VISAS, ENTRY RULES, CUSTOMS REGULATIONS in Papua New Guinea
A tourist visa is required to enter Papua New Guinea. There is no Embassy of Papua New Guinea in Russia. Assistance to Russian tourists in transferring documents to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Papua New Guinea is provided by the Australian Embassy in Moscow. Here, with a positive response from Papua New Guinea, you will be given permission to enter the country, and the visa itself will be placed at the airport upon arrival in the country. To obtain an entry permit to Papua New Guinea, the following documents are submitted to the Consular Section of the Australian Embassy:
– a passport valid for at least 12 months from the end of the planned trip;
– a photocopy of the page of the international passport with the data of the applicant;
– a questionnaire completed in English, which can be obtained from the Australian Embassy;
– 2 color photographs 3.5×4.5 cm;
– a photocopy of tickets in both directions;
– a copy of the invitation from the host, or a copy of the hotel reservation confirmation, or a copy of the tourist voucher, or a letter from the travel company organizing the tour;
– proof of financial solvency (bank statement or certificate of purchase of currency) at the rate of 500 USD per person for each week of stay;
All documents submitted to the Australian Embassy must be in English. Submission of documents is carried out by appointment. The issuance of a permit usually takes 1 month.
The validity of a tourist visa in Papua New Guinea is 60 days. The consular fee is paid when issuing a visa at the airport upon arrival in the country.There are no restrictions on the import or export of foreign and local currency. You can import duty-free into Papua New Guinea up to 2 liters of alcoholic beverages (for persons aged 18 years and over), up to 200 pieces of cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco (for persons aged 18 years and over), perfumes within personal needs, as well as other unpacked goods totaling up to 1,000 kinas for travelers over 18 years of age and 500 kinas for travelers under 18 years of age. It is forbidden to import drugs, antiques, weapons (permission is required for the import of edged weapons), pornography, non-canned food of animal origin, and pork in all forms. Importation of animals, plants and seeds requires a pre-arranged written authorization issued by the Chief Quarantine Officer of the Department of Agricultural Protection.
From Papua New Guinea, the export of rare animals and plants, antiques (by antiques means everything produced before 1960) and any finds from the bottom of the sea is prohibited.
Embassy in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea, embassy in Moscow
There is no Papua New Guinea embassy in Russia, the Australian Embassy in Moscow assists Russian tourists in transferring documents to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Papua New Guinea.
Australian Embassy:
Kitay-gorod metro station (Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya line), Podkolokolny pereulok, 10A/2.
Tel.: (+7 495) 956-60-70.
Fax: (+7 495) 956-61-70.
Papua New Guinea, Russian embassy in the country:
There is no Russian embassy in Papua New Guinea. The nearest Embassy of the Russian Federation is located in Australia in the city of Canberra at 78 Canberra Avenue, Griffith (78, Canberra Avenue, Griffith ACT2603, Canberra, Australia).
Tel.: (8-10-61-2) 62-95-90-33.
Contact in Papua New Guinea
In large cities of Papua New Guinea, you can see pay phones on the streets, calls to which are made using cards. It is impossible to make an international call from these phones; you can call another country from hotels or from pay phones in large commercial centers. Phone cards are sold at post offices, newsstands and convenience stores.
In order to call from Papua New Guinea to Russia, you need to dial 05 – 7 (Russian code) – area code – subscriber number.
In order to call from Russia to Papua New Guinea, you need to dial 8 – 10 – 675 (Papua New Guinea code) – the subscriber’s number. There are no area codes in the country.
Emergency Phones in Papua New Guinea
Emergency numbers in Port Moresby:
Police – 000
Fire Department – 110
Ambulance – 325-6822
HOLIDAYS AND WEEKENDS
January 1 – New Year’s Day
June 13 – Queen’s Birthday (observed next Monday)
July 21 – Memorial Day
September 16 – Independence Day (observed next Monday)
December 25-26 – Christmas
Throughout the year in Papua New Guinea many festivals are arranged, which are accompanied by the so-called sing-sing shows. Sing-sing shows are an integral part of life for the locals. During the show, tourists can get acquainted with the main traditions of individual tribes. The biggest shows are in Lai in November, Goroka in September and Mount Hagen in August. Particularly colorful sing-sing shows are held on Government Day. Each province has its own date for the Government Day.
SHOPS
According to medicinelearners, shops are open from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm, on Saturdays from 9 am to 12 pm. Most shops are closed on Sunday. The best place for shopping is the shopping center “Boroko” in the capital of the country – Port Moresby.
Tipping It
is not customary to leave a tip, because according to local customs, the ritual of giving is very complicated, and the person who accepts the gifts has many obligations to the one who gave them.
NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
Each tribe of Papua New Guinea has its own characteristics. The laws of each of them can differ radically, and the behavior of local residents may not at all coincide with the ideas familiar to Europeans about the elementary rules of behavior in society. When visiting tribes, you should behave with restraint, since doing something not according to the rules means breaking the law. It is necessary to consult with local guides and in no case should you go here alone. It is worth noting that giving gifts and leaving tips in Papua New Guinea is not accepted, as the locals have a complex system of transferring gifts and obligations to those who give them.
ELECTRICITY
240V, 50Hz;
HEALTH
It is recommended that you take out health insurance before traveling to Papua New Guinea. When traveling around the country, there is a risk of contracting malaria (in areas located at altitudes below 1800 m), typhoid fever, yellow fever, cholera, hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, tetanus, polio and Japanese encephalitis. Malaria prophylaxis should begin at least one week prior to arrival and continue for a further 4 weeks after arrival.
In Papua New Guinea, the usual measures against insects should be taken – wear long sleeves, wide-brimmed hats and boots that cover the legs, and use repellents. Only bottled or boiled water should be used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice. Fruits are best consumed without peel, vegetables and meat – thermally processed.
