisions are based on
Islamic law.  It is extremely difficult for an American woman, even a
Muslim, to obtain custody of her children through a Saudi court decision.
Further information on this subject can be obtained in the Department of
State publications "Marriage to Saudis" and "Child Custody Disputes in Saudi
Arabia" which are available from the Office of Overseas Citizens Services,
Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20520-4818, telephone [phone],
or from the U.S. Embassy or Consulates General in Saudi Arabia.

Business Disputes:  Prior to the execution of a final contract, some
business persons and contract employees of Saudi companies have obtained an
independent translation of the Arabic-language contract, to ensure a full
understanding of all terms, limits and agreements, because the Arabic
version usually governs under Saudi law.  Settlement of disputes depends on
the type of agreement and the agency involved.  If the Saudi party in a
business dispute files a complaint with the Saudi authorities, Saudi law
permits barring the exit of the foreign party from the country until the
dispute is settled.  U.S. consular officers can provide lists of local
attorneys to help U.S. citizens settle business disputes, but ultimate
responsibility for the resolution of disputes through the Saudi legal system
lies with the parties involved.

Medical Facilities:  Basic modern medical care and medicines are available
in several hospitals and health centers in Saudi Arabia.  Doctors and
hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services.  U.S.
medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States.
Supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage has proved
useful.  The international travelers hotline at the Centers for Disease
Control, telephone [phone], has additional health information.

Information on Crime:  Crime is generally not a problem for travelers in
Saudi Arabia.  However, private Saudi citizens who perceive that
conservative standards of conduct are not being observed by a foreigner may
harass, pursue, or assault the person.  The loss or theft of a U.S. passport
abroad should be reported immediately to local police and the nearest U.S.
embassy or consulate.  Useful information on safeguarding valuables and
protecting personal security while traveling abroad is provided in the
Department of State pamphlet, "A Safe Trip Abroad."  General information
about travel to Saudi Arabia can be found in the Department of State
publication "Tips for Travelers to the Middle East and North Africa".  Both
pamphlets are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. 20402.

Registration:  U.S. citizens who register at the U.S. Embassy or the U.S.
Consulates General may obtain updated information on travel and security
within Saudi Arabia.

Embassy Location:  The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is located at
Collector Road M, Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter. The mailing address is P.O. Box
94309, Riyadh 11693, or AMEMBASSY, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307.  The
Embassy telephone number is (966-1) 488-3800, FAX [phone].

The Consulate General in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, is located between Aramco
Headquarters and Dhahran International Airport.  The mailing address is P.O.
Box 81, Dhahran Airport 31932, or Unit 66803, APO AE 09858-6803.  The
telephone number is (966-3) 891-3200, FAX [phone].

The Consulate General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is located on Palestine Road,
Ruwais. The mailing address is P.O. Box 149, Jeddah; or Unit 62112, APO AE
09811-2112.  The telephone number is (966-2) 667-0080, FAX [phone].

The workweek in Saudi Arabia is Saturday through Wednesday.

No. 94-052

This replaces the Consular Information Sheet for Saudi Arabia dated August
31, 1993, to add information about the risk of harassment or arrest by Saudi
religious police, and to add information on child custody disputes.