TRAVEL WARNING
Current information
On February 7th, Jovenel Moise was sworn in as the new President. The losing parties did not recognize his election victory. In the course of this, protests and demonstrations can occur in the next few weeks, which can easily turn into violence.
Travelers should pay close attention to local media coverage and avoid any form of gathering or demonstration. The instructions of the security forces should be followed.
On January 5, 2017, Guy Philippe, who was elected to the Senate for the Grand Anse region, was arrested and extradited to the USA. As a result, there were violent protests of his supporters in some parts of the country (mainly Départments Grand’Anse, in particular its capital Jérémie and Sud, occasionally in other parts of the country) against foreigners perceived as Americans. These protests have currently subsided, but depending on the course of the process in the USA they could flare up again quickly.
We strongly advise against traveling to Haiti at the moment.
Travelers who are already in Haiti are advised to pay particular attention and caution. German citizens are strongly advised to enter themselves into the crisis prevention list of the Foreign Office – external link, opens in new windowhttp: //elefand.diplo.de/ – and indicate the length of their stay, regardless of the purpose and duration of their stay.
Particular caution is required when driving overland. We strongly advise against driving after dark.
Due to the renewed outbreak of cholera following Hurricane “Matthew”, travelers should be sure to read the “Medical Information” section of this travel and safety guide.
Country-specific safety information
Crime
The general level of crime is high, but still below that of comparable other Caribbean states. In the two major cities of Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien in particular, foreigners are preferred victims and are sometimes deliberately robbed, e.g. B. after completing banking transactions or after entering the airport. At the airport, travelers should be picked up by someone they trust. Individual travelers are therefore advised to exercise particular caution. In the event of a robbery, they should not offer any resistance in order to avoid an escalation of violence.
Haiti has made significant efforts in recent years to revitalize the tourism sector. This includes well-organized group trips that take the security-relevant conditions into account as much as possible. The participants are welcomed at the airport and accompanied during their entire stay in Haiti, in some cases also by security forces. Travelers who take part in such a group tour must expect that important arterial roads to the hotels on the beaches of the country will be temporarily blocked by violent demonstrators and that the trip will therefore not take place as planned.
Individual travelers are strongly advised not to stay in the following districts of the capital Port-au-Prince: Cité Soleil, Martissant, Carrefour, Bel Air, Cíté Militaire and Jean-Marie Vincent.
When entering and leaving the official border crossings between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, hours of waiting and unannounced border closings as well as unannounced demonstrations on both sides of the border must be expected. Illegal border crossing is punishable and life-threatening.
Piracy
Travelers on maritime means of transport should note that robberies on anchored or coastal ships or cases of piracy along the Haitian coast occur sporadically and take appropriate measures (prefer safe anchorages, be careful with spontaneous guests on board, self-security at night).
The state security organs are only functional to a limited extent. In principle, they cannot guarantee adequate protection or provide help. Emergency medical care (e.g. ambulance services, intensive care units) is also not guaranteed across the board.
Cholera continues to be transmitted in Haiti, a country located in North America according to thereligionfaqs. Further information can be found in the medical information (see below).
MONEY
Currency
1 gourde = 100 centimes. Currency abbreviation: Gde, HTG (ISO code). There are banknotes in denominations of 1000, 500, 250, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 Gde.Coins in denominations of 5 and 1 Gde as well as 50, 20, 10 and 5 centimes.
Note: Most prices are not given in Gourdes, but in dollars, always referring to the so-called Haitian dollar (1 Haitian dollar equals 5 Gourdes).
Credit cards
Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard and American Express) are sometimes accepted in larger hotels and restaurants in the capital, otherwise rarely. Details from the issuer of the credit card in question.
ATMs
ec / Maestro card / Sparcard
Attention: Travelers who pay with their bank card abroad and want to withdraw money should find out about the possibilities of using their card from their bank before starting their journey.
ATMs, however, which do not always work, can be found in the capital and some provincial cities. ATMs in guarded supermarkets offer security when withdrawing.
Bank opening times
Mon-Fri 8.30 a.m.-4.00 p.m. Some banks also open Saturday mornings.
Foreign exchange regulations
The import and export of local and foreign currencies is unlimited. There is an obligation to declare amounts over 200,000 Gde.
Currency Exchange
US dollars are exchanged everywhere and accepted as a means of payment. Other foreign currencies can only be exchanged in some banks. It is advisable to bring sufficient cash (US dollars) with you in balanced denominations. Currency exchange is also possible at street vendors, but caution is advised here and only small amounts should be changed.