From: Thomas mountain (thomascmountain@yahoo.com)
Date: Thu Sep 11 2008 - 06:59:30 EDT
When entering and exiting Eritrea via the Asmara Airport you would be well advised to pay strict attention to the following information;
!) Keep your reciepts, especially your currency declarations. Pay attention to the color of these forms, green for arrival, white for departure.
2) Make sure you do not lose track of any declared foreign currency, and especially do not fail to disclose all such currency when arriving.
Times have changed at the Asmara Airport. Upon arrival luggage is being thoroughly inspected, and little if any leeway is being given to materials previously allowed through though they might actually require import permits.
When departing, make sure all your foreign currency declarations are in order and ready for inspection. It seems every flight is finding someone denied exit because of problems in this regards.
Our own example, though personal and small in the larger context, should be a wake up call for all those travelling to and from Eritrea.
Last night we were denied exit from Asmara Airport when we were leaving on our annual medical visit to the USA. The reason, apparently, was because i had accepted and filled out the wrong foreign currency form the last time i departed Asmara for abroad (i was given and filled out the green form instead of the white form).
On our previous return to asmara, my wife declared our Euros. When i left on my next trip, by myself, i took the euros we had brought with us and using my wifes declaration to show origin of the currency, filled out the green form given to me by the clerk at the currency declaration kiosk. The clerk, upon reciept of the form, realized their mistake and corrected the heading from entrance to exit by hand and signed and returned the form to me. This form was accepted by the exit personel, after requiring me to count the euros for their inspection. I left Eritrea not knowing i had accepted the wrong form, even though it had been corrected and signed by the clerk and accepted by the departure inspectors.
Upon arrival back in Asmara, i declared the left over euros i had not used on my trip to Europe, as required.
Last night when we presented our currency declarations, my previous trips exit declaration was not accepted and because my wife could not account for the euros she had declared and which had been allowed to leave the country in my posession, she was barred from exiting the country.
We are facing thousands of dollars in penalties from Lufthansa for rescheduling our flight and doctors appointments, many months in the making, will have to be rescheduled.
So a lesson we will have to chalk up to learning things the hard way is very worth paying attention to.
How we will resolve this matter is not yet clear though i am sure it will be done so in due time.
Until then it will be wise to remember that times have changed at the Asmara Airport and it would be smart to make sure you have your paper work exactly as required.
selam and rain for Eritrea,
tom
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