Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 1, 1990 TAG: 9004010276
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: BUS-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BRIAN F. HAYES THE NEW YORK TIMES
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
However, the resulting confusion at border crossings and crowds in consulates still can mean lost time, effort and frustration for travelers.
"Every day there is a new law and the next day the new law is gone," says Traude Sourisseaux, of Koch Overseas, a tour operator serving East Germany, where visa and customs procedures have long been among the most strict and time-consuming in Eastern Europe.
Like the political and economic reforms, changes in immigration and customs laws vary considerably from one country to another.
East Germany and Poland have significantly altered their currency exchange policies; Czechoslovakia has eased its visa policy; Bulgaria has begun making visas available at the border, and Hungary has left intact its relatively open visa and customs policies.
With government officials and travel agents struggling to keep up with the steady stream of new regulations, the watchwords for travelers headed to Eastern Europe in the coming months are "patience" and "plan ahead."
Some travel agents and State Department officials expect the projected flood of Western tourists, especially this summer, to overwhelm some bureaucracies.
Already, some Eastern European consulates in New York and embassies in Washington, with small staffs that are inexperienced in processing large numbers of visitors, are having difficulty handling the flow of visa requests.
Dvorak said he had heard reports of passports being lost at some consulates; to reduce the chances of this happening he suggested sending passports by certified mail or a delivery service requiring proof of receipt.
Americans should also check their passports for expiration dates; some countries may refuse to issue visas unless the passport is valid for at least several months after the start of the planned trip.
The following is a roundup of visa requirements and currency regulations in Eastern Europe. The information was compiled within the past month from interviews with tourist boards, State Department officials and Eastern European consulate and embassy officials.
East Germany
Since the breaching of the Berlin wall, the East German government has abolished the requirement that foreigners convert the equivalent of $15 to East German marks for each day spent in the country.
Importing and exporting East German marks remains illegal, but it is unclear whether visitors can convert unused marks back to hard currency. Visitors who plan to return still have the option of depositing money in special bank accounts, good for one year, for use the next time they visit the country.
To avoid problems, money should be changed in small amounts and only at official exchange offices. With rates at these offices improving (3 East German marks to each West German mark; earlier it was a one-to-one ratio) the black market is becoming less attractive.
Other laws remain on the books, but are not necessarily being enforced with rigor.
For example, East Germany still requires Americans crossing between East and West Berlin to use either Checkpoint Charlie or the Friedrichstrasse subway station.
Yet some travelers have recently reported using some of the new crossings established at other points, particularly the Brandenburg Gate, to relieve the crush.
Who can use these checkpoints, according to U.S. officials in Berlin, seems to depend on the East German border guards on duty.
Visa regulations have emerged intact from the political upheaval.
To get a visa valid for more than 24 hours, visitors must first make hotel reservations, or, if they intend to stay in a private residence, apply for special permission from a travel agent or the East German Embassy.
Hotel reservations can take from 10 days to several weeks for approval, while applications for staying in a private residence can require up to eight weeks for approval.
Upon showing proof of accommodation at the border, a visitor will receive a single-entry visa for about $8.
The government permits free travel throughout the country, but travelers must stay in the hotel or private residence that they listed on their visa application.
Customs laws remain essentially unchanged, but travelers are reporting less strict enforcement.
Travelers are still prohibited from taking antiques and certain luxury items bought with East German marks, such as crystal, optical equipment and jewelry, from the country, but restrictions on printed matter seem to be easing.
State Department officials expect the bureaucratic confusion to persist until a permanent government is established and becomes stabilized.
Information: East German Embassy (1717 Massachusetts Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036; telephone 202-232-3134 between 1 and 3 p.m.) or Koch Overseas (157 East 86th Street, New York, N.Y. 10028; 212-369-3800).
Poland
Like East Germany, Poland has dropped its minimum daily currency exchange requirement. Travelers are still forbidden to import or export zlotys. It is also impossible to convert unused zlotys back into hard currency, so visitors are advised to change money in small amounts as needed.
Although immigration and customs officials may be spending less time examining documents and searching for contraband since the old regime relinquished power, travelers are saving little time.
Whether arriving in Poland by car or air, visitors are still met with long lines at entry points. "Just because the politics and the economy have changed doesn't mean the country isn't still run by an army of bureaucrats," said an American official.
When leaving the country, travelers should be careful to avoid taking out any antique, work of art or book without a receipt stating its date of production. It is illegal to remove any of these items produced before 1945 without official permission.
Visa applications take about two weeks to be processed, but consulate officials suggest allowing extra time. Visas, which are good for up to 90 days, are issued for specific lengths of time, so travelers should indicate how long they intend to stay.
Prices range from $23 for a single-entry to $120 for multiple-entry. Discounts are available for students, group tour participants and holders of prepaid vouchers for travel services.
Information: Orbis, the Polish National Tourist Office, (342 Madison Avenue, Suite 1512, New York, N.Y. 10173; 212-867-5011), or the Consular Division of the Polish Embassy ( 2224 Wyoming Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20008; 202-234-2501).
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia, which has been issuing most visas without much difficulty in recent years, has further simplified the process, especially for former Czechoslovak nationals, a group that had often encountered problems in the past.
Travelers may obtain visas valid that day at four locations along the border. To avoid lines, State Department officials still suggest applying for visas at a Czechoslovak embassy by mail before a trip.
Customs laws, which seldom posed serious problems to travelers in the past, are little unchanged.
Information: Cedok, the national tourist bureau, (10 E. 40th Street, New York, N.Y. 10016; 212-689-9720), or the Czechoslovak Embassy (3900 Linnean Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20008; 202-363-6315) 10 a.m. to noon.
Hungary
For years Hungary has had some of the easiest entry procedures in Eastern Europe, and recent reforms should have little, if any, effect on acquiring visas. Travelers can obtain visas at the airport or at the border, if going by car or bus.
Those wishing to enter by train must procure a visa in advance from any consulate, embassy or Ibusz tourist agency office, which usually takes only 48 hours. Prices range from $15 for a 30-day, single-entry visa up to $50 for multiple entry, good for six months.
by CNB