
STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL ADVISORY - Libya
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Libya - Warning
 March 19, 1992

Summary:  The U.S. Government strongly advises American citizens
who may be present in Libya to depart immediately.  U.S. passports
are not valid for travel to, in or through Libya unless they are
specially endorsed by the U.S. Government.  Similarly, all financial
transactions with Libya have been prohibited.  The United State has
no embassy in Libya.  End summary.

The U.S. Government strongly advises American citizens who may be
present in Libya to depart immediately.  The government of Libya has
not complied with the requirements of U.N. Security Council
Resolution 731, which was adopted on January 21, 1992 in response to
Libyan involvement in the bombings of Pan Am flight 103 and UTA
flight 772.

The United States, the United Kingdom, and France have decided to
submit a second resolution to the U.N. Security Council asking that
it impose mandatory sanctions on Libya, including an air embargo,
until Libya complies with the provisions of Resolution 731.  The
U.S. cannot predict Libya's response to U.N. Security Council
sanctions.  Passage of this resolution would mean air links will be
broken, and it will be more difficult to leave Libya.

On December 11, 1981, U.S. passports ceased to be valid for travel
to, in or through Libya and may not be used for that purpose unless
a special validation has been obtained.  Use of a U.S. passport for
travel to, in or through Libya may constitute a violation of 18
U.S.C. 1544, and be punishable by a fine and/or imprisonment.

The categories of individuals eligible for consideration for a
special validation are set forth in 22 C.F.R. 51.74.  Passport
validation requests for Libya 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, DC  20522-1705
Attn:  Office of Citizenship Appeals and Legal Assistance, Room 300

The request must be accompanied by substantiating documentation
according to the category under which validation is sought.
Currently, the four categories of persons being considered are as
follows:

(1)  Professional Reporter:  Included 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
Libya for dissemination to the general public.  The request must
come from the applicant's employer, and contain information
attesting to the reporter's status with that organization.

(2)  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.

(3)  Humanitarian Considerations:  Applicant must establish that
his or her trip is justified by compelling humanitarian
considerations.  At this time, "compelling humanitarian
considerations" are being interpreted as either those situations
where the applicant can document that an immediate family member is
critically ill in Libya, or "family reunification" cases where
spouses or minor children are residing in Libya, with and dependent
on, a Libyan national spouse or parent for their support.
Documentation concerning family illness must include the name and
address of the relative, and be from the relative's physician
attesting to the nature and gravity of the illness.

(4)  National Interest:  The applicant's request is otherwise found
to be in the national interest.

In all requests for passport validation to Libya, the name, date
and place of birth for all concerned persons must be given, as well
as the U.S. passport numbers, if any exist.  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 326-6178.

Persons contemplating travel to Libya also should be aware that
there is no U.S. mission in Libya and that our interests are being
protected and represented by the government of Belgium.  This
protecting power can provide only limited emergency services, and
the normal protection by U.S. diplomatic and consular
representatives cannot be provided to Americans traveling in Libya.

U.S. Treasury Restrictions:  The U.S. Treasury Department's Office
of Foreign Assets Control, which administers Libyan sanctions
regulations, has also imposed restrictions regarding travel to
Libya.  Questions concerning these restrictions should be addressed
directly to that agency.  The address and telephone number are:

U.S. Department of the Treasury
Office of Foreign Assets Control
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC  20220
Telephone:  (202) 566-2701

 No. 92-54

This advisory replaces the travel advisory dated January 30, 1991,
to advise strongly any U.S. citizens who may be in Libya despite
previous U.S. travel advisories to leave immediately.

